Expression dictionary — full article
Time Expressions · often do, tend to do, used to do
The grammar pattern -곤 하다 is used to express an action that occurs habitually or frequently. It signifies a recurring event or a past routine, often conveying a sense of 'tend to do' or 'used to do'.
-곤 하다 is attached to the verb stem. It indicates that the action described by the verb is something that happens regularly, often, or used to happen frequently in the past. It can be used for both present habits and past habits, though it often carries a stronger nuance of past habits when the context implies it. It is similar to using -는 편이다 (tend to) or simply the present/past tense with adverbs like 자주 (often), but -곤 하다 specifically highlights the habitual nature of the action. It is generally used with action verbs.
-곤 하다 attaches directly to the verb stem, regardless of whether the stem ends in a consonant or a vowel.
Verb Stem + 곤 하다
Examples:
-곤 하다 is often interchangeable with -고는 하다, where -고는 emphasizes the 'doing and then' aspect, but the meaning of habit remains the same. However, -곤 하다 is more commonly used in modern Korean. While it can describe present habits, it is particularly effective for describing past habits or routines that no longer occur, similar to 'used to' in English, especially when combined with past tense markers or contextual cues. It is generally used in descriptive contexts rather than imperative or propositive sentences.