V + -는 길이다 / -는 길에 – Be on One's Way to / On the Way to
Meaning: Be on the way to...; on one's way to...
Conjugation & Pattern
- Motion verb (가다, 오다, 돌아가다, 퇴근하다...) + -는 길이다 (Be on one's way to...)
- Motion verb + -는 길에 + Main clause (On the way to..., do something)
Detailed Usage
'-는 길이다' indicates that the speaker is currently in the middle of going somewhere. '-는 길에' indicates that while traveling to a destination, another event happens or another action is performed along the way.
Example Sentences
- 1
백화점에 가는 길에 우연히 옛 친구를 만났어요.
Baekhwajeome ganeun gire uyeonhi yet chingureul mannasseoyo.
On my way to the department store, I bumped into an old friend by chance.
- 2
집에 돌아가는 길에 슈퍼마켓에 들렀어요.
Jibe doraganeun gire syupeomakese deulleosseoyo.
I stopped by the supermarket on my way back home.
- 3
미안해요, 아까 전화했을 때 백화점에 가는 길이었어요.
Mianhaeyo, akka jeonhwahaesseul ttae baekhwajeome ganeun girieosseoyo.
Sorry, when you called earlier, I was on my way to the department store.
Important Notes
Only attaches to verbs of movement (가다, 오다, 다니다, 출근하다, 퇴근하다...). For non-motion verbs (such as 일하다 or 공부하다), use '-는 도중에' instead.
