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Lv 5Connective endingAdvanced · TOPIK II

-다가는

-daganeun

if one keeps on (doing this)

Attaches to verb stems to warn that if an ongoing action or state continues, it will be interrupted and changed, or lead to a negative or unexpected result.

Form

Attaches to
Verb, Auxiliary
Other shapes
-다간 · -단

Meanings

  1. 1

    A connective ending used when an action or state, etc., is stopped and changed to another action or state.

    어떤 행동이나 상태가 중단되고 다른 행동이나 상태로 바뀜을 나타내는 연결 어미.

  2. 2

    A connective ending used to imply that a negative situation or unexpected result will happen if a preceding action or state continues.

    앞선 행동이나 상태가 계속되면 부정적인 상황이나 의외의 결과가 생기게 될 것임을 나타내는 연결 어미.

Examples

  • 승규는 조금 전까지 책을 읽다가는 갑자기 나갔다.

    Seunggyu was reading a book until a moment ago, then suddenly went out.

  • 민준이는 지수를 보며 망설이다가는 돈을 빌려 달라는 말을 꺼냈다.

    Minjun hesitated while looking at Jisu, then finally brought up asking to borrow money.

  • 어머니는 시장에 잠깐 들렀다가는 집으로 돌아와서 저녁을 했다.

    Mother stopped by the market for a bit, then came home and made dinner.

  • 햇볕이 이렇게 내리쬐다가는 일사병에 걸리기 십상이겠어.

    If the sun keeps beating down like this, you're likely to get heatstroke.

  • 지금의 속도로 일을 하다가는 오늘 밤을 새워도 다 못 끝내겠어.

    At this rate, even if we pull an all-nighter, we won't be able to finish it all.

  • 자꾸 할 일을 미루다가는 나중에 걷잡을 수 없이 많아질 거야.

    If you keep putting off what you need to do, it'll pile up out of control later.

Examples: 한국어기초사전, CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.

Don’t confuse with

Forms with a close meaning — a favourite source of wrong answers on TOPIK.

Quick check

  1. 1. What does ‘-다가는’ mean?

  2. 2. Which form means “if one keeps on (doing this)”?