~ㄴ다는 and ~는 * ~ㄴ다는 (것): captures the noun phrase as a quoted remark or a general idea or a concept. * ~는 (것): treats the noun phrase more as a specific action or situation, with a tighter construction. So when a formal or abstract notion is involved, ~ㄴ다는 is more appropriate, while for simple, specific actions, ~는 suffices. ~ㄴ다는 (and ~라는 for the special 이다) makes it more indirect and general, like the conjunctive "that ..." in English. Examples: - 날 더 이상 좋아하지 않는다는 그의 말 => It's quoted phrase, so must use ~ㄴ다는. (... 않는 그의 말 would render it like "his remark which doesn't like me anymore", which is nonsense) - 사람은 대부분 이성보다는 감정에 더 좌우된다는 사실 => a general statement (좌우되는 사실 would make it unclear). - 이기는 것만이 능사는 아니다 => Winning is not everything. (이긴다는 것 would sound strange) - 이긴다는 것은 무엇을 의미하는가 => What does it really mean to win? (이긴다는 것 is better) - 이거 이렇게 하는 거 맞아? => Is this the right way to do it? (specific action - can't use 한다는 거). 배운다는 것은 언제나 즐거운 일이에요 / 배우는 것은 ... (both work equally well) 외국에 산다는 것은 가끔 힘들 때도 있어요 / 외국에 사는 ... (both work, but the latter seems better because 힘들 때도 makes it narrowly focused)

The two doesn't have much difference, just the slight difference in nuance. At the first sentense, I feel little emphasising at "배우다", so the sentence sounds little stronger than the latter.

-는다 and -ㄴ다 is used when you want to add meaning of what i write below 1. present event 2. continuous habit or custom 3. general fact 배우(+ㄴ다)는 것은 언제나 즐거운 일이에요 외국에서 사(+ㄴ다)는 것은 힘들 때가 있어요 there are "배우", "는"(사,는) and you just add "-ㄴ다"(-는다) beteen them. it just problem whether you add the -ㄴ다(-는다) or not check if the meaning is added or not rather than compare both 먹다 먹는다 읽다 읽는다 자다 잔다 살다 산다