-(느)ㄴ답시고

(n/neun)dapsigo

Grammar · 1 sense

supposedly doing X - and it went badly

Examples

정리를 한답시고 다 꺼내 놓더니 더 엉망이 됐어요.

He set out to tidy up, pulled everything out, and made it worse.

돈을 아낀답시고 싼 부품을 썼다가 수리비만 두 배로 들었다.

Trying to save money, they used cheap parts and paid twice as much in repairs.

When you'd hear it

This is common in casual conversation, especially when criticizing a family member, friend, or child. It also appears in written narratives and dialogue, but is uncommon in formal workplace speech.

What learners get wrong

Sarcastic: the subject meant to do the thing properly and the result was disappointing or annoying. Verbs in that reproachful use, though a state or a thing that is simply not good enough takes adjectives and nouns too - 아프답시고, 선물이랍시고. Turned on yourself it becomes modest rather than barbed, usually as -(느)ㄴ답시고 -았는데/었는데: 제 딴에는 열심히 한답시고 했는데.

You looked up -(느)ㄴ답시고 — Ipsae makes sure you still know it in three weeks.

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