HYEJU LANGUAGE LAB · INTERMEDIATE 53 · LESSON 138
V/A-았/었던 Nthe … that was / that I once did (and it’s over)
-았/었던 looks back on a finished past event or a past state that has ended: 작년에 갔던 식당 (the restaurant I went to last year), 어릴 때 좋아했던 가수 (the singer I liked as a child — maybe not anymore).
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A situation you already know
Visiting Busan again, you try to find a place from your last trip.
Where was that gukbap place we went to last year?
It was a one-time visit that’s over. -았/었던 adds a feeling of recalling a finished memory.
Build the form
- 가다 → 갔 + 던 → 갔던 식당Complete expression
- 좋아하다 → 좋아했 + 던 → 좋아했던 가수Complete expression
- 살다 → 살았 + 던 → 살았던 집Complete expression
- 날씬하다 → 날씬했 + 던 → 날씬했던 몸Complete expression
- 학생 → 학생이었 + 던 → 학생이었던 때Complete expression
- Past stem + -던: 갔던, 먹었던, 좋아했던.
- Finished past event (often once): 지난번에 봤던 영화.
- Past state that is no longer true: 날씬했던 몸, 조용했던 동네.
- Nouns: N이었/였던 → 학생이었던 시절, 친구였던 사람.
- With adjectives, -았/었던 is more common than -던 for “used to be”.
- Compare: 먹던 빵 (half-eaten), 먹은 빵 (eaten), 먹었던 빵 (the bread I once ate — a memory).
Think in Korean · an English-speaker’s guide
- English “the … I once…”, “the … that used to be…”, or “former…” are close.
- -았/었던 emphasizes that it’s over and you’re remembering it. 좋아했던 사람 hints you don’t like them now.
- For something unfinished (a half-read book), use -던 (Lesson 119), not -았/었던.
Six examples in context
What was the title of the movie we watched together last time?
The house I lived in as a child is gone.
The once-quiet neighborhood has become a tourist spot.
I still remember the day I first came to Korea.
I miss my student days.
Hearing a song I used to love again feels strange.
Compare with related patterns
-던
제가 읽던 책“The book I was reading (not finished).” Unfinished or repeated (Lesson 119).
-(으)ㄴ
어제 읽은 책“The book I read yesterday.” Simply finished, no memory feeling (Lesson 50).
-았/었던
어릴 때 읽었던 책“The book I read as a child.” A finished event recalled from the past.
| Pattern | Choose it when… |
|---|---|
| -았/었던 N | Finished, over — recalled |
| -던 N | Unfinished or repeated |
| V-(으)ㄴ N | Simply finished |
| A-(으)ㄴ N | Current state |
Common mistakes
Unfinished → -던, not -았/었던.
Past stem + 던, not 은.
Consonant-ending noun → 이었던.
Vowel-ending noun → 였던.
Mini practice · six questions
Try each one before opening the answer. Translation answers are models; other natural wording is possible.
- Fill in the blank작년 여름에 ______ 제주도가 정말 아름다웠어요. (가다)
Check answer
작년 여름에 갔던 제주도가 정말 아름다웠어요.
Finished past trip → 갔던.
- Fill in the blank예전에 ______ 공원이 지금은 주차장이 됐어요. (넓다)
Check answer
예전에 넓었던 공원이 지금은 주차장이 됐어요.
Past state, no longer true → 넓었던.
- Choose the natural form어, 제가 (보던 / 봤던) 드라마를 누가 껐어요? 아직 안 끝났어요.
Check answer
보던
Unfinished → -던.
- Choose the natural form고등학교 때 (친했던 / 친하던) 친구를 10년 만에 만났어요.
Check answer
친했던
Past relationship looked back on → -았/었던 (more common with adjectives).
- Fix the mistake그 사람은 제 선생님었던 분이에요.
Check answer
그 사람은 제 선생님이었던 분이에요.
Consonant ending → 이었던.
- Say it in KoreanThis is the café where we first met.
Check answer
여기가 우리가 처음 만났던 카페예요.
One-time finished event → 만났던.
Today’s key point
Past stem + 던 + N: a finished past event or a past state that is over (갔던 식당, 날씬했던 몸). Unfinished → -던; simply finished → -(으)ㄴ.
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