-(으)려다가
(eu)ryeodaga
Grammar · 1 sense
wanted/meant/tried to do x, but then...
Examples
그 영화를 DVD 대여점에서 빌려 보려다가 텔레비전에서 오늘 방영한다는 것을 알고는 그만두었다.
I intended to rent that movie from a DVD store, but decided not to when I learned that it will be broadcast tonight on TV.
문을 노크하려다가 손을 멈췄다.
I thought about knocking on the door, but stopped myself.
몇 년 전 우리 어머니는 병원에서 다른 입원환자를 죽이려다가 붙잡혔어.
A few years ago, my mother tried to kill another patient at the hospital but was caught.
When you'd hear it
This pattern is common in conversation and also appears in written narratives when an intended action is interrupted or abandoned. It occurs in everyday stories, dramas, and explanations of why someone changed plans.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse it with -(으)려고 하다가, which focuses more neutrally on being in the process of trying to do something. -(으)려다가 highlights the original intention and the turn away from it or an unexpected consequence.
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