-는 동안

-는 동안 marks the whole stretch of time an action lasts, during which something else happens or continues.

시간·순서Time & sequence

Han: The verb before 동안 stays in the 는 form; the past tense is shown only at the end of the sentence (왔어요).

Examples

제가 샤워하는 동안 친구가 전화했어요.While I was taking a shower, my friend called.

한국에 사는 동안 좋은 친구를 많이 사귀었어요.While I lived in Korea, I made a lot of good friends.

아이가 자는 동안 엄마는 책을 읽었어요.While the child was sleeping, the mother read a book.

기다리시는 동안 커피 한 잔 드세요.Please have a cup of coffee while you wait.

V+는 동안

N+동안

기다리다 → 기다리는 동안, 방학 → 방학 동안

Do not put past tense before 동안: say 자는 동안, not 잤는 동안. The tense of the whole sentence goes at the end of the main clause.
The two clauses can have different subjects (내가 요리하는 동안 동생은 청소했어요); the subject inside the 동안 clause usually takes 이/가.
Use it with actions or states that last for some time. With instant events like 도착하다 or 끝나다 it sounds odd; use -(으)ㄹ 때 instead.
With nouns, drop 는 and attach 동안 directly: 방학 동안, 두 시간 동안.

Wrong: ~~제가 잤는 동안 비가 왔어요.~~

Right: 제가 자는 동안 비가 왔어요.

The verb before 동안 stays in the 는 form; the past tense is shown only at the end of the sentence (왔어요).

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