TOPIK II · LEVEL 3
-곤 하다
-곤 하다 says something was done repeatedly, as a habit: 'used to / would often'.
시제·상Tense & aspectHan: A single event yesterday isn't a habit; -곤 하다 needs repetition.
Examples
학생 때는 밤을 새워 공부하곤 했다.As a student, I would often study all night.
어렸을 때 주말마다 할머니 댁에 가곤 했어요.When I was little, I used to go to my grandmother's every weekend.
스트레스를 받으면 혼자 노래방에 가곤 해요.When I'm stressed, I often go to karaoke alone.
Don’t mix up
-곤 하다vs-던-던 describes a noun with a past habit (자주 가던 식당); -곤 했다 states the habit as the main verb (자주 가곤 했다).How to build it
V+곤 하다
가다 → 가곤 했어요, 먹다 → 먹곤 해요
- Only with verbs, usually in the past (-곤 했다) for memories.
- Not for things that happened only once.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 어제 친구를 만나곤 했어요.
Right: 어제 친구를 만났어요.
A single event yesterday isn't a habit; -곤 하다 needs repetition.
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All TOPIK grammar- -던-던 describes a noun with an action that was ongoing, repeated or left unfinished in the past: 'that I used to / was doing'.
- -고 말다Says that something ended up happening in the end, usually against one's wishes or expectations (often with regret); with -겠다 it expresses strong determination.
- -는 중이다Shows that someone is right in the middle of an action, either now or at a given moment in the past.
- -아/어 오다 (화자 쪽으로)Shows that someone else's action is directed toward the speaker or the speaker's side: 'X contacted us, X proposed to me, X came asking'. Common in reports and news.
- -아/어 가다/오다-아/어 가다 means a change continuing from now into the future; -아/어 오다 means a change that has continued up to now.
- -아/어 두다(놓다)-아/어 두다(놓다) means you do something on purpose and leave the result in place, usually so it is ready for later.
- -아/어 버리다-아/어 버리다 shows that an action is completely finished and gone, usually adding the speaker's feeling of regret ("ended up") or relief ("got it over with").
- -았/었었--았/었었- is the 'more past' form: something was true or done in the past but is no longer so.
- -(으)ㅁ-(으)ㅁ turns a verb or adjective into a noun; it is used in notes, notices, memos and written records.