Retrospective Modifier '던' — Korean Grammar

The suffix (tŏndeontŏnten) is a retrospective modifier. It attaches to the stem of a verb or adjective to modify the noun that follows it. While it translates to a past tense description in English, it carries specific nuances of "recollection," "past habit," or "incomplete action" that distinguish it from the standard past modifier ((ŭ)n(eu)n(ŭ)n(u)n).

When a speaker uses (tŏndeontŏnten), they are signaling that they are looking back on a memory or a past experience.

Unfinished or Interrupted Actions

When attached to action verbs, (tŏndeontŏnten) often indicates that an action occurred in the past but was not completed, or was interrupted. It implies a sense of "was doing" rather than "did."

제가 마시던 커피예요.
che·ga ma·si·dŏn kʰŏ·pʰi·ye·yo.je·ga ma·si·deon keo·pi·ye·yo.che·ga ma·si·dŏn k'ŏ·p'i·ye·yo.cey·ka ma·si·ten khe·phi·yey·yo.
It is the coffee I was drinking (and haven't finished).
읽던 책을 식탁 위에 두었어요.
ik·dŏn chʰæg·ŭl sik·tʰak wi·e du·ŏss·ŏ·yo.ik·deon chaeg·eul sik·tak wi·e du·eoss·eo·yo.ik·dŏn ch'aeg·ŭl sik·t'ak wi·e du·ŏss·ŏ·yo.ik·ten chayg·ul sik·thak ui·ey tu·ess·e·yo.
I put the book I was reading on the table.

In the first example, the coffee is likely not empty; the action of drinking was happening but stopped. In the second, the book has not been finished yet.

Habitual Past Actions

(tŏndeontŏnten) is also used to describe actions that happened repeatedly in the past but are not happening now. This is similar to the English "used to." Since (tŏndeontŏnten) can also mark an unfinished action ("was doing"), the context usually clarifies whether the meaning is "unfinished" or "habitual."

여기는 제가 자주 오던 공원이에요.
yŏ·gi·nŭn je·ga ja·ju o·dŏn gong·won·i·e·yo.yeo·gi·neun je·ga ja·ju o·deon gong·won·i·e·yo.yŏ·gi·nŭn je·ga ja·ju o·dŏn gong·wŏn·i·e·yo.ye·ki·nun cey·ka ca·cu o·ten kong·wen·i·ey·yo.
This is the park I used to come to often.
어릴 때 살던 집
ŏ·ril ttæ sal·dŏn jipeo·ril ddae sal·deon jipŏ·ril ttae sal·dŏn jipe·lil ttay sal·ten cip
The house I used to live in when I was young

Recalling Past States (Adjectives)

When attached to adjectives (descriptive verbs), (tŏndeontŏnten) expresses that the speaker recalls a state they observed or experienced in the past. It implies that the state existed then, and the speaker is remembering it now.

그렇게 예쁘던 꽃이 다 졌어요.
kŭ·rŏ·kʰe ye·ppŭ·dŏn kkoch·i da jyŏss·ŏ·yo.geu·reo·ke ye·bbeu·deon ggoch·i da jyeoss·eo·yo.kŭ·rŏ·k'e ye·ppŭ·dŏn kkoch·i da jyŏss·ŏ·yo.ku·le·khey yey·ppu·ten kkoch·i ta cyess·e·yo.
That flower that was so pretty has died completely.
차갑던 날씨가 따뜻해졌어요.
chʰa·gap·dŏn nal·ssi·ga tta·ttŭ·tʰæ·jyŏss·ŏ·yo.cha·gap·deon nal·ssi·ga dda·ddeu·tae·jyeoss·eo·yo.ch'a·gap·dŏn nal·ssi·ga tta·ttŭ·t'ae·jyŏss·ŏ·yo.cha·kap·ten nal·ssi·ka tta·ttu·thay·cyess·e·yo.
The weather, which was cold, has become warm.

Difference between 던 (tŏn) and (으)ㄴ ((ŭ)n)

The standard past modifier ((ŭ)n(eu)n(ŭ)n(u)n) indicates a simple completed fact. (tŏndeontŏnten) focuses on the retrospective process or lack of completion.

1. Completion vs. Incompletion

(næ·ga ilg·ŭn chʰæknae·ga ilg·eun chaeknae·ga ilg·ŭn ch'aeknay·ka ilg·un chayk): The book I read (I finished it).
(næ·ga ik·dŏn chʰæknae·ga ik·deon chaeknae·ga ik·dŏn ch'aeknay·ka ik·ten chayk): The book I was reading (I might not have finished it).

2. Current State vs. Past Memory

For adjectives, ((ŭ)n(eu)n(ŭ)n(u)n) describes the current state of the noun, while (tŏndeontŏnten) describes how it was in the past memory.

(ttok·tto·kʰan hak·sængddok·ddo·kan hak·saengttok·tto·k'an hak·saengttok·tto·khan hak·sayng): A smart student (general fact/current state).
(ttok·tto·kʰa·dŏn hak·sængddok·ddo·ka·deon hak·saengttok·tto·k'a·dŏn hak·saengttok·tto·kha·ten hak·sayng): A student who was smart (as I recall from the past).

Past Perfect: 았던 (at·dŏn) and 었던 (ŏt·dŏn)

You can add the past tense marker (at) or (ŏteotŏtet) before (tŏndeontŏnten), chosen by the same vowel rule as in the past tense, to create (at·dŏnat·deonat·dŏnat·ten) or (ŏt·dŏneot·deonŏt·dŏnet·ten). This form emphasizes that the past action or state was completely finished and is disconnected from the present. It often implies a singular experience rather than a habit.

작년에 갔던 한국 식당
chang·nyŏn·e gat·dŏn han·guk sik·dangjang·nyeon·e gat·deon han·guk sik·dangchang·nyŏn·e gat·dŏn han·guk sik·dangcang·nyen·ey kat·ten han·kuk sik·tang
The Korean restaurant I went to last year (and the trip is over).
우리가 만났던 곳
u·ri·ga man·nat·dŏn gotu·ri·ga man·nat·deon gotu·ri·ga man·nat·dŏn gotu·li·ka man·nat·ten kot
The place where we had met.

Comparison

(ka·dŏn gotga·deon gotka·dŏn gotka·ten kot): A place I used to go (habitual) OR a place I was on my way to (interrupted).
(kat·dŏn gotgat·deon gotkat·dŏn gotkat·ten kot): A place I have been to (completed experience).

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