beginner
Says something happens for as long as another action lasts: 자는 동안 (janeun dongan), "while I was sleeping".
Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language
- Same form after any verb stem, and after 있다 itda and 없다 eopda. A final ㄹ drops: 사는 동안 saneun dongan.
- After a noun, use just 동안: 방학 동안 banghak dongan, "during the vacation".
Build it
When to use it
Two people, same time
One thing goes on while another happens.
A stretch of time
For as long as something lasted.
With a noun
Noun + 동안.
Watch out
A final ㄹ drops before 는: 사는 saneun.
After a noun, use just 동안.
In context
9 examples- 1
제가 요리하는 동안 청소해 주세요.
Jega yorihaneun dongan cheongsohae juseyo.
Please clean while I cook.
- 2
한국에 사는 동안 많은 친구를 사귀었어요.
Hanguge saneun dongan maneun chingureul sagwieosseoyo.
While I lived in Korea, I made lots of friends.
- 3
아기가 자는 동안 책을 읽었어요.
Agiga janeun dongan chaegeul ilgeosseoyo.
I read while the baby was sleeping.
- 4
기다리는 동안 커피 한잔하실래요?
Gidarineun dongan keopi hanjanhasillaeyo?
Would you like a coffee while you wait?
- 5
제가 없는 동안 무슨 일 있었어요?
Jega eomneun dongan museun il isseosseoyo?
Did anything happen while I was away?
- 6
비행기를 타는 동안 영화를 두 편 봤어요.
Bihaenggireul taneun dongan yeonghwareul du pyeon bwasseoyo.
I watched two movies during the flight.
- 7
운전하는 동안에는 휴대폰을 보지 마세요.
Unjeonhaneun donganeneun hyudaeponeul boji maseyo.
Don't look at your phone while you're driving.
- 8
여름 방학 동안 아르바이트를 했어요.
Yeoreum banghak dongan areubaiteureul haesseoyo.
I worked a part-time job over the summer vacation.
- 9
친구가 노래하는 동안 모두 조용히 들었어요.
Chinguga noraehaneun dongan modu joyonghi deureosseoyo.
Everyone listened quietly while my friend sang.
Practice
8 questions살다 + 는 동안
는 동안 or (으)면서?
Both can mean "while", but (으)면서 is for one person doing two things at once, while 는 동안 is about a stretch of time, and the two halves can be about different people:
- 음악을 들으면서 공부해요. eumageul deureumyeonseo gongbuhaeyo "I study while listening to music." One person.
- 제가 요리하는 동안 남편은 청소해요. jega yorihaneun dongan nampyeoneun cheongsohaeyo "My husband cleans while I cook." Two people.
Look it up in the dictionary
The entry for 는 동안 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.