Before you start: you should know the particle 에 for destinations and how to make polite past sentences. You should also know how to find a verb stem (the dictionary form without its final 다, such as 가 in 가다). Estimated time: 15 minutes.
What Does -는 길에 Grammar Mean?
-는 길에 grammar means "on the way to" or "on the way back from": a trip is under way, and something else happens along the road. In 집에 가는 길에 빵을 샀어요, the trip home is the frame, and buying bread is the stop. It works as a connector, a form that links one clause to the next, but it is built from a modifier ending plus a noun rather than one connective ending (연결 어미, yeongyeol eomi).
The pattern has three parts. The first is the motion verb stem, such as 가. The second is -는, the present modifier ending, which lets the verb describe the noun after it. The third is 길에: 길 is a noun meaning "road" or "way", and 에 marks the place or time. Together they mean "on the road of going". Because 길 is a real road, the pattern only fits verbs that make a journey. It does not fit actions like eating or studying.
집에 가는 길에 빵을 샀어요.
jibe ganeun gire ppangeul sasseoyo.
I bought bread on the way home.
학교에 오는 길에 친구를 만났어요.
hakgyoe oneun gire chingureul mannasseoyo.
I met a friend on the way to school.
퇴근하는 길에 마트에 들렀어요.
toegeunhaneun gire mateue deulleosseoyo.
I stopped by the supermarket on my way home from work.
In every example the first verb is a motion or commuting verb, and the second action is a stop or an event along the road. The next section shows how to build the form.
How Do You Form -는 길에?
You form -는 길에 by adding -는 to the verb stem, then 길에. There is only one version of the ending, and the stems of the common motion verbs do not change.
| Verb | Dictionary form | With -는 길에 | Revised Romanization |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motion verb | 가다 | 가는 길에 [가는 기레] | ganeun gire |
| Motion verb | 오다 | 오는 길에 [오는 기레] | oneun gire |
| Compound verb | 돌아오다 | 돌아오는 길에 [도라오는 기레] | doraoneun gire |
| Compound verb | 돌아가다 | 돌아가는 길에 [도라가는 기레] | doraganeun gire |
| Compound verb | 나가다 | 나가는 길에 [나가는 기레] | naganeun gire |
| Compound verb | 들어오다 | 들어오는 길에 [드러오는 기레] | deureooneun gire |
| 하다 verb | 퇴근하다 | 퇴근하는 길에 [퇴근하는 기레] | toegeunhaneun gire |
| 하다 verb | 출근하다 | 출근하는 길에 [출근하는 기레] | chulgeunhaneun gire |
| Phrase | 놀러 가다 | 놀러 가는 길에 [놀러 가는 기레] | nolleo ganeun gire |
Revised Romanization (RR, the official Latin spelling) is only an aid. It follows the spelling and the main sound changes, so the linking in 길에 is shown as gire.
Stems Ending in a Vowel
Most motion verbs end in a vowel stem. Add -는 길에 straight after the vowel: 가는 길에, 오는 길에, 나가는 길에. There is no sound change inside the verb. The only change is in 길에, where the ㄹ links onto 에 and the phrase is said [기레].
Stems Ending in a Consonant
Verbs with a consonant stem are rare in this pattern, because few motion verbs end in a consonant. When they do, -는 follows the same nasalization as in any -는 form: 걷다 ("to walk") becomes 걷는 길에, said [건는 기레]. The Standard Pronunciation Rules (표준 발음법, Article 13 for linking and Article 18 for nasalization) cover both changes.
Word meaning matters more than stem shape here. If the verb does not describe going, coming or travelling, -는 길에 is not the pattern to use.
Irregular Stems and Nouns
Motion verbs rarely have irregular stems in this pattern, and none of the common ones change before -는. A ㄹ stem drops its ㄹ before ㄴ, as in 날다 → 나는 길에, but such verbs are rare in this pattern.
You can also turn the phrase into a noun, which is very common. The noun 길 combines with commuting words to make 출근길 ("the commute to work"), 퇴근길 ("the commute home") and 등굣길 ("the way to school"). In these compounds 길 is said with a tense ㄲ: 출근길 [출근낄], 퇴근길 [퇴근낄]. Then 에 follows: 퇴근길에 친구를 만났어요 means "I met a friend on my way home from work" [퇴근끼레 친구를 만나써요]. In addition, 길에서 means "on the street": 길에서 친구를 만났어요 means "I met a friend on the street" [기레서].
퇴근길에 친구를 만났어요.
toegeungire chingureul mannasseoyo.
I met a friend on my way home from work.
Next, here is one full sentence built step by step.
Worked Example: Building a Sentence with -는 길에
You build it in five steps, working from the trip and the stop. This example makes "I bought milk on the way home".
- Write the trip and the stop with their dictionary verbs. 집에 오다 and 우유를 사다.
- Decide which action is the trip. Coming home is the trip, so it goes into the -는 길에 clause.
- Find the stem of the trip verb. Remove 다 from 오다. The stem is 오.
- Add -는 길에. 오 + 는 길에 = 오는 길에, said [오는 기레].
- Give the last verb its tense and politeness. 사다 becomes the polite past 샀어요. Put the clause first: 집에 오는 길에 우유를 샀어요.
Sentence
I bought milk on the way home.
Show answer
집에 오는 길에 우유를 샀어요
Checkpoint. You have it when you can turn the sentence into a request without changing 오는 길에. The answer is 오는 길에 우유 좀 사 와 주세요 [오는 기레 우유 좀 사 와 주세요], "On your way here, please buy some milk". Only the last verbs change.
The sentence built here is a statement. The next section shows which tenses and sentence types can follow -는 길에.
Which Tenses and Sentence Types Work with -는 길에?
The main verb can have any tense or sentence type, and the verb in front of 길에 keeps the -는 form. The ending carries no time. The time is read from the final verb.
| Feature | Where it goes | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present habit | final verb | 집에 가는 길에 빵을 사요. |
| Past | final verb | 집에 가는 길에 빵을 샀어요. |
| Promise | final verb | 병원에 가는 길에 약국에 들를게요. |
| Request | final verb | 오는 길에 우유 좀 사 와 주세요. |
| Question with a question word | final verb | 오는 길에 뭐 샀어요? = "What did you buy on the way?" |
| Honorific -(으)시- | before 는 | 가시는 길에 이것 좀 전해 주세요. |
| Past ending in the first clause | not allowed | 갔는 길에 is wrong |
| Non-motion verb | not allowed | 먹는 길에 is wrong |
A question that uses a question word such as 뭐 ("what") puts the stress on that word and does not end with a sharp rise. The honorific -(으)시- is the ending that shows respect for the subject. See honorific -(으)시- for the ending itself. 가시는 길에 이것 좀 전해 주세요 means "On your way, please pass this on for me". The first part is said [가시는 기레].
To say "on the way back after going", put the going first: 은행에 갔다 오는 길에 비를 맞았어요 means "I got rained on on the way back from the bank" [은행에 갇따 오는 기레 비를 마자써요]. The form 오는 길에 holds the road, and 갔다 shows that the visit came first.
Next comes the pattern that learners confuse with -는 길에 most often.
How Is -는 길에 Different from -는 김에?
-는 길에 describes a trip with a stop, while -는 김에 describes an opportunity that you use. The two endings look and sound alike: 길에 is said [기레] and 김에 is said [기메]. But 길 is a road, and 김 is a chance. The lesson on -는 김에 gives the full rules.
Compare two sentences. 서울에 가는 길에 친구를 만났어요 means "I met a friend on the way to Seoul", and the meeting may have been by chance on the road. 서울에 가는 김에 친구를 만났어요 means "Since I was going to Seoul anyway, I also met a friend", and the meeting was planned as an extra. With 김에, the first action does not have to be a trip: 청소하는 김에 창문도 닦았어요 means "Since I was cleaning anyway, I wiped the windows too".
-는 길에
on the way to: motion verbs only
-는 김에
since I am already doing it: any action
| Comparison | -는 길에 | -는 김에 |
|---|---|---|
| Idea | a road with a stop | an opportunity |
| Verbs | motion verbs (가다, 오다) | any action verb |
| Example | 서울에 가는 길에 친구를 만났어요. | 청소하는 김에 창문도 닦았어요. |
| Sound | [기레] | [기메] |
Use -는 길에 when the first action is a trip and the second happens on the road; use -는 김에 when you add a second action because you are already doing the first.
A quick test: if you can picture a road on a map, use 길에. If there is only a chance to do something extra, use 김에. Next are the useful variations of the pattern.
Variations and Edge Cases of -는 길에
-는 길에 has three useful variations: -던 길에, -는 길이다 and the route nouns.
- -던 길에. This recalls a trip that was under way at the time something happened. 학교에 가던 길에 친구를 만났어요 means "On my way to school, I met a friend". It fits stories about the past.
- -는 길이다. This states that you are on the way now. 지금 가는 길이에요 means "I am on my way now" [지금 가는 기리에요]. It is a common reply when someone asks where you are.
- Route nouns. 가는 길 and 오는 길 work as noun phrases, and 출근길 and 퇴근길 are nouns. You can use them as a subject or object: 오는 길이 막혔어요 means "The road coming here was jammed".
학교에 가던 길에 친구를 만났어요.
hakgyoe gadeon gire chingureul mannasseoyo.
On my way to school, I met a friend.
For more neighbours of this pattern, see Time and Sequence. Next are the errors that appear most often.
What Mistakes Do Learners Make with -는 길에?
Learners make five common mistakes with -는 길에. Each one follows the pattern "learners often assume X; actually Y, because Z".
- Using it with a non-motion verb. Learners write 밥을 먹는 길에 전화했어요. Actually 길 is a road, so the first verb must be a trip. Use -는 김에 or -(으)면서 here.
- Naming only the destination. Learners write 학교 길에 친구를 만났어요. Actually the clause needs a motion verb: 학교에 가는 길에 친구를 만났어요.
- Putting a past ending before 길에. Learners write 갔는 길에. Actually the first clause keeps 가는, and the tense goes on the final verb.
- Mixing up 길에 and 김에. Learners say 청소하는 길에 for "while cleaning anyway". Actually the road idea is missing, so 김에 is right.
- Saying 길에 as [길에]. Learners follow the spelling. Actually the ㄹ links onto the vowel, so say [기레].
Whenever you reach for "on the way", check that a real trip is under way. Now test yourself.
Practice and Answers
These four exercises check the main skills: joining a trip and a stop, repairing a mistake and choosing the right word. Try each one before you read the answers.
Practice · 5
How do you say "on the way home" with 가다?
Show answer
집에 가는 길에
A motion verb stem takes -는 길에. The past is shown on the final verb, not on the verb before 길에.
Which verb does NOT fit before 길에?
Show answer
먹다
먹다 is not a motion verb, so it cannot describe a trip. Use -는 김에 or -(으)면서 with 먹다.
How is 가는 길에 pronounced?
Show answer
[가는 기레]
The final ㄹ of 길 links onto the vowel of 에, so 길에 is said [기레].
You are cleaning anyway, so you also wipe the window. Which pattern fits?
Show answer
청소하는 김에
청소하다 is not a trip. -는 김에 means "since I am doing this anyway", and it works with any action.
A learner writes 학교 길에 친구를 만났어요. What is the correct version?
Show answer
학교에 가는 길에 친구를 만났어요.
The clause needs a motion verb, not only a destination, and the verb before 길에 keeps the -는 form.
Exercise 1: Join the actions. Make one sentence with -는 길에: 집에 가다 + 우유를 사다. ("I go home" and "I buy milk".) Use the polite past.
Exercise 2: Fix the error. A learner writes 학교 길에 친구를 만났어요. Correct it.
Exercise 3: Choose the right word. You want to say "Since I am cooking anyway, I will make some extra". Is the pattern 길에 or 김에?
Exercise 4: Translate. "I bought flowers on the way home." (flowers = 꽃, come = 오다)
Answer Key
- Exercise 1: 집에 가는 길에 우유를 샀어요. [지베 가는 기레 우유를 사써요] The motion verb 가 takes -는 길에, and 샀어요 carries the past.
- Exercise 2: 학교에 가는 길에 친구를 만났어요. [학꾜에 가는 기레 친구를 만나써요] The clause needs a motion verb, not just a destination.
- Exercise 3: 김에. The sentence is 요리하는 김에 좀 더 만들게요, because cooking is not a trip.
- Exercise 4: 집에 오는 길에 꽃을 샀어요. [지베 오는 기레 꼬츨 사써요] 오는 길에 holds the trip, and 샀어요 carries the tense.
If you missed Exercise 1 or 2, return to the five building steps. If you missed Exercise 3, reread the comparison with -는 김에. Next, plan where to go from here.
What Should You Learn Next after -는 길에 Grammar?
The best next lesson is -는 김에, the "since I'm already doing it" pattern, because it sounds almost the same and covers every action, not only trips. Then study -(으)ㄴ/는 대로 for "as soon as". The full set of timing patterns is on Time and Sequence. To see where -는 길에 sits in a study plan, use the Intermediate Grammar list. The modifier endings behind this pattern are explained in Noun-Modifying Forms.
What this lesson does not cover. It does not cover the more formal 도중에 ("in the middle of"), the phrase 길을 잃다 ("get lost"), or longer travel descriptions. The level given here, B1, is an editorial estimate based on common textbook order and TOPIK II, not an official grading.
In short, -는 길에 grammar attaches -는 to a motion verb stem, places the second action on the road, and puts the tense on the last verb.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does -는 길에 mean? -는 길에 means "on the way to" or "on the way back from". It links a trip with something done along the road. 집에 가는 길에 빵을 샀어요 means "I bought bread on the way home". The word 길 means "road" or "way", so the second action takes place while you are travelling, before you arrive.
How do I attach -는 길에 to a verb or adjective? Remove 다 from a motion verb and add -는 길에: 가다 becomes 가는 길에, 오다 becomes 오는 길에, 돌아오다 becomes 돌아오는 길에. The stem of a common motion verb does not change; a ㄹ stem such as 날다 (to fly) drops its ㄹ, as in any -는 form (나는 길에). It is not used with adjectives, because an adjective is a state and cannot describe a trip. Verbs of going, coming and commuting fit best.
Can -는 길에 be used in the past tense? The main verb can be past, present or future, but the verb before 길에 keeps the -는 form. Say 집에 가는 길에 빵을 샀어요, "I bought bread on the way home". Do not write 갔는 길에. To say "on the way back after going", use 갔다 오는 길에, with the present form 오는 before 길에.
Is -는 길에 used in speech or only in writing? -는 길에 is used in speech and in writing and is neutral in tone. Everyday speech often turns it into the noun forms 퇴근길 and 출근길 ("the commute home" and "the commute to work"). The sound point is linking: 길에 is said [기레], not [길에], and 가는 길에 is said [가는 기레].
What is the most common mistake with -는 길에? Learners use it with non-motion verbs, as in 먹는 길에, or they name only a destination, as in 학교 길에. The pattern needs a motion verb that makes the trip: 학교에 가는 길에. A third mistake is mixing it up with -는 김에, which means "since I am doing this anyway", and has no road in it.
What is the difference between -는 길에 and -는 김에? -는 길에 describes a trip, and something else happens on the road. -는 김에 describes an opportunity, and you add a second action because you are already doing the first. 서울에 가는 길에 means "on the way to Seoul", and 서울에 가는 김에 means "since I am going to Seoul anyway". Only 김에 works with non-motion verbs.
