Expression dictionary — full article
Purpose & Intention · "was just about to", "was on the verge of", "was going to" Quick Usage: Attach to verb stems, using -으려던 for stems ending in a consonant and -려던 for stems ending in a vowel or ㄹ.
The grammatical pattern (으)려던 참이다 is used to express that the speaker was just about to do something when an event occurred or a question was asked. It conveys a sense of perfect timing or coincidence, often implying that the speaker's intention or plan was already formed and they were on the verge of acting. The past tense marker -던 indicates a past intention or ongoing state that was interrupted or coincided with another event.
This expression is typically used when someone asks you about an action you were already planning to do, or when an event happens right as you were about to do something. It emphasizes the immediacy of the past intention. For instance, if someone calls you just as you were about to call them, you could use this expression. It can also be used to explain why you were doing something or to justify an action that was about to take place. The 참이다 part literally means "it is the right moment/occasion," reinforcing the idea of perfect timing.
The conjugation depends on the final sound of the verb stem:
The expression always ends with 참이다 (or its past tense 참이었다 or polite form 참이에요/참입니다).
While (으)려던 참이다 focuses on a past intention that was just about to be realized, it's often used in situations where that intention is either immediately fulfilled or explained. It differs from (으)려고 하다 which simply states an intention, or (으)려다가 which implies an an intention that was started but then changed or interrupted. The key nuance of (으)려던 참이다 is the perfect timing – being "right at that moment" or "on the verge of." It often appears in conversational contexts to express a pleasant coincidence.