If you are studying Korean grammar ryeodaga, this lesson is the one to keep. You will learn how -(으)려다가 works in real conversation, when to use it, and the mistakes English speakers make first. This is a Korean intermediate grammar guide with examples, romanization, and a five-minute speaking drill.
By the end you should be able to hear -(으)려다가 in dramas and K-talk, then reuse it in your own sentences. Read once. Say the examples out loud. Then drill the same lines on Practice.
What -(으)려다가 means
-(으)려다가 marks an intention that got interrupted or replaced. 새로 사려다가 수리해서 쓰고 있어요: I was going to buy a new one, then I repaired it instead. English “I was about to… but…” is the feel.
How to form it
- Verb stem + -(으)려다가
- Second clause is the actual result
- Often past: 하려다가 … 했어요
- Spoken short form: 려다(가)
-(으)려다가 examples
Use these Korean grammar ryeodaga example sentences as a speaking list. Korean first, then pronunciation, then English.
| Korean | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 새로 사려다가 수리해서 쓰고 있어요. | saero saryeodaga surihaeseo sseugo isseoyo. | I was going to buy a new one, but I’m using it after getting it repaired. |
| 택시 타려다가 지하철 탔어요. | taeksi taryeodaga jihacheol tasseoyo. | I was about to take a taxi, then I took the subway. |
| 말하려다가 참았어요. | malharyeodaga chamasseoyo. | I was about to say something, then I held back. |
| 집에 가려다가 친구를 만났어요. | jibe garyeodaga chingureul mannasseoyo. | I was heading home, then I ran into a friend. |
| 화를 내려고 하다가 웃어 버렸어요. | hwareul naeryeogo hadaga useo beoryeosseoyo. | I was about to get angry, then I just laughed. |
| 창문을 열려다가 비가 와서 그만뒀어요. | changmuneul yeollyeodaga biga waseo geumandwosseoyo. | I was about to open the window, then it rained so I stopped. |
When to use it
- You changed plans mid-way.
- You almost did something socially risky, then didn’t.
- You want a story beat: intention → twist.
Common mistakes
These are the traps English speakers hit when they translate word-for-word. Fix the pattern, not just the vocabulary.
Watch-out
❌ 사려고 하다가 vs 사려다가
✅ Both work; 려다가 is tighter
려고 하다가 is a bit more explicit. 려다가 is the compact spoken form.
Watch-out
❌ Using it for a completed original plan
✅ Use 고 then the next action
If you DID buy it, don’t use 려다가. That’s 사서.
Watch-out
❌ Forgetting the second clause
✅ Always land the twist
사려다가… what? The sentence needs the replacement action.
Mini dialogue
Read it twice. Second time, cover the English.
| Speaker | Korean | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 휴대폰 바꿨어요? | hyudaepon bakkwosseoyo? | Did you change phones? |
| B | 아니요. 새로 사려다가 배터리만 교체했어요. | aniyo. saero saryeodaga baeteoriman gyochehaesseoyo. | No. I was going to buy a new one, then I just replaced the battery. |
| A | 그게 더 현명하네요. | geuge deo hyeonmyeonghaneyo. | That’s the smarter move. |
Don’t mix these up
으려고 하다 is still considering or intending. 으려다가 means the intention already started and then bent. 다가 without 려 is “while doing.”
Five-minute Korean speaking practice
Korean speaking practice beats extra grammar notes. Do this once today, then again tomorrow without looking.
- Read each example slowly, Korean only.
- Say it at natural speed. Record yourself if you can.
- Cover the Korean and rebuild the sentence from English.
- Swap in your own details: your job, your city, your weekend.
Starter lines for today:
- 커피를 마시려다가 물을 마셨어요.
- 전화하려다가 문자를 보냈어요.
- 포기하려다가 다시 해 봤어요.
Lesson summary
- Pattern: -(으)려다가
- Search topic: Korean grammar ryeodaga
- -(으)려다가 = intention interrupted. The second clause is what you did instead.
- Say it out loud on Practice, then come back to Guides if a particle still feels sticky.
Homework
- Write three “I was about to, but…” stories from this week.
- Circle whether the first action actually happened (it should not).
- Say one almost-social-mistake version: 말하려다가 참았어요.
Korean grammar ryeodaga: quick answers
려다가 vs 다가?
다가 is while/and then, from an action already in progress. 려다가 is from an intention.
Can I use it in writing?
Yes in diaries and messaging. Formal reports prefer 하려고 했으나.
Keep going
- Korean Intention: -(으)려고 하다 vs -(으)ㄹ 거예요
- Korean Grammar -(으)ㄹ까 하다: How to Say You’re Considering Something
Want a path, not a single grammar point? Open Learn or browse the rest of this series in Korean intermediate.