-던가
Was It? I Wonder
-던가 is used to ask a question about something in the past that you are trying to remember. It's like asking yourself or someone else, 'Do you remember if...?' or 'Was it...?'
How It Works
-던가 is a sentence ending used to express a question about a past event, state, or fact that the speaker is trying to recall. It implies that the speaker has some prior knowledge or experience of the subject but is currently unsure.
1. Structure:
It attaches directly to the stem of a verb or adjective.
- Verb/Adjective Stem + -던가(요)?
- Example: 예쁘다 → 예쁘던가? (Was she pretty?), 먹다 → 먹던가? (Did he eat?)
2. Usage Contexts:
- Self-Questioning (Monologue): When you are trying to remember something by yourself.
내가 그 책을 어디에 뒀던가... (Where was it that I put that book...) - Questioning Others: When you ask someone else to help you recall a fact or a shared memory.
우리가 작년에 갔던 식당 이름이 뭐였던가요? (What was the name of the restaurant we went to last year?)
3. Comparison with Similar Patterns:
- -던가 vs. -았/었나(요)?:
-던가 specifically asks about something the speaker personally observed or experienced and is trying to recall.
그 영화가 재미있던가? (Was that movie fun? [from what I remember seeing/feeling])
-았/었나요? is a more general past tense question that doesn't carry this nuance of personal recollection.
그 영화가 재미있었나요? (Was that movie fun? [a simple question]) - -던가 vs. -았/었지(요)?:
-던가 expresses genuine doubt and is an act of trying to remember.
어제 날씨가 춥던가? (Was it cold yesterday? I can't quite recall.)
-지(요)? is used to confirm something the speaker is already quite sure about and expects agreement.
어제 날씨가 추웠지? (It was cold yesterday, right?)
4. Past Perfect Form: -았/었던가
You can use -았/었던가 to emphasize that you are trying to recall a completed action or a state that finished in the past.
그 사람이 벌써 집에 갔었던가? (Had that person already gone home? [I'm trying to remember if that action was completed])
Examples (4)
- 작년 겨울이 그렇게 춥던가요?
Was last winter that cold? (I'm trying to remember).
Word by Word: Last year's winter that much was it cold?
- 회의 시간에 누가 그 제안을 했던가?
Who was it that made that suggestion during the meeting?
Word by Word: Meeting time at who that suggestion did?
The speaker is trying to recall a specific detail from a past event they attended.
- 내가 지갑을 어디에 뒀던가...
Where was it that I put my wallet...
Word by Word: I wallet where put...
This is a common example of -던가 used in a monologue, where the speaker is asking themselves a question.
- 우리가 전에 여기 와 봤었던가요?
Had we come and visited this place before?
Word by Word: We before here came and saw?
The -았/었- infix is used here to emphasize the recollection of a completed past experience.
Common Mistakes
Using -던가 for present or future situations.
Not Quite내일 회의가 몇 시에 있던가?Better어제 회의가 몇 시에 있던가?-던가 is exclusively for recalling past information. For future uncertainty, you should use endings like -ㄹ까? (e.g., '내일 회의가 몇 시에 있을까?').
Confusing it with -지? for seeking confirmation.
Different Meaning이 영화 정말 재미있던가? (When you are sure it's fun and just want agreement)Better이 영화 정말 재미있지?Use -던가? when you are genuinely unsure and trying to remember. Use -지? when you are mostly sure and are looking for confirmation from the listener.
Learn This First
To express uncertainty about past events, you need retrospective forms and question knowledge.
Related Patterns
- -더-Past Observation Marker
-더- is the retrospective marker that forms the core of -던가. It signifies that the information being recalled is based on the speaker's direct past experience or observation.
- -ㄴ가/나I Wonder, Is It?
This is the question ending part of -던가. It adds the nuance of 'I wonder...' or self-questioning, which is central to the meaning of -던가.
- -더라It Turns Out That, I Found Out That
-더라 is the declarative version of -던가. While -던가 asks a question to recall a memory ('Was it cold?'), -더라 states a recalled memory ('I remember it was cold.').