TL;DR 📝
- -으려던 참이다 means "I was just about to…" and expresses that you were on the verge of doing something when something else happened 🎯
- Add -으려던 참이다 to verb stems (use -려던 참이다 after vowels, -으려던 참이다 after consonants) 🔤
- It's perfect for those "perfect timing!" moments when someone calls just as you were about to call them ☎️✨
What does -으려던 참이다 mean? 🤔
This pattern expresses that you were just about to do something right at that exact moment 💫 It captures that split second before you actually do the action!
Think of it as the Korean way to say "I was literally about to do that!" or "You beat me to it!" 😄
How to use it 🛠️
The formula is super simple! 🎉
Verb stem + -으려던 참이다
- After a consonant: -으려던 참이다 📌
- After a vowel: -려던 참이다 📌
Examples 💬
→ 전화하려던 참이었어요!
(I was just about to call you!) 📱
→ 나가려던 참이에요.
(I was just about to go out.) 🚪
→ 점심 먹으려던 참이었는데 잘됐다.
(I was just about to eat lunch, so this worked out well.) 🍱
→ 지금 막 출발하려던 참이야.
(I was literally just about to leave.) 🏃
→ 그 영화 보려던 참이었어요!
(I was just about to watch that movie!) 🎬
→ 너한테 연락하려던 참이었어.
(I was just about to contact you.) 💌
Common variations 🔄
You'll often hear shortened versions in casual speech! 😊
- -려던 참 (dropping 이다)
- -려던 참이었어 (past tense - "I was just about to...")
- -으려던 참인데 (adding 인데 - "I was just about to... but/so...")
When to use it 🎯
This grammar is perfect for those coincidental moments! ✨
- When someone does something right before you were going to do it 🤝
- When someone brings up exactly what you were thinking about 💭
- To show good timing or lucky coincidences 🍀
- To express "great minds think alike" situations 🧠
Exceptions ⚠️
There are no major exceptions to this pattern! 🎉 Just remember:
- This is specifically about intentions you were about to act on, not things that happened accidentally 🎯
- It implies the action hasn't happened yet - you were interrupted or the moment passed before you could do it ⏰
Try the following exercise.
Fill in the blanks using -으려던 참이다 to express that you were just about to do something. 💡
- 지금 막 전화 ___.
Answer
하려던 참이었어요
- 친구가 왔을 때 저는 집을 ___.
Answer
나가려던 참이었어요
- 마침 잘 왔어요. 저도 당신에게 ___.
Answer
연락하려던 참이에요
- 배가 고파서 점심을 ___.
Answer
먹으려던 참이었어요
- 그 영화 보고 싶었는데, 저도 ___.
Answer
보러 가려던 참이에요
- 날씨가 좋아서 산책을 ___.
Answer
하려던 참이었어요
- 네가 전화했을 때 숙제를 ___.
Answer
시작하려던 참이었어
- 잘됐네요! 저도 그 이야기를 ___.
Answer
하려던 참이었어요
- 목이 말라서 물을 ___.
Answer
마시려던 참이었어요
- 피곤해서 잠깐 ___.
Answer
쉬려던 참이었어요
Vocabulary
막 - just now
전화하다 - to call
나가다 - to go out
마침 - just in time
연락하다 - to contact
배가 고프다 - to be hungry
점심 - lunch
보러 가다 - to go watch
날씨 - weather
산책 - walk
숙제 - homework
시작하다 - to start
잘되다 - to work out well
이야기 - story
목이 마르다 - to be thirsty
피곤하다 - to be tired
쉬다 - to rest
Common mistakes
⚠️ Don't forget to use the past tense form 참이었다 when describing what you were about to do before something else happened (interrupted action).
❌ Avoid using -으려던 참이다 for actions that happened a long time ago—this pattern emphasizes immediate timing.
🔄 Remember that 참 literally means "moment," so this grammar naturally implies you were on the verge of doing something right at that instant.
💡 When someone arrives and you say "I was just about to contact you," make sure to express the relief or convenience of the timing in your tone!