# 다가 and 었/았다가



## ilwoo21

Whenever I see 다가 I always see it used in typical examples like: 책을 읽다가 잠이 들었다 etc. These examples get really boring and redundant after a while. I know there are more ways of using 다가 than these typical model sentences which usually state some kind of an action with some immediate subsequent action that happened afterwards IN THE PAST. 

However, I always hear 다가 and even 했다가 used in more complex patterns all the time - especially in the future tense. This brings me to the meat of what I'm trying to get at here. _How can you use_ 다가 _in the future tense - like_____하다가 ____을거야 _etc etc._ Are there any other contexts/tenses with which it can be used? 

Can you give me examples/and rules in how I can use 다가 in the _*future *_and in the *command form?* 

Also, I remember talking to my 실장님 in a program that I go to about how I wanted to take a rest for a month and save money before re-applying for another session ... and she said 한달 동안 쉬었다가 (then you can come back and re-apply) ... So, this is another case of being able to use 었다가 in the future. What's the difference between saying that and 한달동안 쉬고 (and then reapply again)?


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## vientito

I think the biggest problem facing english speakers in learning korean is transferring the concept of tense into korean language.  Korean tenses are deceptively similar in form to English but there is a major difference.  What you state as past tense, 었/았 is not a true form of past tense.  This form does not even have to refer to actions in the past.  They could just as well be used in the conventional future or present state.  The form basically just tells you that something is done and completed (relative to other events) and it has no reference to what absolute time state is in.  In your example, 쉬었다가 is saying "after the rest" (could be past, present or future).  If you change it to 쉬다가 then it picks up a different sense.  Other than having rested, it would mean in the process of resting some else comes along.


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## saekki

Just one thing is clear to me now, 한국어 어렵다!


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## smallhuman

Haha. Learning a language is a hard work. I know  cheer up!
For me, English is hard to learn. T.T


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## smallhuman

I didn't notice the problem is. Yes, it can be a weird thing for Korean learners.

I think this can help you. When we use 했다가 or 다가 to express future events, there must be an event after it. (Sorry for poor English  )
For example, A 했다가 B하세요. / A 했다가 B 할꺼야?
Both A and B can be future events, and B is a later one.
In your case, A is your rest, B is re-applying.

I think this is the only way we use ~했다(가) to express future events.


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## ilwoo21

smallhuman said:


> I didn't notice the problem is. Yes, it can be a weird thing for Korean learners.
> 
> I think this can help you. When we use 했다가 or 다가 to express future events, there must be an event after it. (Sorry for poor English  )
> For example, A 했다가 B하세요. / A 했다가 B 할꺼야?
> Both A and B can be future events, and B is a later one.
> In your case, A is your rest, B is re-applying.
> 
> I think this is the only way we use ~했다(가) to express future events.



Thanks everyone. I guess I'll just quote this since you're the last person that replied.

So you can say things like? 
1달동안 쉬었다가 다시 등록하세요. Rest for one month and then re-apply again?
 뭘 먹은지 오래 돼서 보신탕을 먹었다가 토나와 - It's been a while since I ate anything so after eating 보신탕 I feel like I'm gonna puke?

Can you give me some examples of using 다가 and 했다가 in the FUTURE and COMMAND form, so I can just get a feel of how to use it? 

The only reason why I was wondering is because ALL textbooks show examples of how to use this structure ONLY in the past forms. But I know that the past tense isn't the only tense you can use it in. So, I was hoping if somebody could give me some examples please ^^


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## smallhuman

As I said, If someone use 했다가 or 다가 to connect two events, they can mean future.

and... I think we should correct '뭘 먹은지 오래 돼서 보신탕을 먹었다가 토나와' to '뭘 먹은지 오래 돼서 보신탕을 먹었더니 토나와'. Because, '했다가' means just order of events. However, I think there is a causal relationship between '보신탕 먹음' and '토함'. So '더니' is better then '다가'

hm.. more examples....
나는 오늘 은행에 들렀다가 친구를 만날 거야. (A : 은행에 들름. B : 친구를 만남)
그 사람은 변덕이 심하니까, 빨간 옷을 입어 보았다가 파란 옷을 입어 볼 거야.


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