~하곤 했다
~hagon haetda
The English phrase "used to" is expressed in Korean as ~하곤 했다 (~hagon haetda).
Meaning: accustomed to (adj)
How do you pronounce it?
~hagon haetda
Did you know?
- While ~하곤 했다 describes a habit, Koreans use the phrase 익숙하다 to describe being 'used to' or accustomed to a new environment or feeling.
- If you want to say you 'used to' be a certain way (like 'I used to be tall'), you cannot use ~하곤 했다 because that requires an action verb. Instead, you must use a different grammatical pattern for adjectives.
- In casual spoken Korean, the phrase is often shortened or replaced by ~았/었어 with an adverb like 'often', as ~하곤 했다 can sound overly formal or dramatic in daily chat.
Examples in context
- 과거에는 축구를 했습니다.Formerly, I used to play soccer.
- 여행을 다녔어요.I used to travel.
