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-던. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
-던, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
-던 in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
-던 you have here. The definition of the word
-던 will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
-던, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Korean
Etymology
Equivalent to 더 (-deo-, retrospective suffix) + ㄴ (-n, past/realis adnominal suffix), but it retains the older imperfective sense of 더 (-deo-), not its modern and more nuanced "retrospective" sense.
Suffix
던 • (-deon)
- The imperfective adnominal marker, used to make verbs and adjectives attribute nouns:
- After verb stems, indicates an action or state which was interrupted and hence not completed.
내가 어제 먹던 케이크- nae-ga eoje meokdeon keikeu
- the cake I was eating yesterday
- After verb stems, indicates an event in the past which happened on a regular basis, but does not continue now.
비가 오면 나가 걷곤 하던 대나무 숲길- bi-ga omyeon naga geotgon hadeon daenamu sup-gil
- the lane in the bamboo grove I used to walk along when it rained
- After adjective stems, indicates a state which no longer exists.
아름다웠던 내 고향- areumdawotdeon nae gohyang
- my hometown which was once beautiful