V+(으)려던

Overview

The grammatical pattern V+(으)려던 is used to express an intention or an action that was about to happen in the past but was ultimately interrupted, changed, or not completed. It is a combination of the intention-indicating ending -(으)려다 and the retrospective modifier -던, which looks back at a past action or state.

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Usage

V+(으)려던 describes a situation where the subject had a specific plan or was on the verge of performing an action, but something intervened, preventing the action from being fully executed or causing a change in plans. This expression highlights the unfulfilled nature of the past intention. It often appears in a modifying clause, describing a noun (e.g., 하려던 일 - the work I was going to do) or setting the context for a subsequent event that explains the interruption. The following clause typically explains why the action was interrupted or what happened instead.

• It emphasizes that the action did not reach completion or did not happen at all despite the initial intention.
• It is frequently used when recounting past events where plans went awry or were diverted.

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Conjugation Rules

The conjugation of V+(으)려던 depends on the final sound of the verb stem:

• If the verb stem ends in a vowel or ㄹ: Add -려던
  • Example: 가다 (to go) -> 가 + 려던 = 가려던
  • Example: 만들다 (to make) -> 만들 + 려던 = 만들려던
• If the verb stem ends in a consonant (excluding ㄹ): Add -으려던
  • Example: 먹다 (to eat) -> 먹 + 으려던 = 먹으려던
  • Example: 읽다 (to read) -> 읽 + 으려던 = 읽으려던

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Knowledge Plus

While -(으)려던 and -(으)려고 했다 both refer to past intentions, they carry different nuances. -(으)려고 했다 simply states that an intention existed in the past, without necessarily implying interruption or failure. For example, "저는 어제 책을 읽으려고 했어요" (I intended to read a book yesterday) could mean you intended to and did, or intended to and didn't, but the focus isn't on the interruption.

In contrast, -(으)려던 specifically implies that the intention was interrupted or not completed. It sets up an expectation that the intended action did not fully materialize. It is closely related to -(으)려다 (가), which is often used in the main clause to explicitly show an action that was about to happen but was interrupted. -(으)려던 often functions as a modifier, describing the noun that was the object of the unfulfilled intention or the context of the interruption. It conveys a sense of "I was about to do X, but then Y happened instead."