다가 ②

while I was doing

Explanation

It can also be used to express that the action in the first clause continues while the action in the second clause occurs.

Details

'가' is sometimes omitted with no change to the meaning.

Korean Grammar in Use

This expression is used to indicate that the action in the preceding clause continues while the action in the following clause occurs.

Details

The subject of the preceding and following clauses must be the same.

(내가) 밥을 먹다가 전화가 왔습니다.

The sentence is ungrammatical because the subject of 전화가 왔습니다 is 전화. So it has a different subject from the preceding clause.

Examples
잠을 자<span class='focus'>다가</span> 무서운 꿈을 꿨어요.
I was sleeping and had a scary dream.
집에 오<span class='focus'>다가</span> 친구를 만났어요.
I was on my way home when I met a friend.
길을 걸어가<span class='focus'>다가</span> 갑자기 생각이 나서 전화했어.
I was walking along and suddenly thought (of you), so I called.

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