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Korean grammar - Recalling past actions - 던

Recalling past actions - 던

Pattern: Verb stem +

The particle attached to a verb makes it an adjective with the sense of recalling a past action.

It is used when recounting something that has continued from the past. And it may include the present but extends back into the past. It may or may not be a habitual action.

With the past tense form (Verb stem + -//였던) it means the action was completed.

With the present tense (Verb stem + ) it means that the action was ongoing.

The action referred to does not or is not expected to continue into the future.

Examples:
예전에 많이 했던 게임이에요.
It is a game that (I) played a lot before.
작년에 자주 갔던 커피숍이 문을 닫았어요.
The coffee shop is closed that (I) often went last year.
한국에 살 때 자주 먹었던 음식이 뭐예요?
What was the food that you often ate when you lived in Korea?
어제 봤던 영화 제목이 뭐예요?
What was the title of the movie that you watched yesterday?

봤던 - completed action

제목 means 'title (of book or other art)'

어제 보던 영화 제목이 뭐예요?
What was the title of the movie that you were watching yesterday?

보던 - ongoing action

집에 가던 길이었어요.
(It) was on the way to go home.
이곳은 제 남자 친구하고 제가 처음 만났던 곳이에요.
It was the place where (I) first met my boyfriend.
예전에 한번 와 봤던 기억이 있어요.
(I) have a memory that (I) have been here before.
지난 주에 배웠던 내용을 다시 공부할 거예요.
(I) will study again the material (content) that (we) learned last week.

내용 means 'content'

그 컴퓨터는 지난 달에 썼던 거예요.
That computer is the one that (I) used last month.
저는 손님들이 썼던 휴지를 다 버렸어요.
I threw away all the toilet paper the guests used.
옛날에 알았던 사람인데 이름이 생각이 안 나요.
(I) cannot remember his/her name who (I) used to know in the past.
우리가 지난 번에 먹었던 식당에서 먹고 싶어요.
(I) want to eat at the restaurant we ate last time.
우리가 예전에 자주 일했던 사무실에 들렀어요.
(I) dropped by the office where we often used to work before.

들르다 means 'to drop by' or 'to pop in'

아까 내가 사용하던 종이컵을 버렸어요?
Did (you) throw away the paper cup I was using earlier?
어제 읽던 책을 어디에 두었어요?
Where did (you) put the book (I) was reading yesterday?
방금 들어온 사람은 우리 가게에 자주 오던 손님이에요.
The person who just came in is a frequent visitor to our store.

방금 means 'just a moment ago' or 'just now'

그 세월 동안에 있었던 일에 대해 이야기했어요.
We talked about the things that happened during those times.

Verb form with omitted

세월 means 'time'