-던 is a retrospective modifier that recalls past actions, states, or habits. It means "that used to," "that was," or "that I remember." It expresses memories, past habits, or incomplete actions with a nostalgic or reminiscent tone.
Structure
Verb/Adjective stem + -던
Breakdown:
- -던: Past retrospective modifier
- Modifies nouns
- Recalls past states/actions
- Often implies nostalgia or incompletion
Literal meaning: "That used to [verb]" / "That was [adjective]"
Formation Rules
With All Verbs
Verb stem + -던:
- 가다 → 가던 (that used to go / was going)
- 먹다 → 먹던 (that used to eat / was eating)
- 살다 → 살던 (that used to live / was living)
- 다니다 → 다니던 (that used to attend)
- 만나다 → 만나던 (that used to meet)
With Adjectives
Adjective stem + -던:
- 좋다 → 좋던 (that was good)
- 예쁘다 → 예쁘던 (that was pretty)
- 크다 → 크던 (that was big)
- 작다 → 작던 (that was small)
With 이다
Noun + 이던/던:
With final consonant: 이던
- 학생이던 시절 (the time when I was a student)
- 친구이던 사람 (the person who was a friend)
No final consonant: 던
- 의사던 때 (the time when I was a doctor)
Core Meaning 1: Past Habits
Used To Do
Regular past activities:
- 자주 가던 식당 (the restaurant I used to go to often)
- 매일 읽던 책 (the book I used to read every day)
- 어렸을 때 살던 집 (the house I lived in when I was young)
- 함께 놀던 친구 (the friend I used to play with)
Regular Past States
Habitual past conditions:
- 좋아하던 노래 (the song I used to like)
- 입던 옷 (the clothes I used to wear)
- 다니던 학교 (the school I used to attend)
Core Meaning 2: Past Ongoing Actions
Was -ing
Actions that were in progress:
- 읽던 책 (the book I was reading)
- 먹던 음식 (the food I was eating)
- 보던 영화 (the movie I was watching)
- 듣던 음악 (the music I was listening to)
Interrupted Actions
Things left unfinished:
- 쓰던 편지 (the letter I was writing)
- 하던 일 (the work I was doing)
- 그리던 그림 (the picture I was drawing)
Core Meaning 3: Nostalgic Memory
Fondly Remembered Past
Nostalgic recollections:
- 옛날에 살던 동네 (the neighborhood I lived in long ago)
- 어렸을 때 놀던 공원 (the park I played in as a child)
- 젊었을 때 꿈꾸던 미래 (the future I dreamed of when young)
- 예전에 만나던 사람 (the person I used to meet before)
Common Usage Patterns
Childhood Memories
Recalling youth:
- 어렸을 때 살던 집 (the house I lived in as a child)
- 학창 시절 다니던 학교 (the school I attended during school days)
- 어릴 적 가던 놀이터 (the playground I went to as a child)
- 어렸을 때 좋아하던 장난감 (the toy I liked when young)
Past Relationships
People from the past:
- 옛날에 만나던 친구 (the friend I used to meet long ago)
- 사귀던 사람 (the person I was dating)
- 알던 사람 (the person I used to know)
- 함께 일하던 동료 (the colleague I used to work with)
Past Places
Locations from memory:
- 자주 가던 카페 (the cafe I often went to)
- 살던 도시 (the city I lived in)
- 다니던 회사 (the company I worked at)
- 앉던 자리 (the seat I used to sit in)
Resuming Interrupted Actions
Continuing What Was Started
Pattern: [Verb-던] + 것을 다시/계속
- 읽던 책을 다시 읽었어요 (I read again the book I was reading)
- 먹던 음식을 계속 먹었어요 (I continued eating the food)
- 하던 일을 마쳤어요 (I finished the work I was doing)
- 보던 드라마를 끝까지 봤어요 (I watched the drama to the end)
As Sentence Ending: -던데(요)
Retrospective Statement
-던데(요): As I recall, it was...
- 맛있던데요 (As I recall, it was delicious)
- 재미있던데 (It was fun, as I remember)
- 좋던데요 (It was good, I recall)
- 예쁘던데요 (It was pretty, as I remember)
Usage: Sharing a past observation or memory
Politeness Levels
Modifies Nouns
-던 itself is neutral, politeness in main clause:
- 먹던 음식을 먹습니다 (formal)
- 먹던 음식을 먹어요 (polite)
- 먹던 음식을 먹어 (casual)
Comparison: -던 vs -았/었던
-던 (Ongoing/Habitual)
Focus on process or habit:
- 읽던 책 (the book I was reading / used to read)
- Emphasizes ongoing nature or habit
- Often incomplete or interrupted
-았/었던 (Completed)
Focus on completed action:
- 읽었던 책 (the book I read [and finished])
- Emphasizes completion
- Action is done
Examples:
- 먹던 음식 (food I was eating) vs 먹었던 음식 (food I ate)
- 살던 집 (house I was living in) vs 살았던 집 (house I lived in [and left])
- 좋아하던 사람 (person I was liking/used to like) vs 좋아했던 사람 (person I liked)
Comparison with Other Patterns
-던 vs -는
-던: Past habitual/ongoing
- 읽던 책 (the book I was reading)
- Past, nostalgic
-는: Present ongoing
- 읽는 책 (the book I'm reading now)
- Current action
-던 vs -(으)ᄂ
-던: Past ongoing/habitual
- 먹던 음식 (food I was eating / used to eat)
-(으)ᄂ: Past completed
- 먹은 음식 (food I ate [completed])
Common Expressions
Nostalgic Phrases
- 옛날에 살던 집 (the house I lived in long ago)
- 어렸을 때 가던 곳 (the place I went to as a child)
- 젊었을 때 꿈꾸던 일 (the job I dreamed of when young)
- 학창 시절 다니던 학교 (the school I attended during school days)
Incomplete Actions
- 읽던 책 (the book I was reading)
- 보던 영화 (the movie I was watching)
- 하던 게임 (the game I was playing)
- 쓰던 일기 (the diary I was writing)
Past Habits
- 자주 가던 식당 (the restaurant I often went to)
- 매일 만나던 친구 (the friend I met every day)
- 항상 듣던 노래 (the song I always listened to)
- 입던 옷 (the clothes I used to wear)
Past States
- 좋아하던 음식 (food I used to like)
- 살던 도시 (the city I lived in)
- 다니던 회사 (the company I worked at)
- 사귀던 사람 (the person I was dating)
Emotional Nuance
Often Nostalgic
Carries sentimental weight:
- 어렸을 때 살던 집 (the house I lived in as a child)
- Implies fond memories
Can Imply Change
Suggesting things are different now:
- 다니던 학교 (the school I used to attend [but don't anymore])
- 좋아하던 음식 (food I used to like [maybe not anymore])
Emphasizes Process Over Result
Focus on the ongoing aspect:
- 읽던 책 (the book I was in the middle of reading)
- Not just "a book I read" but emphasizes it was ongoing
Summary Table
| Pattern | Example | Meaning | Nuance |
|---|---|---|---|
| -던 | 읽던 책 | Book I was reading/used to read | Ongoing/habit |
| -았/었던 | 읽었던 책 | Book I read (completed) | Completed |
| -는 | 읽는 책 | Book I'm reading (now) | Present |
| -던데(요) | 좋던데요 | It was good (I recall) | Retrospective |
Usage Context Guide
Use -던 when:
- Describing past habits
- Expressing nostalgia
- Referring to incomplete/interrupted actions
- Recalling childhood memories
- Talking about things you used to do
- Resuming interrupted activities
Common contexts:
- Childhood (어렸을 때 살던 집)
- Past habits (자주 가던 카페)
- Interrupted actions (읽던 책)
- Former situations (다니던 회사)
- Past relationships (만나던 친구)
Key Takeaways
- ✅ Retrospective: Looking back at the past
- ✅ Three main uses: Habits, ongoing actions, nostalgia
- ✅ Modifies nouns: Creates descriptive phrases
- ✅ Often nostalgic: Carries emotional weight
- ✅ Different from -았/었던: Emphasizes process, not completion
- ✅ Common in memories: Childhood, past experiences
- ✅ Can imply incompletion: Actions not finished
-던 is essential for expressing nostalgic memories, past habits, and incomplete actions in Korean. It adds a layer of emotional depth when recalling the past and is particularly useful for sharing childhood memories or resuming interrupted activities.