Etymology 1
From Middle Korean 다〮 (Yale: -tá), from Old Korean 如 (*-ta). First uncontroversially attested in 695 C.E.[1]
Suffix
다 • (-da)
- In the plain style, the sentence-final declarative mood suffix. [since 695 C.E.]
- 맛있겠다. ― Masitgetda. ― It looks delicious.
- 우리가 이겼다. ― Uri-ga igyeotda. ― We won.
- 길이 멀다. ― Gir-i meolda. ― The way is far.
- 양궁 선수가 활을 쏜다. ― Yanggung seonsu-ga hwar-eul ssonda. ― The archery athlete shoots her bow.
- 어머니가 아기를 업는다. ― Eomeoni-ga agi-reul eomneunda. ― The mother carries her baby on her back.
- Used to form the dictionary citation form of verbs and adjectives; note that Korean verbs and adjectives are never lemmatized at the infinitive.
- 라 (-ra) (after certain suffixes, and in indirect quotes after the copulas; see the linked entry for more)
Derived terms
- 는다 (-neunda)
- 다고 (-dago)
- 다니 (-dani)
- 대 (-dae)
- 습니다 (-seumnida)
Etymology 2
The contraction may be first attested only in the early twentieth century, such as in the 1922 literary journal Baekjo.[2]
Particle
다 • (-da)
- Contraction of 다가 (-daga, emphatic marker).
Etymology 3
From Middle Korean 다 (Yale: -tà); see the main entry for more.
Suffix
다 • (-da)
- Alternative form of 다가 (-daga, “and then; but soon”, conveys one action halting and another beginning).
References
이병기 (Yi Byeong-gi) (2019) “고대국어 종결어미 연구의 현황과 과제”, in Gugyeol yeon'gu, volume 43, pages 5—53
전후민 (Jeon Hu-min) (2014) “{다가}의 변천사”, in Urimalgeul, volume 63, pages 29—68
