-던 - Past habitual modifier

-던 is a special adnominal ending that expresses past habitual actions, interrupted actions, or reminiscent memories. Unlike -(으)ㄴ which indicates completed actions, -던 emphasizes actions that were ongoing or repeated in the past but are no longer happening.

Formation Rules

All Verb Stems: -던

Simple attachment to all verbs and adjectives:

• 가다 → 가던 (used to go, was going)
• 먹다 → 먹던 (used to eat, was eating)
• 하다 → 하던 (used to do, was doing)
• 살다 → 살던 (used to live, was living)
• 읽다 → 읽던 (used to read, was reading)
• 좋다 → 좋던 (used to be good, was good)
• 크다 → 크던 (used to be big, was big)

Note: Very regular - works with both verbs and adjectives

Core Meanings

Past Habitual Actions

Actions that were repeated but stopped:

• 매일 가던 학교 (the school I used to go to every day)
• 자주 먹던 음식 (food I used to eat often)
• 항상 입던 옷 (clothes I always used to wear)
• 매일 만나던 친구 (friend I used to meet every day)

Interrupted Actions

Actions that were happening but stopped:

• 읽던 책 (the book I was reading - but stopped)
• 하던 일 (the work I was doing - but interrupted)
• 보던 영화 (the movie I was watching - but stopped)
• 듣던 음악 (the music I was listening to - but stopped)

Reminiscent/Nostalgic Memories

Recalling past experiences with emotion:

• 어렸을 때 살던 집 (the house I lived in when I was young)
• 학생 때 다니던 카페 (the cafe I went to when I was a student)
• 예전에 좋아하던 노래 (songs I used to like before)
• 그때 만나던 사람들 (the people I used to meet back then)

-던 vs -(으)ㄴ: Key Difference

-(으)ㄴ: Completed Actions

Finished, no continuation implied:

• 읽은 책 (book I read - finished reading)
• 만난 친구 (friend I met - meeting completed)
• 간 곳 (place I went to - went and came back)

Neutral completion

-던: Habitual or Interrupted

Was doing/used to do, but stopped:

• 읽던 책 (book I was reading - interrupted or abandoned)
• 만나던 친구 (friend I used to meet - but don't anymore)
• 가던 곳 (place I was going to - interrupted or used to go)

Implies discontinuation

Common Patterns

-던 + Time Reference

Specific past periods:

• 어렸을 때 살던 집 (house I lived in when I was young)
• 학생 때 다니던 학교 (school I attended when I was a student)
• 그때 하던 일 (work I was doing back then)
• 예전에 좋아하던 것 (things I used to like before)

하던 (Was doing)

Interrupted ongoing actions:

• 하던 일을 계속해요 (continue the work you were doing)
• 하던 말을 끝내세요 (finish what you were saying)
• 하던 공부로 돌아가요 (go back to the studying you were doing)

살던 (Used to live)

Past residences:

• 살던 집 (house I used to live in)
• 살던 도시 (city I used to live in)
• 살던 나라 (country I used to live in)
• 살던 동네 (neighborhood I used to live in)

다니던 (Used to attend/go to)

Past regular destinations:

• 다니던 학교 (school I used to attend)
• 다니던 회사 (company I used to work at)
• 다니던 병원 (hospital I used to go to)
• 다니던 가게 (store I used to go to)

먹던/마시던 (Used to eat/drink)

Past food habits:

• 먹던 음식 (food I used to eat)
• 마시던 커피 (coffee I used to drink)
• 자주 먹던 요리 (dishes I used to eat often)

With Adjectives

Past States (No Longer True)

Conditions that changed:

• 좋던 날씨 (weather that was good - but changed)
• 예쁘던 꽃 (flowers that were pretty - but wilted)
• 건강하던 할아버지 (grandfather who was healthy - but not anymore)
• 행복하던 시절 (times that were happy - but past)

Nostalgic or changed states

Emotional Nuance

Nostalgia and Longing

Missing the past:

• 어렸을 때 놀던 공원 (park I used to play in when young)
• 함께 웃던 친구들 (friends I used to laugh with)
• 행복하던 그 시절 (those happy times)

Regret or Change

Things that are no longer:

• 사랑하던 사람 (person I used to love)
• 꿈꾸던 미래 (future I used to dream of)
• 믿던 사람 (person I used to trust)

Continuation Patterns

다시 시작하다 (Start again)

Resuming interrupted actions:

• 읽던 책을 다시 읽어요 (I'm reading again the book I was reading)
• 하던 일을 다시 시작했어요 (I started again the work I was doing)

계속하다 (Continue)

Continuing from where you left off:

• 하던 이야기를 계속해요 (continue the story you were telling)
• 먹던 음식을 계속 먹어요 (continue eating what you were eating)

Example Sentences

Past Habitual

• 어렸을 때 살던 집이 아직도 그대로예요 (The house I lived in when young is still the same)
• 학생 때 다니던 카페가 문을 닫았어요 (The cafe I went to as a student closed down)
• 매일 만나던 친구를 오랜만에 봤어요 (I saw the friend I used to meet daily after a long time)

Interrupted Actions

• 읽던 책을 다시 읽기 시작했어요 (I started reading again the book I was reading)
• 하던 일을 내일 계속할게요 (I'll continue tomorrow the work I was doing)
• 보던 드라마를 못 봤어요 (I couldn't watch the drama I was watching)

Nostalgic Memories

• 어렸을 때 좋아하던 노래가 생각나요 (I remember the songs I used to like when young)
• 그때 행복하던 시절이 그리워요 (I miss those times when I was happy)
• 함께 놀던 친구들이 보고 싶어요 (I miss the friends I used to play with)

With Adjectives

• 예쁘던 꽃이 다 시들었어요 (The flowers that were pretty all wilted)
• 좋던 날씨가 나빠졌어요 (The weather that was good got bad)
• 건강하던 할머니가 편찮으세요 (Grandmother who was healthy is not well)

Example Dialogues

Dialogue 1: Childhood Memories

A: 어렸을 때 어디서 살았어요?
(Where did you live when you were young?)

B: 시골에 살았어요. 살던 집 근처에 큰 강이 있었어요.
(I lived in the countryside. Near the house I lived in, there was a big river.)

A: 자주 놀던 곳이 있었어요?
(Was there a place you used to play often?)

B: 네, 친구들과 놀던 공원이 있었어요.
(Yes, there was a park where I used to play with friends.)

Dialogue 2: Resuming Work

A: 지금 뭐 해요?
(What are you doing now?)

B: 아침에 하던 일을 계속하고 있어요.
(I'm continuing the work I was doing this morning.)

A: 하던 일이 뭐예요?
(What work were you doing?)

B: 보고서를 쓰고 있었어요.
(I was writing a report.)

Dialogue 3: Old Friends

A: 학교 다닐 때 친구들 만나요?
(Do you meet your school friends?)

B: 가끔 만나요. 같이 공부하던 친구를 어제 만났어요.
(Sometimes. I met yesterday a friend I used to study with.)

A: 반가웠겠어요!
(That must have been nice!)

B: 네, 그때 자주 가던 카페에서 만났어요.
(Yes, we met at the cafe we used to go to often back then.)

Dialogue 4: Changed Habits

A: 요즘도 커피 많이 마셔요?
(Do you still drink a lot of coffee these days?)

B: 아니요, 예전에 마시던 커피를 이제 안 마셔요.
(No, I don't drink the coffee I used to drink anymore.)

A: 왜요?
(Why?)

B: 건강을 위해서요.
(For my health.)

Special Expressions

-던데 (I noticed/saw that...)

Reporting past observations:

• 어제 가 봤는데 문이 닫혀 있던데요 (I went yesterday and the door was closed)
• 그 식당 음식이 맛있던데요 (That restaurant's food was delicious)

그러던 (At that time/while doing so)

Temporal transition:

• 그러던 중에 친구를 만났어요 (While doing so, I met a friend)
• 그러던 어느 날 (One day while that was happening)

-던 것 같다 (I think it was...)

Uncertain memories:

• 여기 오던 것 같아요 (I think I was coming here)
• 본 적이 있던 것 같아요 (I think I've seen it before)

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 읽은 책 (when meaning interrupted reading)

Using -(으)ㄴ for interrupted action

✅ Correct: 읽던 책

Use -던 for actions that were interrupted

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❌ Incorrect: 어제 먹던 음식 (for completed meal)

Using -던 for one-time completed action

✅ Correct: 어제 먹은 음식

Use -(으)ㄴ for completed one-time actions

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❌ Incorrect: 지금 하던 일 (for current ongoing action)

Using -던 for present

✅ Correct: 지금 하는 일

Use -는 for present ongoing actions

Comparison Table

Form	Meaning	Example	Context
-(으)ㄴ	Completed	읽은 책	Finished reading
-는	Present ongoing	읽는 책	Currently reading
-던	Past habitual/interrupted	읽던 책	Was reading (stopped)
-(으)ㄹ	Future	읽을 책	Will read

Usage Context Table

Situation	Use -던	Use -(으)ㄴ
Repeated past action (stopped)	✅ 다니던 학교	❌
Interrupted action	✅ 읽던 책	❌
Completed one-time action	❌	✅ 읽은 책
Nostalgic memory	✅ 살던 집	△ 살았던 집
Changed state	✅ 좋던 날씨	❌

Key Takeaways

• ✅ Past habitual: Actions that were repeated but stopped
• ✅ Interrupted actions: Things you were doing but didn't finish
• ✅ Nostalgic tone: Often carries emotional reminiscence
• ✅ Works with verbs and adjectives: Unlike -는
• ✅ Different from -(으)ㄴ: -(으)ㄴ = completed, -던 = habitual/interrupted
• ✅ Simple formation: Just add -던 to any stem
• ✅ Common with time phrases: 어렸을 때, 학생 때, 예전에, 그때
• ✅ Implies discontinuation: The action/state no longer continues

-던 is essential for talking about past habits, interrupted actions, and nostalgic memories in Korean. It adds emotional depth and temporal nuance that -(으)ㄴ cannot express. Master this form to naturally discuss your past experiences, changed habits, and cherished memories!