-던 vs -았/었던

Intermediate · TOPIK II

-던 recalls a past action that was unfinished, in progress or repeated; -았/었던 recalls a completed past action, often a one-off or something no longer the case.

-던An ending of a word that makes the preceding statement function as an adnominal phrase and implies that an event or action has not been completed in the past but has been stopped.-았/었던An expression used to recall a past incident or state, and indicate that activity related to the incident or state has been suspended, and remains incomplete.

Rules of thumb

Something left unfinished: -던 (내가 먹던 빵 'the bread I was eating').
Habits in the past: -던 (자주 가던 카페 'the café I used to go to').
Completed actions and one-time experiences: -았/었던 (작년에 갔던 식당 'the restaurant I went to last year').
With adjectives both work; -았/었던 stresses the state is over (예뻤던 머리 'my once-pretty hair').
Compare: 읽던 책 = a book I was (partway) reading; 읽었던 책 = a book I read (and finished) before.

Example sentences

-던
Where did the bread I was eating go?
-았/었던
I'd like to go back to the restaurant we went to last year.
-던
The café I used to go to as a student has closed down.
-았/었던
This is the neighbourhood I lived in as a child.
-던
I should finish the book I was reading.

← All confused pairs