-던가
-deun-ga
did... I wonder (past)
A moderately addressee-lowering sentence-final ending used to ask a question about a past fact, or for the speaker to wonder to themselves about something in the past.
Form
- Attaches to
- Verb, Adjective, 이다, Auxiliary
Meanings
- 1
(formal, moderately addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used to ask about a fact of the past.
(예사 낮춤으로) 과거의 사실에 대한 물음을 나타내는 종결 어미.
- 2
A sentence-final ending used to ask oneself or assume about a fact of the past.
과거의 사실에 대하여 자기에게 묻거나 추측할 때 쓰는 종결 어미.
※ 주로 ‘-던가 하다’, ‘-던가 싶다’, ‘-던가 보다’로 쓴다.
Examples
그 친구가 그렇게 말하던가?
Did that friend really say that?
수업은 언제 끝난다고 하던가?
When did they say class would end?
공연에 대한 관객들의 반응이 어떻던가?
How was the audience's reaction to the performance?
승규가 불고기를 좋아했던가?
Did Seunggyu like bulgogi?
내가 처음 바다에 갔던 게 네 살 때였던가 싶다.
I think the first time I went to the sea was when I was four.
코를 골며 자는 걸 보니 남편이 많이 피곤했던가 보다.
Seeing him snore while sleeping, I guess my husband was very tired.
Examples: 한국어기초사전, CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.
Don’t confuse with
Forms with a close meaning — a favourite source of wrong answers on TOPIK.
Quick check
1. What does ‘-던가’ mean?
2. Which form means “did... I wonder (past)”?