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Lv 5Grammar expressionAdvanced · TOPIK II

-는 가운데

-neun gaunde

amid; while

Attaches to verb stems to indicate that a background situation or circumstance continues while the main event takes place — 'amid X, ...' or 'while X was going on, ...'.

Form

Attaches to
Verb, Adjective, 이다, Auxiliary
Other shapes
-은 가운데

Meanings

  1. 1

    An expression used to indicate that the background or situation of a certain act or incident is continued.

    어떤 행위나 사건을 둘러싼 배경이나 상황이 지속됨을 나타내는 표현.

    ※ '있다', '없다', '계시다', 동사 또는 '-으시-' 뒤에 붙여 쓴다.

Examples

  • 사람들이 지켜보는 가운데 제가 무대 위에서 춤을 췄어요.

    I danced on stage while people watched.

  • 다들 공연을 준비하는 가운데 영수만 홀로 다른 일을 하고 있었다.

    While everyone else was preparing for the performance, only Yeongsu was off doing something else.

  • 유학 생활을 하는 가운데 좋은 친구들을 사귀었어요.

    While studying abroad, I made some good friends.

  • 다른 사람들이 식사하는 가운데 먼저 일어나면 어떻게 하니? 죄송해요. 빨리 처리해야 하는 일이 있어서요.

    How could you get up first while everyone else is still eating? I'm sorry, there was something I had to take care of quickly.

  • 다른 사람들이 식사하는 가운데 먼저 일어나면 어떻게 하니?

    How could you get up first while everyone else is still eating?

  • 죄송해요. 빨리 처리해야 하는 일이 있어서요.

    I'm sorry, there was something I had to take care of quickly.

Examples: 한국어기초사전, CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.

Quick check

  1. 1. What does ‘-는 가운데’ mean?

  2. 2. Which form means “amid; while”?