TOPIK I · LEVEL 2

-다가

-다가 means you were doing one thing and then stopped or switched to another: 'while doing A, (then) B'.

시간·순서Time & sequence

Han: With -다가 both clauses need the same subject; for a different subject use -(으)ㄹ 때.

Examples

책을 읽다가 잠이 들었어요.I fell asleep while reading a book.
집에 가다가 친구를 만났어요.I ran into a friend on my way home.
텔레비전을 보다가 전화를 받았어요.I was watching TV and then answered a phone call.

Don’t mix up

-다가vs-(으)면서-(으)면서 = two actions at the same time; -다가 = the first action is interrupted by the second: 음악을 들으면서 걸어요 vs 걷다가 넘어졌어요.

How to build it

V+다가

가다 → 가다가, 공부하다 → 공부하다가

  1. The subject of both clauses is the same.
  2. -았/었다가 means A was completed first, then B happened: 갔다가 왔어요 'went and came back'.

Classic mistake

Wrong: 저는 운동하다가 동생이 왔어요.

Right: 제가 운동하고 있을 때 동생이 왔어요.

With -다가 both clauses need the same subject; for a different subject use -(으)ㄹ 때.

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