-는 동안 means "during," "while," or "for the duration of." It expresses a time period during which something else happens. Unlike -면서, the subjects of the two clauses can be different.
Structure
Verb/Noun + 동안
Breakdown:
- -는: Present tense modifier (for verbs)
- 동안: Period, duration (noun meaning "while/during")
- Combined meaning: "During the time of [verb/noun]"
Literal meaning: "During the period of..."
Formation Rules
With Action Verbs
Verb stem + -는 동안:
- 자다 → 자는 동안 (while sleeping)
- 먹다 → 먹는 동안 (while eating)
- 공부하다 → 공부하는 동안 (while studying)
- 일하다 → 일하는 동안 (while working)
- 기다리다 → 기다리는 동안 (while waiting)
With Nouns
Noun + 동안:
- 방학 동안 (during vacation)
- 수업 동안 (during class)
- 여름 동안 (during summer)
- 주말 동안 (during the weekend)
- 회의 동안 (during the meeting)
With Time Expressions
Number + time word + 동안:
- 3시간 동안 (for 3 hours)
- 일주일 동안 (for a week)
- 한 달 동안 (for a month)
- 10년 동안 (for 10 years)
Core Meaning: Time Duration
During a Period
Something happens within a time frame:
- 방학 동안 여행했어요 (I traveled during vacation)
- 수업 동안 자지 마세요 (Don't sleep during class)
- 회의 동안 전화하지 마세요 (Don't call during the meeting)
- 여름 동안 수영했어요 (I swam during summer)
While an Action Occurs
One action during another:
- 제가 자는 동안 무슨 일이 있었어요? (What happened while I was sleeping?)
- 기다리는 동안 커피 마실까요? (Shall we drink coffee while waiting?)
- 운전하는 동안 조심하세요 (Be careful while driving)
For a Duration
Specific time period:
- 3시간 동안 공부했어요 (I studied for 3 hours)
- 일주일 동안 쉬었어요 (I rested for a week)
- 10년 동안 일했어요 (I worked for 10 years)
Different Subjects Possible
Key Difference from -면서
Can have different subjects:
-
제가 자는 동안 비가 왔어요 (While I slept, it rained)
- Subject 1: I (sleeping)
- Subject 2: rain (came)
-
엄마가 요리하는 동안 아빠가 청소했어요 (While mom cooked, dad cleaned)
- Subject 1: mom
- Subject 2: dad
Compare with -면서 (same subject only):
- 엄마가 요리하면서 TV를 봐요 (Mom watches TV while cooking)
- Both actions by mom
Common Usage Patterns
While Waiting
Activities during waiting:
- 기다리는 동안 책을 읽었어요 (I read while waiting)
- 버스를 기다리는 동안 음악을 들었어요 (I listened to music while waiting for the bus)
During Absence
What happened when someone was away:
- 제가 없는 동안 누가 왔어요? (Who came while I was away?)
- 출장 가는 동안 집을 부탁해요 (Please look after the house while I'm on a business trip)
Time Periods
Activities during specific times:
- 방학 동안 뭐 할 거예요? (What will you do during vacation?)
- 주말 동안 쉬었어요 (I rested during the weekend)
- 겨울 동안 스키를 탔어요 (I skied during winter)
With Time Expressions
Specific Durations
How long something lasted:
- 3시간 동안 기다렸어요 (I waited for 3 hours)
- 한 달 동안 여행했어요 (I traveled for a month)
- 5년 동안 공부했어요 (I studied for 5 years)
During Periods
Named time periods:
- 방학 동안 (during vacation)
- 수업 동안 (during class)
- 회의 동안 (during the meeting)
- 식사 동안 (during the meal)
Politeness Levels
Works with All Levels
Main clause determines politeness:
- 자는 동안 전화가 왔습니다 (formal)
- 자는 동안 전화가 왔어요 (polite)
- 자는 동안 전화 왔어 (casual)
Tense
Usually Present Form
-는 동안 is present modifier:
- 먹는 동안 (while eating)
- 자는 동안 (while sleeping)
Can Use Past
-(으)ᄂ 동안 for completed periods:
- 먹은 동안 (during the time [I] ate)
- Less common than present form
Negative Forms
While Not Doing
안 + Verb + -는 동안:
- 안 자는 동안 (while not sleeping)
- 안 먹는 동안 (while not eating)
Verb + -지 않는 동안:
- 일하지 않는 동안 (while not working)
During Absence
없는 동안: while absent/away
- 제가 없는 동안 (while I'm away)
- 집에 없는 동안 (while not at home)
Common Expressions
Time Periods
- 방학 동안 (during vacation)
- 주말 동안 (during the weekend)
- 여름 동안 (during summer)
- 겨울 동안 (during winter)
Activities
- 자는 동안 (while sleeping)
- 공부하는 동안 (while studying)
- 일하는 동안 (while working)
- 기다리는 동안 (while waiting)
Absence
- 없는 동안 (while away)
- 출장 가는 동안 (while on business trip)
- 여행하는 동안 (while traveling)
Meetings/Events
- 수업 동안 (during class)
- 회의 동안 (during meeting)
- 영화 보는 동안 (while watching movie)
Comparison with Similar Patterns
-는 동안 vs -면서
-는 동안: Time period, different subjects possible
- 제가 자는 동안 비가 왔어요 (While I slept, it rained)
- Different subjects okay
-면서: Simultaneous actions, same subject
- 음악 들으면서 공부해요 (Study while listening to music)
- Must be same subject
-는 동안 vs -(으)ᄅ 때
-는 동안: Duration, "during the period"
- 공부하는 동안 전화하지 마세요 (Don't call during [the time I'm] studying)
- Emphasizes duration
-(으)ᄅ 때: Point in time, "when"
- 공부할 때 전화하지 마세요 (Don't call when I study)
- Emphasizes moment/occasion
-는 동안 vs -는 사이(에)
-는 동안: During the period
- 자는 동안 (while sleeping)
- Common, neutral
-는 사이(에): In between, during the gap
- 자는 사이에 (while sleeping / in the interval)
- Slightly more literary
Summary Table
| Pattern | Example | Meaning | Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| -는 동안 | 자는 동안 | While sleeping | Can differ |
| -면서 | 먹으면서 봐요 | Eat while watching | Same only |
| -(으)ᄅ 때 | 먹을 때 | When eating | Can differ |
| Noun + 동안 | 방학 동안 | During vacation | - |
Usage Context Guide
Use -는 동안 when:
- Describing what happens during a period
- Different subjects doing different things
- Specifying time duration
- Talking about absence or waiting
- Named time periods (vacation, weekend, etc.)
Common contexts:
- Waiting (기다리는 동안)
- Absence (없는 동안)
- Time periods (방학 동안, 3시간 동안)
- Simultaneous but separate actions
- Events during sleep/work
Nuance
Emphasizes Time Frame
Focus on the duration:
- 3시간 동안 공부했어요 (Studied for [the duration of] 3 hours)
- Stresses how long
Can Imply Background
One thing happening as background for another:
- 제가 자는 동안 전화 왔어요 (A call came [in the background] while I slept)
Key Takeaways
- ✅ Time period: During, while, for duration
- ✅ Different subjects OK: Unlike -면서
- ✅ Works with nouns: Noun + 동안
- ✅ Time expressions: 3시간 동안, 일주일 동안
- ✅ Common pattern: Essential for time expressions
- ✅ Flexible: Can be used in many contexts
- ✅ Different from -면서: Subjects can differ
-는 동안 is crucial for expressing time periods and durations in Korean. It's more flexible than -면서 because it allows different subjects and works with both verbs and nouns.