High School - Grade 12
Lesson 5: Interrupted Action
-다가
"While doing A, B happened..."
How do you express that you were in the middle of doing something when something else occurred? The connective ending `-다가` is used for exactly this purpose.
It attaches to the stem of the first verb and indicates that the action of the first clause was **in progress** when the action of the second clause happened, often **interrupting** it or causing a **shift** in action. It can sometimes imply a sequence where the first action leads to the second.
The Conjugation Rule
This is another simple one! Just attach `-다가` directly to the verb stem, regardless of whether it ends in a vowel or consonant.
The Rule
Attach -다가 directly to the verb stem.
Verb Stem + 다가
걷다 걷다가
("While walking...")
자다 자다가
("While sleeping...")
공부하다 공부하다가
("While studying...")
Examples in Action
길을 걷다가 친구를 만났어요.
While I was walking down the street, I met a friend.
자다가 전화를 받았어요.
While I was sleeping, I received a phone call.
텔레비전을 보다가 잠이 들었어요.
While watching TV, I fell asleep.
공부하다가 배가 고파서 밥을 먹었어요.
While studying, I got hungry, so I ate.
Usage Notes:
- The subject of both clauses must be the same.
- It can sometimes imply a negative consequence or unexpected change resulting from the first action.
- In casual speech, `-다가` is often shortened to `-다`. (e.g., 걷다 친구를 만났어요)
Coming Up Next...
You can now talk about interruptions and transitions! Get ready for the final lesson of Grade 12: expressing that you had no other choice using `-(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다`.