Lesson 9
When you want to express a string of consecutive events, or things that happen during or shortly after one another, you can use the verb ending -다가 with the first verb in the sentence. Here are some English examples to paint a clearer picture:
“I was on my bike and I fell.”
“I was cleaning my room when I found this.”
“She was watching a movie when she fell asleep.”
“She was studying in her room and then suddenly came up with this idea.”
This is a commonly used verb ending in Korean when you are talking about a gradual transition from one action to another or one situation to another.
* The subject of the sentence should be the same for both of the verbs.
Conjugation
Verb stem + -다가
가다 (= to go) → 가다가
먹다 (= to eat) → 먹다가
놀다 (= to play) → 놀다가
자다 (= to sleep) → 자다가
전화하다 (= to call) → 전화하다가
Ex)
뛰다가 멈추다
= to be running and then stop
전화를 하다가
= while talking on the phone
전화를 하다가 잠이 들다
= to fall asleep while talking on the phone
Sample Sentences
집에 오다가 친구를 만났어요.
= On my way home, I met a friend.
= While coming home, I bumped into a friend.
텔레비전을 보다가 잠이 들었어요.
= I was watching television and I fell asleep.
= I fell asleep while watching TV.
여행을 하다가 감기에 걸렸어요.
= I was traveling, and I caught a cold.
= I caught a cold while traveling.
서울에서 살다가 제주도로 이사 갔어요.
= I was living in Seoul, and then I moved to Jeju Island.
뭐 하다가 왔어요?
= What were you doing before coming here?
= What is it that you were doing before you came here?
* You can use this phrase in two ways: when you are genuinely curious about what the
other person was doing before arriving, or if the other person is late.
집에서 공부하다가 나왔어요.
= I was studying at home and came outside.
= I was studying at home before I came outside.
밥 먹다가 전화를 받았어요.
= I was eating when I received the phone call.
= I was eating and then I received a phone call.
밖에 있다가 들어왔어요.
= I was outside and came inside.
= I was outside before I came inside.
어디에 있다가 지금 왔어요?
= Where were you before you came here now?
= Where have you been?
일하다가 잠깐 쉬고 있어요.
= I was working and now I am taking a short break.
= I am taking a short break from work.