-는 동안 - While/During

-는 동안 expresses that one action or state occurs during the time another action is happening. It means "while," "during," or "for the duration of" in English.

Structure

Verb/Adjective stem + -는 동안

Breakdown:

• -는: Present modifier (ongoing action)
• 동안: Period of time, duration

Literal meaning: "During the time of [doing]"

Formation Rules

With Verbs: -는 동안

All action verbs + -는 동안:

• 가다 → 가는 동안 (while going)
• 먹다 → 먹는 동안 (while eating)
• 자다 → 자는 동안 (while sleeping)
• 하다 → 하는 동안 (while doing)
• 공부하다 → 공부하는 동안 (while studying)
• 기다리다 → 기다리는 동안 (while waiting)
• 일하다 → 일하는 동안 (while working)

With Adjectives: -(으)ㄴ 동안

Adjectives (state verbs) + -(으)ㄴ 동안:

Stem ending in vowel or ㄹ + -ㄴ 동안:

• 없다 → 없는 동안 (while being absent)
• 아프다 → 아픈 동안 (while being sick)

Stem ending in consonant + -은 동안:

• 젊다 → 젊은 동안 (while being young)
• 작다 → 작은 동안 (while being small)

Note: Adjectives with 동안 are less common than verbs.

With Nouns: Noun + 동안

Simply attach 동안 to time nouns:

• 수업 동안 (during class)
• 방학 동안 (during vacation)
• 여름 동안 (during summer)
• 3시간 동안 (for 3 hours)
• 한 달 동안 (for one month)

Core Meaning: Simultaneous Duration

Two Actions Happening Together

Action 1 occurs while Action 2 is in progress:

• 음악을 듣는 동안 공부해요 (I study while listening to music)
• TV를 보는 동안 저녁을 먹었어요 (I ate dinner while watching TV)
• 운전하는 동안 전화하지 마세요 (Don't call while driving)
• 기다리는 동안 책을 읽었어요 (I read a book while waiting)

Duration of Action

Throughout the entire period:

• 방학 동안 여행할 거예요 (I'll travel during vacation)
• 수업 동안 조용히 하세요 (Be quiet during class)
• 3년 동안 한국어를 배웠어요 (I learned Korean for 3 years)
• 한 시간 동안 운동했어요 (I exercised for one hour)

Common Usage Patterns

Simultaneous Actions

Doing two things at once:

• 걷는 동안 음악을 들어요 (I listen to music while walking)
• 요리하는 동안 전화를 받았어요 (I answered the phone while cooking)
• 샤워하는 동안 노래를 불러요 (I sing while showering)
• 운전하는 동안 라디오를 들어요 (I listen to the radio while driving)

Time Periods

During specific periods:

• 여름 동안 여행했어요 (I traveled during summer)
• 방학 동안 아르바이트했어요 (I worked part-time during vacation)
• 주말 동안 쉬었어요 (I rested during the weekend)
• 회의 동안 메모했어요 (I took notes during the meeting)

Absence or Waiting

While someone is away or waiting:

• 부모님이 안 계시는 동안 청소했어요 (I cleaned while my parents were away)
• 친구를 기다리는 동안 커피를 마셨어요 (I drank coffee while waiting for my friend)
• 선생님이 안 계시는 동안 조용히 했어요 (I was quiet while the teacher was away)

With Different Subjects

Same Subject

Same person does both actions:

• 밥을 먹는 동안 TV를 봤어요 (I watched TV while eating)
• 운동하는 동안 음악을 들어요 (I listen to music while exercising)

Different Subjects

Different people/things:

• 엄마가 요리하는 동안 저는 설거지했어요 (I did dishes while Mom was cooking)
• 비가 오는 동안 집에 있었어요 (I stayed home while it was raining)
• 아이들이 자는 동안 책을 읽었어요 (I read while the children were sleeping)

Tense Usage

Present Context

Ongoing or habitual simultaneous actions:

• 음악을 듣는 동안 공부해요 (I study while listening to music - habitual)
• 운전하는 동안 생각해요 (I think while driving - habitual)

Past Context

Simultaneous actions in the past:

• 공부하는 동안 음악을 들었어요 (I listened to music while studying - past)
• 기다리는 동안 책을 읽었어요 (I read a book while waiting - past)

Future Context

Planned simultaneous actions:

• 여행하는 동안 많은 사진을 찍을 거예요 (I'll take many photos while traveling)
• 방학 동안 한국어를 배울 거예요 (I'll learn Korean during vacation)

Negative Forms

While Not Doing

안/못 + verb + -는 동안:

• 안 자는 동안 (while not sleeping)
• 안 보는 동안 (while not looking)
• 없는 동안 (while being absent)

Usage:

• 아무도 안 보는 동안 먹었어요 (I ate while no one was looking)
• 선생님이 안 계시는 동안 떠들었어요 (We talked while the teacher was away)

Time Durations with 동안

Specific Time Periods

Number + time unit + 동안:

• 10분 동안 (for 10 minutes)
• 한 시간 동안 (for one hour)
• 하루 동안 (for one day)
• 일주일 동안 (for one week)
• 한 달 동안 (for one month)
• 1년 동안 (for one year)
• 평생 동안 (for a lifetime)

Usage:

• 30분 동안 기다렸어요 (I waited for 30 minutes)
• 3년 동안 한국에서 살았어요 (I lived in Korea for 3 years)
• 하루 종일 동안 비가 왔어요 (It rained all day long)

Events and Seasons

• 방학 동안 (during vacation)
• 수업 동안 (during class)
• 회의 동안 (during the meeting)
• 여름 동안 (during summer)
• 전쟁 동안 (during the war)
• 공사 동안 (during construction)

Common Expressions

Daily Activities

• 공부하는 동안 (while studying)
• 일하는 동안 (while working)
• 먹는 동안 (while eating)
• 자는 동안 (while sleeping)
• 쉬는 동안 (while resting)
• 운동하는 동안 (while exercising)

Waiting and Travel

• 기다리는 동안 (while waiting)
• 여행하는 동안 (while traveling)
• 가는 동안 (while going)
• 오는 동안 (while coming)
• 타는 동안 (while riding)

Time Periods

• 주말 동안 (during the weekend)
• 방학 동안 (during vacation)
• 여름 동안 (during summer)
• 한 달 동안 (for one month)
• 평생 동안 (for a lifetime)

Example Sentences

Simultaneous Actions

• 음악을 듣는 동안 책을 읽어요 (I read books while listening to music)
• 운전하는 동안 전화하면 위험해요 (It's dangerous to call while driving)
• 산책하는 동안 생각을 많이 했어요 (I thought a lot while walking)
• 샤워하는 동안 노래를 불렀어요 (I sang while showering)

Duration

• 3시간 동안 공부했어요 (I studied for 3 hours)
• 일주일 동안 아팠어요 (I was sick for a week)
• 방학 동안 고향에 갔어요 (I went to my hometown during vacation)
• 여름 동안 수영을 배웠어요 (I learned to swim during summer)

Different Subjects

• 엄마가 요리하는 동안 저는 TV를 봤어요 (I watched TV while Mom was cooking)
• 비가 오는 동안 집에 있었어요 (I stayed home while it was raining)
• 선생님이 설명하는 동안 메모했어요 (I took notes while the teacher was explaining)

Example Dialogues

Dialogue 1: Simultaneous Actions

A: 공부할 때 보통 뭐 해요?
(What do you usually do when studying?)

B: 공부하는 동안 음악을 들어요.
(I listen to music while studying.)

Dialogue 2: Duration

A: 한국어를 얼마나 배웠어요?
(How long have you been learning Korean?)

B: 2년 동안 배웠어요.
(I've been learning it for 2 years.)

Dialogue 3: Planning

A: 방학에 뭐 할 거예요?
(What will you do during vacation?)

B: 방학 동안 여행할 거예요.
(I'll travel during vacation.)

Dialogue 4: While Waiting

A: 기다리는 동안 뭐 했어요?
(What did you do while waiting?)

B: 카페에서 커피를 마시면서 책을 읽었어요.
(I drank coffee at a cafe and read a book.)

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 가기 동안

Using -기 form

✅ Correct: 가는 동안

Use -는 form for verbs

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❌ Incorrect: 좋는 동안

Using -는 with adjectives

✅ Correct: 좋은 동안

Use -(으)ㄴ form for adjectives

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❌ Incorrect: 3시간을 동안

Adding object particle

✅ Correct: 3시간 동안

No particle needed with time + 동안

Usage Notes

동안 as Noun

Can be used independently:

• 그 동안 (during that time, meanwhile)
• 이 동안 (during this time)
• 잠깐 동안 (for a short while)

Emphasis on Duration

-는 동안 emphasizes the entire duration:

• 3시간 동안 기다렸어요 (I waited for the full 3 hours - emphasizes duration)

Comparison with Similar Expressions

-는 동안 vs -면서

-는 동안 (during, emphasizes time period):

• 공부하는 동안 음악을 들어요 (I listen to music during studying - emphasizes the time frame)

-면서 (while, simultaneous actions):

• 공부하면서 음악을 들어요 (I listen to music while studying - emphasizes simultaneity)

Note: Often interchangeable, but -면서 focuses more on the actions themselves.

-는 동안 vs -는 사이에

-는 동안 (during the entire period):

• 수업하는 동안 (during the entire class)

-는 사이에 (in between, within the gap):

• 수업하는 사이에 (during the break/gap in class)

-는 동안 vs -(으)ㄹ 때

-는 동안 (while, throughout):

• 먹는 동안 (while eating - throughout the meal)

-(으)ㄹ 때 (when, at the time of):

• 먹을 때 (when eating - at the specific moment)

Summary Table

Pattern	Usage	Example
Verb + -는 동안	While doing (verb)	공부하는 동안
Adj + -(으)ㄴ 동안	While being (adjective)	젊은 동안
Noun + 동안	During (noun period)	방학 동안
Number + 동안	For (duration)	3시간 동안

Key Takeaways

• ✅ Simultaneous duration: Actions happening during same time period
• ✅ Verbs use -는: 가는 동안, 먹는 동안, 하는 동안
• ✅ Adjectives use -(으)ㄴ: 젊은 동안, 없는 동안
• ✅ Nouns directly: 수업 동안, 3시간 동안
• ✅ Emphasizes duration: Throughout the entire time period
• ✅ Very common: Essential for expressing time relationships

-는 동안 is crucial for expressing simultaneous actions and time durations in Korean. Master this pattern to naturally talk about what happens during specific time periods or while doing other activities.