Korean Past Habit Modifier: 'Used to' (~던)
던 to describe nouns based on past habits or interrupted actions you are currently recollecting.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use ~던 to describe a past habit or a state that was ongoing but has now ended.
- Attach ~던 directly to the verb stem: 가다 -> 가던 (the place I used to go).
- Use it for repeated past actions: 먹던 사과 (the apple I was eating).
- Use it for states that changed: 예쁘던 꽃 (the flower that used to be pretty).
Overview
The Korean grammar pattern 던 (~던) functions as a retrospective noun modifier, indicating an action that was habitually performed in the past or was in progress when it was interrupted. It attaches to verb or adjective stems, or the copula 이다 (to be), and then modifies a noun. Unlike simple past tense modifiers, 던 inherently carries a nuance of recollection, implying the speaker is looking back on a past event, state, or action with a sense of continuity or unfulfillment.
This modifier allows you to describe a noun based on your past experiences with it. For example, 자주 가던 카페 (ja-ju ga-deon ka-pe) refers to "the cafe I often used to go to," highlighting a repeated past action. Similarly, 읽던 책 (il-deon chaek) means "the book I was reading," suggesting the action of reading was interrupted and perhaps not completed.
Understanding 던 is crucial for expressing nuanced past meanings that go beyond mere factual recall, lending depth to your descriptions and conversations in Korean. It's a fundamental tool for discussing memories, habits, and unfinished business from a past perspective.
How This Grammar Works
던 functions as a noun modifier, always preceding the noun it describes. This is a common structure in Korean, where descriptive elements typically come before the head noun. The linguistic principle behind 던 is retrospection (회상, hoe-sang), meaning the speaker is recalling or reflecting on a past event or state.던 from other past tense expressions, as it focuses on the speaker's memory and perception of the past rather than just the event itself.던 primarily conveys two main aspects of past actions or states:- 1Past Habit or Repeated Action: This usage signifies an action that occurred regularly or habitually over a period in the past. The action itself might have ceased, but the memory of its repetition remains. For example, if you say
내가 다니던 학교(nae-ga da-ni-deon hak-gyo), you are referring to "the school I used to attend." This implies a consistent pattern of attending that school in the past. The action of attending was repeated over time.
- 1Interrupted or Unfinished Action: This aspect indicates an action that was in progress at some point in the past but was halted or not brought to a complete conclusion at that specific time. The action wasn't necessarily completed, and there might be an implication that it could resume or was left in an intermediate state. Consider
엄마가 만들던 음식(eom-ma-ga man-deul-deon eum-sik), which translates to "the food Mom was making." This suggests that Mom was in the process of cooking, and the cooking might have been interrupted, or the food was not yet finished.
던 can attach to:- Action verbs: Describing a noun based on a past action or habit.
내가 마시던 커피(nae-ga ma-si-deon keo-pi): "The coffee I was drinking / used to drink."- Descriptive verbs (adjectives): Describing a noun based on a past state or quality that has since changed.
예쁘던 꽃(ye-ppeu-deon kkot): "The flower that used to be pretty." This often implies the flower is no longer pretty.- The copula
이다(to be): Describing a noun based on a past identity or status. 학생이던 시절(hak-saeng-i-deon si-jeol): "The time when I was a student."있다(to exist/have) and없다(to not exist/have): Describing a noun based on its past presence or absence.있던 돈(it-deon don): "The money that was there (but maybe isn't now)."
던 allows speakers to add a layer of personal reflection and contextual detail to their narratives, evoking memories and past experiences.Formation Pattern
던 modifier is notably straightforward, as it does not differentiate based on whether the verb or adjective stem ends in a vowel or a consonant. This consistency simplifies its application significantly.
던 modifier, follow these steps:
다 from the base form of the verb or adjective.
먹다 (meok-da, to eat) → 먹 (meok)
작다 (jak-da, to be small) → 작 (jak)
던 directly to the stem: There are no additional particles or changes based on stem type.
먹 + 던 → 먹던 (meok-deon)
작 + 던 → 작던 (jak-deon)
던 phrase then acts as an adjective clause, modifying the subsequent noun.
먹던 음식 (meok-deon eum-sik): "The food I was eating."
작던 옷 (jak-deon ot): "The clothes that used to be small."
이다 (i-da, to be) and existence verbs 있다 (it-da, to exist/have) and 없다 (eop-da, to not exist/have), the pattern remains consistent:
던 Form | Example Noun Phrase | Romanization | Translation |
먹다 (to eat) | 먹 | 먹던 | 먹던 빵 | meok-deon ppang | The bread I was eating / used to eat |
가다 (to go) | 가 | 가던 | 가던 길 | ga-deon gil | The road I was on / used to take |
춥다 (to be cold) | 춥 | 춥던 | 춥던 날씨 | chup-deon nal-ssi | The weather that used to be cold |
예쁘다 (to be pretty) | 예쁘 | 예쁘던 | 예쁘던 친구 | ye-ppeu-deon chin-gu | The friend who used to be pretty |
학생이다 (to be a student) | 학생이 | 학생이던 | 학생이던 시절 | hak-saeng-i-deon si-jeol | The time when I was a student |
있다 (to exist) | 있 | 있던 | 있던 자리 | it-deon ja-ri | The seat that was there |
던 itself is a modifier and does not carry politeness levels. The overall politeness of the sentence is determined by the final predicate.
When To Use It
던 modifier is employed in specific contexts where the speaker intends to convey a nuanced past meaning, emphasizing either continuity, habit, or interruption from a retrospective viewpoint. Mastering these applications will significantly enhance your ability to express complex ideas about the past.던. It's used when you are recalling an action that you, or someone else, performed habitually or repeatedly over a period in the past. This usage implies that the action was a regular occurrence, but it may or may not be ongoing now.제가 어렸을 때 자주 가던 공원이에요.(Je-ga eo-ryeoss-eul ttae ja-ju ga-deon gong-won-i-e-yo.)- "This is the park I often used to go to when I was young." (해체:
자주 가던 공원이야.) Here,가던indicates a repeated action. 이건 제가 대학교 때 듣던 음악이에요.(I-geon je-ga dae-hak-gyo ttae deut-deon eu-mak-i-e-yo.)- "This is the music I used to listen to in university." (해체:
듣던 음악이야.) The speaker is reminiscing about past musical preferences.
던 is to indicate an action that was in progress at a particular time in the past but was subsequently interrupted, stopped, or not completed. There is an implied continuity that was broken.읽던 책을 어디에 두었지?(Il-deon chae-geul eo-di-e du-eoss-ji?)- "Where did I put the book I was reading?" (해체:
어디에 두었어?) This implies the book was not finished. 제가 어제 먹던 케이크가 아직 냉장고에 있어요.(Je-ga eo-je meok-deon ke-i-keu-ga a-jik naeng-jang-go-e iss-eo-yo.)- "The cake I was eating yesterday is still in the fridge." (해체:
아직 냉장고에 있어.) The eating was unfinished.
던 modifies an adjective or descriptive verb, it often implies that the state or quality described in the past is no longer true or has significantly changed in the present. This usage highlights a contrast between past and present.이 아이가 그렇게 작던 아이가 맞나요?(I a-i-ga geu-reoh-ge jak-deon a-i-ga maj-na-yo?)- "Is this the child who used to be so small?" (해체:
작던 아이가 맞아?) The state of being small has changed. 예쁘던 하늘이 갑자기 흐려졌어요.(Ye-ppeu-deon ha-neul-i gap-ja-gi heu-ryeo-jyeoss-eo-yo.)- "The sky that used to be pretty suddenly became cloudy." (해체:
하늘이 흐려졌어.) The beauty of the sky is a past state, now altered.
던 intrinsically carries a sense of nostalgia or recollection, making it particularly useful when reminiscing about good old days or changes over time. It allows the speaker to convey not just facts, but also their personal connection to past events.Common Mistakes
던 from other past tense modifiers, leading to misunderstandings and unnatural expressions. Pinpointing these common pitfalls and understanding the nuanced differences is crucial for accurate usage.던 with ㄴ/은 (Simple Past Tense Noun Modifier)ㄴ/은(completed action): This modifier indicates a single action that was completed in the past and has a definitive end. It functions as a factual statement about a past event.어제 본 영화(eo-je bon yeong-hwa): "The movie I saw yesterday." (The act of seeing the movie is finished.)
던(habitual/interrupted action):던indicates a past action that was habitual/repeated or interrupted/unfinished. It implies continuity in the past.어제 보던 영화(eo-je bo-deon yeong-hwa): "The movie I was watching yesterday." (Implies the movie wasn't finished.)
ㄴ/은 (Completed Action) | 던 (Habitual/Interrupted Action) |어제 먹은 사과 (The apple I ate yesterday - it's gone) | 어제 먹던 사과 (The apple I was eating yesterday - it's half-eaten) |작년에 산 옷 (The clothes I bought last year - one time event) | 작년에 입던 옷 (The clothes I used to wear last year - habitual) |던 for a single, completed event (먹던 사과 when you finished it) will sound unnatural, suggesting it was left unfinished.던 with 았던/었던 (Past Perfect Retrospective Modifier)았던/었던(Past Perfect Retrospective): This form emphasizes that the action or state was completely finished in the past and often has no direct connection or continuity to the present. It describes a past event that is entirely over.제가 갔던 식당(je-ga gass-deon sik-dang): "The restaurant I went to (and finished my meal/visit)." This is a fully completed past event.전에 좋아했던 가수(jeon-e joh-a-haess-deon ga-su): "The singer I used to like (but no longer do, or the liking has completely ended)."
던(Habitual/Interrupted Retrospective): This form implies a past action that was habitual/repeated or interrupted/unfinished. There can be an underlying suggestion of potential continuity, or that the action was observed while it was ongoing.제가 가던 식당(je-ga ga-deon sik-dang): "The restaurant I used to go to / was going to." This implies a habit, or that the action of going was interrupted. It might suggest a sense of longing or a past routine.전에 좋아하던 가수(jeon-e joh-a-ha-deon ga-su): "The singer I used to like (and I'm recalling that past feeling; perhaps I still like them, or it's a nostalgic memory)." The feeling of liking is viewed as continuous in the past.
았던/었던 form tends to be more definitive about the end of the action or state, often implying a clearer break with the present.던 with Adjectives for Completely Changed Past States던 can be used with adjectives to describe a past state that has changed (예쁘던 하늘), sometimes 았던/었던 is more natural if the past state is completely and definitively over and the current state is entirely different.어렸을 때 뚱뚱하던 저(eo-ryeoss-eul ttae ttung-ttung-ha-deon jeo): "Me who used to be fat when I was young." (Focus on the state of being fat as continuous in the past).어렸을 때 뚱뚱했던 저(eo-ryeoss-eul ttae ttung-ttung-haess-deon jeo): "Me who was fat when I was young." (Emphasizes that the state of being fat is completely in the past and resolved).
Real Conversations
Observing 던 in authentic daily conversations provides the deepest insight into its application. Here are examples of 던 used in various contemporary contexts, showcasing both casual (해체, hae-che) and polite (합니다체, ham-ni-da-che) forms.
1. Recalling Past Habits/Routines (Casual)
A
이 카페, 우리 자주 가던 곳 아니야? (I ka-pe, u-ri ja-ju ga-deon got a-ni-ya?)"Isn't this cafe a place we used to go to often?"
B
응, 맞아. 여기서 같이 공부하던 기억이 나네. (Eung, ma-ja. Yeo-gi-seo ga-chi gong-bu-ha-deon gi-eok-i na-ne.)"Yeah, you're right. I remember us studying together here."
2. Describing an Interrupted Action (Polite)
A
부장님, 아까 말씀하시던 프로젝트는 어떻게 됐습니까? (Bu-jang-nim, a-kka mal-sseum-ha-si-deon peu-ro-jek-teu-neun eo-tteo-ke dwaess-seum-ni-kka?)"Manager, what happened with the project you were just talking about earlier?"
B
아, 그거요. 잠시 보류됐습니다. (A, geu-geo-yo. Jam-si bo-ryu-dwaess-seum-ni-da.)"Oh, that one. It's been temporarily put on hold."
3. Contrasting Past and Present States (Casual)
A
와, 이 옷 너한테 정말 작던 거 아니었어? (Wa, i ot neo-han-te jeong-mal jak-deon geo a-ni-eoss-eo?)"Wow, wasn't this shirt something that used to be really small on you?"
B
응, 근데 살 빼서 이제 맞아. (Eung, geun-de sal ppae-seo i-je ma-ja.)"Yeah, but I lost weight so it fits now."
4. Recalling a Past Identity or Role (Polite)
A
이분이 저희 회사에 다니시던 분이세요. (I-bun-i jeo-hui hoe-sa-e da-ni-si-deon bun-i-se-yo.)"This is the person who used to work at our company."
B
아, 반갑습니다. 오랜만에 뵙네요. (A, ban-gap-seum-ni-da. O-raen-man-e boep-neyo.)"Ah, nice to meet you. It's been a long time."
5. Expressing Nostalgia (Casual Text/Social Media)
#옛날사진 #그리운시간 #친구들이랑 #맨날 #가던 #떡볶이집
#yetnalsajin #geuriunsigan #chingudeurirang #maennal #ga-deon #tteokbokkijip
"#[OldPhoto] #[MissThoseTimes] #[WithFriends] #The_tteokbokki_place_we_used_to_go_to_every_day"
These examples demonstrate that 던 is a versatile modifier embedded deeply in natural Korean speech, used to inject personal recollection and temporal nuance into descriptions of the past.
Quick FAQ
던.던 be used with 좋아하다 (to like) or 사랑하다 (to love)?Yes. 좋아하던 사람 (joh-a-ha-deon sa-ram) means "the person I used to like." This usage often carries a strong sense of nostalgia or a subtle implication that the feeling might have changed, but the memory persists. 사랑하던 사람 (sa-rang-ha-deon sa-ram) means "the person I used to love."
던 work with future tense expressions?No, 던 is exclusively a retrospective modifier, meaning it only refers to the past. It cannot be used with future tense verbs or expressions. For future noun modifiers, you would typically use ㄹ/을 (e.g., 갈 곳, gal got, "a place to go").
던 considered formal or informal?던 itself is a noun modifier and does not have its own politeness level. The politeness of the entire sentence depends on the final predicate's ending. You can use phrases with 던 in both formal and casual contexts.
던?Yes, 던 is perfectly suitable for describing a past habit that is now concluded. The emphasis of 던 in this context is on the continuity and repetition of the action in the past. For example, 매일 마시던 커피 (mae-il ma-si-deon keo-pi) means "the coffee I used to drink every day." The habit is being recalled, even if you no longer drink that coffee.
았던/었던 with verbs like 좋아하다?While 좋아하던 implies a past, continuous liking, 좋아했던 (joh-a-haess-deon) suggests that the liking was completely finished or definitively over at a specific point in the past. If you want to strongly convey that you no longer have those feelings, 좋아했던 might be preferred.
던?Generally, 던 can be used with almost all action verbs, descriptive verbs (adjectives), and the copula 이다, as well as 있다/없다. The main restriction is contextual: ensure the meaning aligns with a past habit, an interrupted action, or a past state that has changed. It's less about which verbs/adjectives can't be used, and more about whether the resulting meaning is logical and natural.
Formation of ~던
| Verb Type | Example | Form |
|---|---|---|
|
Action Verb
|
가다
|
가던
|
|
Action Verb
|
먹다
|
먹던
|
|
Adjective
|
예쁘다
|
예쁘던
|
|
Adjective
|
좋다
|
좋던
|
|
Past Habit
|
갔다
|
갔던
|
|
Negative
|
안 가다
|
안 가던
|
Meanings
The ~던 suffix modifies a noun by indicating that the action or state occurred repeatedly in the past or was in progress, but is no longer happening or has changed.
Past Habit
Actions repeated in the past.
“매일 마시던 커피”
“자주 읽던 책”
Interrupted Action
An action that was in progress when something else happened.
“먹던 밥”
“쓰던 편지”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Stem + 던
|
가던
|
|
Negative
|
안 + Stem + 던
|
안 가던
|
|
Past Habit
|
Stem + 았/었던
|
갔었던
|
|
Adjective
|
Stem + 던
|
예쁘던
|
|
Interrogative
|
Stem + 던 + Noun?
|
가던 곳이야?
|
|
Short Answer
|
Stem + 던 거
|
먹던 거
|
Formality Spectrum
제가 자주 가던 곳입니다. (Talking about a favorite spot.)
제가 자주 가던 곳이에요. (Talking about a favorite spot.)
내가 자주 가던 곳이야. (Talking about a favorite spot.)
나 맨날 가던 데. (Talking about a favorite spot.)
The ~던 Concept Map
Usage
- 과거 습관 Past habit
- 진행 중 In progress
Nuance
- 회상 Recollection
- 단절 Disconnection
Comparison: ~던 vs ~ㄴ/은
Examples by Level
제가 살던 집이에요.
This is the house I used to live in.
읽던 책이에요.
It is the book I was reading.
가던 곳이에요.
It is the place I used to go.
먹던 사과예요.
It is the apple I was eating.
자주 가던 식당이 문을 닫았어요.
The restaurant I used to go to often closed.
어릴 때 입던 옷이에요.
These are the clothes I used to wear when I was young.
예쁘던 꽃이 시들었어요.
The flower that used to be pretty has withered.
공부하던 학생이 나갔어요.
The student who was studying left.
제가 예전에 일하던 회사입니다.
This is the company where I used to work.
그때는 정말 좋던 날씨였어요.
It was such nice weather back then.
친구와 자주 가던 카페가 생각나요.
I remember the cafe I used to go to with my friend.
쓰던 안경을 잃어버렸어요.
I lost the glasses I was wearing.
그렇게 똑똑하던 아이가 지금은...
The child who used to be so smart is now...
매일같이 걷던 길을 다시 찾았습니다.
I revisited the path I used to walk every day.
어제 먹던 음식이 아직 남아있네요.
The food I was eating yesterday is still left.
꿈꾸던 미래가 현실이 되었습니다.
The future I used to dream of has become reality.
한때는 자부심을 느끼던 일이었지만 이제는 아닙니다.
It was work I once took pride in, but not anymore.
그토록 사랑하던 사람을 잊는다는 것은 쉽지 않죠.
Forgetting someone you once loved so much is not easy.
항상 붐비던 거리가 오늘따라 조용하네요.
The street that was always crowded is quiet today.
우리가 함께 나누던 대화들이 그리워요.
I miss the conversations we used to share.
그가 그토록 갈망하던 권력은 결국 허상에 불과했다.
The power he so craved was ultimately just an illusion.
어린 시절 뛰놀던 들판은 이제 고층 빌딩으로 가득하다.
The fields where I used to play as a child are now full of skyscrapers.
그가 평소 주장하던 논리는 이 상황에서 설득력을 잃었다.
The logic he usually advocated lost its persuasiveness in this situation.
한때는 찬란하게 빛나던 별들이 이제는 희미해졌다.
The stars that once shone brilliantly have now faded.
Easily Confused
Both modify nouns.
Common Mistakes
가던 곳에 갔어요.
간 곳에 갔어요.
어제 먹던 사과를 먹었어요.
어제 먹던 사과를 버렸어요.
내가 살던 집은 지금도 살아요.
내가 살던 집은 지금은 안 살아요.
그가 말하던 사실은 맞아요.
그가 말한 사실은 맞아요.
Sentence Patterns
내가 ___던 ___이에요.
Real World Usage
내가 자주 가던 카페 #추억
제가 일하던 분야입니다.
아까 먹던 거 남았어?
예전에 살던 동네에 왔어요.
자주 시키던 메뉴입니다.
내가 꿈꾸던 삶은 이런 것이었다.
Focus on the Noun
Don't use for one-time events
Use with '자주'
Nostalgia Factor
Smart Tips
Use ~던 to show you don't live there anymore.
Use ~던 to imply you have a history there.
Use ~던 to show it was an ongoing activity.
Use ~던 to show the trait has changed.
Pronunciation
Batchim assimilation
If the verb ends in a batchim, ensure it flows into the 'd' sound.
Nostalgic Fall
살던 집... (falling tone)
Conveys sadness or longing.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of '던' as 'Done'—the action is 'done' being a habit.
Visual Association
Imagine a person looking back at a house they moved out of. They are pointing at it and saying '살던 집' (the house I used to live in).
Rhyme
Past habit you remember well, add ~던 and you can tell.
Story
I walked past my old school. I saw the playground where I used to play. I said, '내가 놀던 운동장이다.' (It's the playground I used to play in.) It felt nostalgic.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 3 sentences about things you did in your childhood using ~던.
Cultural Notes
Koreans use ~던 to build rapport by sharing memories.
Derived from the retrospective suffix ~더.
Conversation Starters
어릴 때 자주 가던 곳이 어디예요?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
내가 ___ (가다) 식당이야.
어릴 때 ___ (살다) 집.
Find and fix the mistake:
어제 한 번 간 곳을 가던 곳이라고 해요.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
The book I used to read.
Answer starts with: 읽던 ...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Use '공부하다' and '학생'.
입다 -> ?
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises내가 ___ (가다) 식당이야.
어릴 때 ___ (살다) 집.
Find and fix the mistake:
어제 한 번 간 곳을 가던 곳이라고 해요.
내가 / 먹던 / 사과 / 어제
The book I used to read.
살던 집
Use '공부하다' and '학생'.
입다 -> ?
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercises내가 자주 ___ 옷이에요. (입다)
고등학생 때 들은 노래가 생각나요.
자주 / 가던 / 제가 / 카페예요
학생(이던) 사람
Choose the unfinished action:
Match the pairs:
집에서 ___ 영화가 뭐예요? (보다)
어릴 때 한 게임이에요.
덥던 날씨
Select the habitual action:
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
Yes, e.g., `예쁘던 꽃` (the flower that used to be pretty).
Yes, it is strictly for past habits or states.
Use `~ㄴ/은` instead.
Only in specific colloquial forms like `~던데요`.
`~던` is for habits, `~았/었던` is for completed experiences.
It is used in all registers.
Yes, `안 가던 곳`.
It adds emotional depth to stories.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Imperfect tense (solía)
Spanish conjugates the verb; Korean adds a suffix to the stem.
Imparfait
French uses auxiliary verbs; Korean uses adnominal suffixes.
pflegte zu
German is a verb phrase; Korean is a noun modifier.
~teita
Japanese uses a verb ending; Korean uses a noun modifier.
kana + imperfect
Arabic is a sentence structure; Korean is a noun modifier.
曾经 (cengjing)
Chinese does not conjugate verbs.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Continue With
Recalling Past Observations (-던데)
Overview `던데` (donde) is an upper-intermediate (B2) Korean connective ending crucial for expressing observations made...
Turns Out / I Found That... (-더라)
Overview The Korean grammar pattern `-더라(고요)` is a sentence ending used to express a **recollective observation**....
The Storyteller's Recall (-더니라)
Overview **-더니라** is a sophisticated Korean grammar ending primarily used to narrate a past event or state that the...
Related Videos
Related Grammar Rules
Describing the Past: Noun Modifiers (ㄴ/은)
Overview Korean sentence structure often places descriptive elements before the noun they modify. The grammatical patter...
Korean Nominalization: ~기 (Making Verbs into Nouns)
Overview Korean nominalization through `~기` transforms verbs and adjectives into nouns, allowing you to treat actions a...
Purpose for Nouns: For the Sake of (-기 위한)
Overview Korean grammar offers precise ways to express the purpose behind actions and entities. Among these, the pattern...
Turning Actions into Nouns (는 것)
Overview Korean grammar employs a sophisticated system of modifying clauses and nominalization to express complex ideas...
Present Tense Modifiers: -는 (The 'who/which/that' for action verbs)
Overview When constructing descriptive phrases in Korean, particularly those involving an action verb modifying a noun i...
