intermediate
Stops one action and switches to another, or says what happened in the middle of it: 가다가 (gadaga), "on the way".
Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language
- Same form after any verb or adjective stem. In speech it's often just 다 da.
- With 았/었 at/eot, the first action was finished first: 갔다가 gatdaga, "went, and then".
Build it
When to use it
Switching
Stopping one thing for another.
Something happens midway
In the middle of an action.
There and back
았/었다가 at/eotdaga: go, then come back.
Watch out
Add 다가 straight to the stem 읽 ik.
In context
9 examples- 1
공부하다가 잠이 들었어요.
Gongbuhadaga jami deureosseoyo.
I fell asleep while studying.
- 2
학교에 가다가 친구를 만났어요.
Hakgyoe gadaga chingureul mannasseoyo.
I ran into a friend on my way to school.
- 3
집에 갔다가 다시 왔어요.
Jibe gatdaga dasi wasseoyo.
I went home and came back again.
- 4
운전하다가 전화를 받았어요.
Unjeonhadaga jeonhwareul badasseoyo.
I answered the phone while driving.
- 5
영화를 보다가 울었어요.
Yeonghwareul bodaga ureosseoyo.
I cried while watching the movie.
- 6
창문을 열었다가 추워서 닫았어요.
Changmuneul yeoreotdaga chuwoseo dadasseoyo.
I opened the window, but it was cold, so I closed it.
- 7
뛰다가 넘어졌어요.
Ttwidaga neomeojyeosseoyo.
I was running and fell.
- 8
맑다가 갑자기 비가 왔어요.
Makdaga gapjagi biga wasseoyo.
It was sunny, then suddenly it rained.
- 9
자다가 무서운 꿈을 꿨어요.
Jadaga museoun kkumeul kkwosseoyo.
I had a scary dream while I was sleeping.
Practice
8 questions보다 + 다가
다가 or 고?
Both can put one action before another, but 고 finishes the first action, while 다가 breaks it off in the middle:
- 숙제를 하고 잤어요. sukjereul hago jasseoyo "I did my homework and went to bed." It's done.
- 숙제를 하다가 잤어요. sukjereul hadaga jasseoyo "I was doing my homework and fell asleep." It isn't done.
았/었다가: there and back
With 았/었, the first action is completed, and then something reverses it or comes next:
- 문을 열었다가 닫았어요. muneul yeoreotdaga dadasseoyo "I opened the door and then closed it."
- 잠깐 나갔다가 올게요. jamkkan nagatdaga olgeyo "I'll step out for a moment and come back."
Look it up in the dictionary
The entry for 다가 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.