-는 동안

Build it

When to use it

Attach -는 to the verb stem and follow with 동안, a noun meaning “period.” Stems ending in ㄹ drop it: 만들다 gives 만드는 동안. Tense never appears before it.

Its advantage over -(으)면서 is freedom of subject: 제가 요리하는 동안 동생이 청소했어요. One person cooks, another cleans, and the sentence still works.

동안 also attaches directly to a length of time, and this is the standard way to say “for three hours”: 세 시간 동안 공부했어요. Learners often reach for 까지 here, which marks an end point rather than a duration.

How to attach it

In use

1. 제가 요리하는 동안 동생이 청소했어요.

   My sibling cleaned while I was cooking.

2. 기다리는 동안 커피를 마셨어요.

   I drank coffee while waiting.

3. 어제 세 시간 동안 공부했어요.

   I studied for three hours yesterday.

4. 방학 동안 아르바이트를 했어요.

   I worked part-time during the holidays.

5. 제가 저녁을 만드는 동안 좀 쉬세요.

   Have a rest while I make dinner.

6. 한국에 있는 동안 많이 배웠어요.

   I learned a lot during my time in Korea.

Compared with

• -(으)면서

  -(으)면서 requires one subject doing both actions; -는 동안 does not. If two people are involved, only this form is possible.

  밥을 먹으면서 봤어요. (I did both)  /  제가 밥을 먹는 동안 동생이 봤어요. (my sibling watched while I ate)

• -(으)ㄹ 때

  -(으)ㄹ 때 points at a moment; -는 동안 covers the whole span. For something that lasted, 동안 is the natural choice.

  잘 때 (at the time of sleeping)  /  자는 동안 (throughout the night)

• 까지

  까지 names when a span ends; 동안 names how long it lasted. English “for three hours” always needs 동안.

  세 시간 동안 기다렸어요. (waited for three hours)  /  세 시까지 기다렸어요. (waited until three)

Watch out

• 제가 저녁을 만들는 동안 쉬세요.

  제가 저녁을 만드는 동안 쉬세요.

  Stems ending in ㄹ drop it before -는, exactly as in the modifier system.

• 어제 세 시간까지 공부했어요.

  어제 세 시간 동안 공부했어요.

  세 시간 is a duration, not a point. 까지 would need 세 시, a time on the clock.

• 제가 잤는 동안 전화가 왔어요.

  제가 자는 동안 전화가 왔어요.

  -는 동안 never takes tense. The past is carried by the final verb, 왔어요.

Next

← All TOPIK 2 grammar