-ㄴ/는다 in Korean: “plain written form”
-ㄴ/는다
-n/neunda
plain written form
Intermediate · Sentence endings
-ㄴ/는다 (-n/neunda) is the plain form of a verb, like 간다 ("goes") or 먹는다 ("eats"). It is used in writing such as books, diaries, news and essays, and in casual speech to close friends. It has no politeness added, so it is neutral on paper but casual out loud.
How to form it
| When | Add | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Action verb, stem ends in a vowel | + ㄴ다 | 가다 → 간다, 하다 → 한다 |
| Action verb, stem ends in a consonant | + 는다 | 먹다 → 먹는다 |
| Action verb, stem ends in ㄹ (ㄹ drops) | + ㄴ다 | 살다 → 산다 |
| Adjective or noun + 이다 | dictionary form, no change | 예쁘다 → 예쁘다, 학생이다 |
| Past tense | 았/었 + 다 | 가다 → 갔다 |
How to use it
This is the style of written Korean. Novels, diaries, newspapers, essays and school reports use it: 나는 매일 학교에 간다 ("I go to school every day").
In speech, it is casual. Friends use it to announce or exclaim something: 나 간다! ("I'm off!") or 비 온다! ("It's raining!"). Never use it with people you need to be polite to.
Only action verbs in the present take ㄴ/는. Adjectives stay in dictionary form (좋다), and the past tense just adds 다 (먹었다).
Examples
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Writing a diary
Leaving before friends
Looking out the window
A culture article
Don’t mix it up with
-아요/어요: -아요/어요 is the everyday polite style for speaking. -ㄴ/는다 is for writing, or for talking to close friends.
-(스)ㅂ니다: -(스)ㅂ니다 is formal and polite, used in speeches and news broadcasts. -ㄴ/는다 is neutral in writing but casual when spoken.
Common mistakes
Adding 는다 to adjectives. Say 좋다, not 좋는다, and 예쁘다, not 예쁜다.
Adding ㄴ/는 to the past tense. Say 갔다, not 갔는다.
Want the basics first? Read Korean speech levels (반말 vs 존댓말).
Questions learners ask
What is the 는다 form in Korean?
It is the plain style of a verb, like 먹는다 ("eats"). It is used in writing and in casual speech between close friends.
Why do Korean books and diaries use 는다?
Written Korean usually doesn't address a specific listener, so it uses this plain style instead of polite endings like -아요/어요.
When do you use ㄴ다 and when 는다?
Use ㄴ다 after a verb stem ending in a vowel (간다) and 는다 after a consonant (먹는다). For ㄹ verbs, drop the ㄹ and add ㄴ다 (살다 → 산다).