KOREAN LEVEL UP › Korean grammar › -(으)ㄴ/는 데다가
Korean Grammar “-(으)ㄴ/는 데다가”: How to Use It (TOPIK 5)
How to attach it
The ending differs for verbs and adjectives, so the table shows both. Compare how each word changes depending on its last sound.
| Dictionary form | Meaning | With this pattern | Romanization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 보다 | to see, to watch (verb) | 보는 데다가 | boneun dedaga |
| 읽다 | to read (verb) | 읽는 데다가 | ingneun dedaga |
| 크다 | big (adjective) | 큰 데다가 | keun dedaga |
| 좋다 | good, nice (adjective) | 좋은 데다가 | joeun dedaga |
What changes
- For verbs, -는 attaches directly to the stem (읽 → 읽는). A stem ending in ㄹ drops the ㄹ first (살 → 사는).
- For adjectives, the present-tense form is -(으)ㄴ: ㄴ after a vowel (크 → 큰) and 은 after a consonant (좋 → 좋은).
Explanation
민수는 성격이 좋은 데다가 일도 잘해서 인기가 많아요.
“-(으)ㄴ/는 데다가” means “on top of that / in addition to” and piles one point on another of the same kind (good with good, bad with bad). Use “-(으)ㄴ” after adjectives and “-는” after verbs. The sentence means “Minsu has a great personality and is also good at his job, so he is popular.” It is a bit more colloquial than “-(으)ㄹ 뿐만 아니라.”
이 가게는 음식이 맛있는 데다가 가격도 저렴해요.
“-(으)ㄴ/는 데다가” means “on top of ~ / not only ~ but also ~” and adds another item pointing in the same direction (good plus good, or bad plus bad). The sentence means “The food at this restaurant is delicious, and on top of that the prices are reasonable.” “-(으)ㄴ/는 반면에” sets up a contrast, so it does not fit two items that go in the same direction.
Pronouncing the example sentence
Example sentence: 민수는 성격이 좋은 데다가 일도 잘해서 인기가 많아요.
In natural speech, sounds link and shift across words. The table below reads each word separately, as it sounds when said on its own.
| Syllable | Letters (consonant + vowel + final) | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 민수는 | ||
| 민 | ㅁ+ㅣ+ㄴ | min |
| 수 | ㅅ+ㅜ | su |
| 는 | ㄴ+ㅡ+ㄴ | neun |
| 성격이 | ||
| 성 | ㅅ+ㅓ+ㅇ | seong |
| 격 | ㄱ+ㅕ+ㄱ | [겨] gyeo |
| 이 | ㅇ+ㅣ | [기] gi |
| 좋은 | ||
| 좋 | ㅈ+ㅗ+ㅎ | [조] jo |
| 은 | ㅇ+ㅡ+ㄴ | eun |
| 데다가 | ||
| 데 | ㄷ+ㅔ | de |
| 다 | ㄷ+ㅏ | da |
| 가 | ㄱ+ㅏ | ga |
| 일도 | ||
| 일 | ㅇ+ㅣ+ㄹ | il |
| 도 | ㄷ+ㅗ | do |
| 잘해서 | ||
| 잘 | ㅈ+ㅏ+ㄹ | jal |
| 해 | ㅎ+ㅐ | hae |
| 서 | ㅅ+ㅓ | seo |
| 인기가 | ||
| 인 | ㅇ+ㅣ+ㄴ | in |
| 기 | ㄱ+ㅣ | gi |
| 가 | ㄱ+ㅏ | ga |
| 많아요 | ||
| 많 | ㅁ+ㅏ+ㄶ | [마] ma |
| 아 | ㅇ+ㅏ | [나] na |
| 요 | ㅇ+ㅛ | yo |
A ㅇ at the start of a syllable is silent; at the end of a syllable it sounds like “ng”.
Sound changes in this phrase
- Linking: when a syllable ending in a consonant (patchim) is followed by a syllable that starts with a vowel, the consonant moves over to the next syllable. 격이 → [겨기]
- Silent ㅎ: a final ㅎ (including the ㅎ inside ㄶ and ㅀ) is not pronounced before a vowel. 좋은 → [조은]
Politeness level of the example
Ends in -요. The everyday polite style, and a safe choice with shop staff, colleagues, strangers and anyone older than you.
Words in the example sentence
These words from the TOPIK vocabulary lists appear in the phrase (shown in dictionary form).
| Korean | Part of speech | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 좋다 | adjective | good, nice | TOPIK level 1 |
| 많다 | adjective | many, much | TOPIK level 1 |
| 음식 | noun | food | TOPIK level 1 |
| 맛있다 | adjective | delicious | TOPIK level 1 |
| 가격 | noun | price | TOPIK level 1 |
Practice
Test yourself before you move on. Tap an answer.
Question 1 Choose the word that fits the blank: 민수는 성격이 좋은 ____ 일도 잘해서 인기가 많아요.
Show the answer
Answer: 민수는 성격이 좋은 데다가 일도 잘해서 인기가 많아요.
Question 2 Choose the word that fits the blank: 이 가게는 음식이 맛있는 ____ 가격도 저렴해요.
Show the answer
Answer: 이 가게는 음식이 맛있는 데다가 가격도 저렴해요.
More grammar at this level
Learn this phrase by playing: typing drills and quizzes help it stick.
Practice in the gameRead this page in: 日本語 简体中文 繁體中文 Tiếng Việt Bahasa Indonesia Oʻzbekcha Монгол Français Español (México) ไทย