What it means
-던 marks something that was habitual in the past, an incomplete past action, or something the speaker recalls nostalgically. Creates beautifully nostalgic or retrospective sentences.
Nuance & when to use
먹던 음식 = food I used to eat. 자주 가던 곳 = a place I used to go often. -던 implies incompleteness or recollection — you used to do it but no longer do (or it wasn't finished). Distinct from -았던 (a past action that was completed). Very poetic when used in songs/literature.
⚠ Common mistake
-던 vs -았/었던: 먹던 = was eating (ongoing past). 먹었던 = had eaten (completed past). 내가 좋아하던 노래 (a song I used to like) vs 내가 좋아했던 노래 (a song I liked — more definitively past).
Example sentences
See also
FAQ
When is this used?
먹던 음식 = food I used to eat. 자주 가던 곳 = a place I used to go often. -던 implies incompleteness or recollection — you used to do it but no longer do (or it wasn't finished). Distinct from -았던 (a past action that was completed). Very poetic when used in songs/literature.
What's a common mistake?
-던 vs -았/었던: 먹던 = was eating (ongoing past). 먹었던 = had eaten (completed past). 내가 좋아하던 노래 (a song I used to like) vs 내가 좋아했던 노래 (a song I liked — more definitively past).
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