V-다(가)

 

다가 : While (doing something), then...

💡 '-다가' is used when one action is in progress but then stops or transitions into another action. It is commonly used when two actions happen in succession

• 책을 보다가 잠이 들었어요. (책을 보다 + 다가 + 잠이 들다) → I fell asleep while reading a book
  
  
• 밥을 먹다가 전화를 받았어요.  (밥을 먹다 + 다가 + 전화를 받았어요) → I was eating when I got a phone call.

It can be used when one action naturally transitions into another. In other words, it means that the phone call came while I was in the middle of eating.

💡Sometimes, '-다가' shows that the first action led to or caused the second action.

• 나는 민수의 말을 듣다가 화가 났다. ( 민수의 말을 듣다 + 다가 + 화가 났다 ) → I was listening to Minsu, and then I got angry.
  
  
• 등산을 하다가 넘어져서 다리를 다쳤다. ( 등산을 하다 + 다가 + 넘어져서 다리를 다쳤다)→ I was hiking, but then I fell and hurt my leg.