💡 The noun modifier -던 recalls things you directly saw, heard, or felt in the past. There are several expressions formed by combining -던 with other endings, such as -더니, -던데, -더냐, -더구나, -더군 to express what you saw, heard, or felt while recalling it.
Some expressions also include -라 before combining with -던 (for example, -더라, -더라고, -더라니까, -더라도, -더라면...). Here, ‘-라’ functions as a sentence-final form that adds a more assertive and conclusive tone to the speaker’s recollection of the experience.
On this page, we will focus on the two most commonly used forms: -더라, -더니
변호사 시험 | bar exam |
합격하다 | to pass (an exam) |
무릎을 꿇다 | to get down on one's knee |
V/Adj/이다/아니다 + 더라 It is a sentence-ending form used when the speaker recalls and talks about things they directly saw, heard, or felt in the past. It is used only with close friends or younger people.
베트남에 여행 가보니까 정말 재미있더라.
I traveled to Vietnam, it was really fun.
어제 어떤 남자 두 명이 길에서 싸우더라.
Yesterday, two men were fighting on the street.
토니가 변호사 시험에 합격했더라.
Tony passed the bar exam.
- When speaking to adults, you can say, ‘-더라구요’.
베트남에 여행 가보니까 정말 재미있더라구요.
어제 어떤 남자 두 명이 길에서 싸우더라구요.
- ‘-더라’ can be combined with quotation endings such as ‘-다(라), -냐, -자, -라’ to report what someone said, conveying the situation as recalled from the past. 토니가 변호사 시험에 합격했다더라.
I heard that Tony passed the bar exam.
수지 씨가 같이 베트남에 여행가자더라.
Suzy asked if we could go to Vietnam together.
V/Adj/이다/아니다 + 더니 It is a connective ending used to recall and describe a past event, while introducing the sequence that followed.
아침에는 춥더니 지금은 덥네.
It was cold in the morning but now it's hot.
남자친구가 갑자기 무릎을 꿇더니 프로포즈를 했어.
My boyfriend suddenly got down on one knee and proposed to me.
아까 매운 떡볶이를 먹었더니 배가 좀 아프네.
I ate spicy tteokbokki earlier and now my stomach hurts.
- ‘-더니’ can be combined with quotation endings such as ‘-다(라), -냐, -자, -라’ to report what someone said, conveying the situation as recalled from the past. 아침에 춥다더니 별로 안 춥네.
They said it’s cold in the morning, but it's not that cold.
오늘 축구 경기가 있다더니 역시 사람이 많네.
They said there's a soccer game today, and indeed there are a lot of people.
Root + 더- | ex. 가더-, 먹더-, 듣더-, 만들더-, 있더-, 없더-
N+ 이더-/아니더-, 춥더-, 예쁘더-,
갔더-, 가겠더-, 예뻤더-, 예쁘겠더- |
