4 · Further patterns
On top of that: -(으)ㄴ/는 데다가
adding a further point
-(으)ㄴ/는 데다가 adds a second fact that points the same way as the first.
데다가 joins two facts that pull in the same direction — both good, or both bad: 그 식당은 맛있는 데다가 값도 싸요, “that restaurant is good, and on top of that it's cheap”. 데 is a small noun, so it stands after a modifier and is written with a space before it.
The modifier depends on the word in front. An action verb in the present takes -는: 오는 데다가; in the past it takes -(eu)n: 잔 데다가, 먹은 데다가. An adjective takes -(eu)n: 비싼 데다가, 좁은 데다가; 있다 and 없다 take -는: 맛있는 데다가. A noun takes 인: 주말인 데다가. The final 가 may be dropped: 비싼 데다.
The second clause often carries 도 or 까지, “also, even”, to show what is being added: 비가 오는 데다가 바람도 불어요. Very often the two facts together lead to a result with -아서/어서: 주말인 데다가 날씨까지 좋아서 사람이 많았어요.
The pattern does not contrast. English “and” can join a good point and a bad one (“it's tasty and expensive”), but 데다가 cannot: for a contrast Korean uses -지만 or -는데.
The form
| verb, present | 오다 → 오는 데다가 |
| verb, past | 자다 → 잔 데다가 |
| adjective | 좁다 → 좁은 데다가 |
| 있다 and 없다 | 맛있다 → 맛있는 데다가 |
| noun | 주말 → 주말인 데다가 |
| short form | 비싼 데다 |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
Adjectives and past verbs take the modifier in -(eu)n, present verbs and 있다 take -는.
이 집은 넓은 데다가 역에서도 가까워요.This flat is spacious and close to the station as well.
Both facts point the same way, and the second often carries 도 or 까지.
오늘은 비가 오는 데다가 바람도 많이 불어요.Today it's raining, and it's very windy too.
After a noun use 인 데다가.
주말인 데다가 날씨까지 좋아서 사람이 많았어요.It was the weekend and the weather was good as well, so it was crowded.
데 is a noun and stands after a space; the final 가 may be dropped.
늦게 일어난 데다 지갑까지 집에 두고 왔어요.I got up late, and on top of that I left my wallet at home.
A closer look
Two kinds of de
The 데 in 데다가 is a noun meaning “place, point”, and the space before it shows that. It is not the ending -는데, which is written together with the verb: 비싼데 means “it's expensive, and/but…”, a loose background clause, while 비싼 데다가 means “on top of being expensive”. The two sound almost the same, so the spelling matters.
Literally, 비싼 데다가 is “onto the point of being expensive” — 다가 is a shortening of the particle 에다가, which adds something to a place, as in 책상 위에다가 놓으세요, “put it on the desk”. The second fact is placed on top of the first.
How to spot it
- -(으)ㄴ 데다가
- -는 데다가
- 인 데다가
- 도
- 까지
Example sentences
그 식당은 맛있는 데다가 값도 싸요.That restaurant is good, and on top of that it's cheap.
어제 잠을 못 잔 데다가 아침도 못 먹었어요.I didn't sleep last night, and I couldn't eat breakfast either.
그 사람은 친절한 데다가 일도 잘해요.She is kind and good at her job as well.
길이 막히는 데다가 사고까지 나서 한 시간이나 늦었어요.The roads were jammed and there was an accident too, so we were a whole hour late.
이 노트북은 가벼운 데다가 배터리도 오래가요.This laptop is light, and the battery lasts a long time too.
감기에 걸린 데다가 일이 많아서 너무 힘들어요.I've caught a cold and I have a lot of work, so it's really hard.
8 more example sentences
방이 좁은 데다가 창문도 작아요.The room is small, and the window is small too.
그 배우는 노래를 잘하는 데다가 춤도 잘 춰요.That actor sings well and dances well too.
이 과일은 몸에 좋은 데다가 맛도 있어요.This fruit is good for you, and it tastes good too.
휴가철인 데다가 연휴라서 표가 하나도 없어요.It's the holiday season and a long weekend as well, so there are no tickets left at all.
그 동네는 조용한 데다가 공원도 많아요.That neighbourhood is quiet, and it has lots of parks too.
비가 많이 온 데다가 바람까지 불어서 나무가 쓰러졌어요.It rained a lot and the wind blew as well, so a tree fell down.
그 가게는 물건이 많은 데다가 직원도 친절해요.That shop has a wide range, and the staff are friendly too.
그 사람은 성실한 데다 머리도 좋아요.He is hard-working and clever as well.
Worth knowing (1)
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The result clause
Two facts stacked with 데다가 usually lead somewhere. The natural continuation is a cause with -아서/어서 or -(으)니까 and a consequence: “it was late and raining, so we took a taxi”.
시간도 늦은 데다가 비도 와서 택시를 탔어요.It was late and raining as well, so we took a taxi.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
Good food and high prices pull in opposite directions, and 데다가 only adds points that agree. For a contrast use -지만: 음식이 맛있지만 너무 비싸요.
Dedaga stacks: good on good, or bad on bad.
Your turn
8 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.