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?
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.
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Practice ExercisesWrong number system for hours vs minutes. Adding 에 to 오늘/내일/어제.
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).
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Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises