Korean grammar patterns › Level 4
-다 보니(까)
as (I) kept doing …, (I found that) …
Level 4 · TOPIK II · intermediate
How to use it
While continuing an action (or because of an ongoing state), the speaker came to a new result or realization. Clause 2 is usually past or present.
Forming it
| 보다 | → 보다 보니까 |
| 살다 | → 살다 보니 |
| 바쁘다 | → 바쁘다 보니 |
Clause 2 can't be a command, suggestion or future plan. With adjectives it means 'being so …': 바쁘다 보니.
Examples
매일 한국 드라마를 보다 보니까 한국어가 늘었어요.
From watching Korean dramas every day, my Korean has improved.
요즘 너무 바쁘다 보니 운동을 못 했어요.
I've been so busy lately that I couldn't exercise.
Compared with similar patterns
-다 보면 (G4-019) predicts a future result. -고 보니(까) (G4-021) is a realization after finishing one action. -게 되다 (G2-017) often appears in clause 2 together with -다 보니.