Time Expressions
Time expressions: days of the week, clock time, and time-related particles
I can tell and ask about time, days, and schedule using both number systems
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
지금 두 시 사십오 분이에요.
It's 2:45 now.
월요일에 학교에 가요.
I go to school on Monday.
내일 아침에 만나요.
Let's meet tomorrow morning.
어제 저녁에 뭐 했어요?
What did you do yesterday evening?
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
시간 표현 (Time Expressions)
Korean time expressions use both number systems and the particle 에 for "at/on."
Days of the week (요일):
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 월요일 | Monday |
| 화요일 | Tuesday |
| 수요일 | Wednesday |
| 목요일 | Thursday |
| 금요일 | Friday |
| 토요일 | Saturday |
| 일요일 | Sunday |
Clock time — two number systems:
| Component | Number system | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Hours (시) | Native Korean | 세 시 (3 o'clock) |
| Minutes (분) | Sino-Korean | 삼십 분 (30 minutes) |
Common time words: 오늘 (today), 내일 (tomorrow), 어제 (yesterday), 지금 (now), 아침 (morning), 오후 (afternoon), 저녁 (evening), 밤 (night).
에 with time: 월요일에 (on Monday), 세 시에 (at 3 o'clock). Exception: 오늘/내일/어제/지금 do NOT take 에.
Wrong number system for hours vs minutes. Adding 에 to 오늘/내일/어제.
Common Error Patterns
Used Sino-Korean for hours or native Korean for minutes
Hours = native Korean (한 시, 두 시), Minutes = Sino-Korean (삼십 분, 사십오 분)
Added 에 to 오늘/내일/어제/지금
These time words NEVER take 에. Just say 오늘 (not *오늘에)
지금 두 시 사십오 분이에요.
It's 2:45 now.
두 시 (native Korean: 2 hours) + 사십오 분 (Sino-Korean: 45 minutes). Two systems in one phrase.
월요일에 학교에 가요.
I go to school on Monday.
월요일에 = on Monday. Days of the week take 에 particle.
내일 아침에 만나요.
Let's meet tomorrow morning.
내일 (tomorrow, no 에) + 아침에 (in the morning, takes 에). 내일/오늘/어제 never take 에.
어제 저녁에 뭐 했어요?
What did you do yesterday evening?
어제 (yesterday, no 에) + 저녁에 (in the evening, takes 에) + 뭐 했어요 (what did you do).
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises