[Korean grammar] -더니 Expressing Discoveries and Results

가: 은혜 씨가 노벨상을 받았대요.
I heard Eunhye received a Nobel Prize.
나: 그래요? 어렸을 때부터 똑똑하더니 노벨상까지 받았군요.
Really? She’s always been so smart and clever ever since she was a child, and now she’s gotten a Nobel Prize.

가: 아키라 씨가 달라진 것 같아요.
It seems Akira has changed.
나: 네, 맞아요. 아키라 씨가 유명해지더니 아주 거만 해졌어요.
You’re right Akira became famous, and (because of that he) became really arrogant.

This expression is used when the speaker wants to refer to something directly seen or experienced in the past when describing how that thing has subsequently changed. The seen or experienced content is stated as the reason or cause for the changed state of affairs being presently witnessed. The form -더니만 is an alternate form of this expression.


• 아기 때부터 예쁘더니 배우가 되었어요.
Always pretty since childhood, she became an actress.

• 동수 씨가 다이어트를 하더니 날씬해졌네요.
Dongsu went on a diet and (as a result) became thin.

• 재현 씨가 요즘 돈이 없다고 하더니만 수학여행도 못 간 것 같아요.
Jaehyeon said he’s been broke recently, and (as a result) couldn’t go on the school trip.

1. This expression is also used to indicate a contrast between what one experienced or knew to be the case in the past and the current state of affairs.
• 오후에는 덥더니 저녁이 되니까 쌀쌀하네요.
It was hot in the afternoon, but now it’s chilly in the evening

• 마크 씨가 월초에는 많이 바쁘더니 요증은 좀 한가해진 모양이에요.
Mark was so busy at the beginning of the month, but now he seems a bit more free.

• 딸아이가 작년에는 여행을 많이 다니더니만 요즘은 통 밖에 나가지를 않아요.
(My) daughter did a lot of traveling last year, but these days she doesn’t leave the house at all.

2. This expression can only be used when the subject is in the 2nd or 3rd person, not the 1st person.
• 열심히 공부하더니 1등을 했어요. (X)
->진수가 열심히 공부하더니 1등을 했어요. (〇)
However, it is possible to use -더니 with a 1st person subject when the speaker refers to himself or herself in an objective manner.

•(내가) 며칠 전부터 피곤하더니 오늘은 열도 나고 아파요.
I haven’t felt good for the last few days, and now I have come down with a fever.

• (내가) 젊었을 때는 사람들 어름을 잘 기억하더니 요즘은 통 기억을 못하겠어요.
I remembered people’s names very well when I was young, but now I can’t remember them.

3. Both the subject and topic of discussion of the preceding and following clauses -더니 must be the same.
• 동수 씨가 노래를 하더니 사람들이 박수를 쳤어요. (X)
The subjects of the preceding and following clauses are different, and thus the sentence is grammatically incorrect.

4. The future tense cannot be used in following clauses this expression.
• 라라 씨는 꾸준히 연습하더니 세계 최고의 선수가될 거예요. (X)
동수 씨가 노래를 하더니 배탈이 났어요. (X)
The topics of the preceding and following clauses are different, and thus the sentence is grammatically incorrect.
->라라 씨는 꾸준히 연습하더니 세계 최고의 선수가 되었어요. (〇)

5. This expression is used when recalling an action or state of affairs directly witnessed in the past, with the succeeding action or state of affairs occurring directly following the first.
• 소연이는 남자 친구한테 화를 내더니 밖으로 나가 버렸어요.
Soyeon got mad at her boyfriend and then (soon after) went outside.

• 동생은 집에 들어오더니 갑자기 울기 시작했어요.
My little brother/sister came into the house and then suddenly started crying.

When used to indicate contrast, -더니 can be used in place of -(으)ㄴ/는데, but note the following differences.