-(으)ㄴ 지 (Since)

-(으)ㄴ 지 (Since)

-(으)ㄴ 지 is a Korean grammar particle used to express the time period since an action has happened or a state has been established. It is often translated as 'since' or 'for' in English. Understanding how to use -(으)ㄴ 지 is important for intermediate-level learners of Korean.

The structure of -(으)ㄴ 지 is quite simple. It is added after the verb stem of an action that has been completed or after an adjective that describes a state that has been established. Here is the basic structure of -(으)ㄴ 지:

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Verb stem + (으)ㄴ 지

1. When the stem ends with a vowel or ㄹ, add –ㄴ 지.

• 시험을 본 지 3일이 지났어요. (It's been 3 days since I took the test)
• 고향에 간 지 오래 됐다 (It's been a long time since I went to hometown.)
• 한국에 온 지 3년 됐어요. (It's been 3 years since I came to Korea.)

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2. When the verb stem ends with a final consonant, add –은 지.

• 이 책을 읽은 지 오랜 시간이 지났어요. (It's been a long time since I read this book.)
• 먹은 지 한 시간 됐다 (It's been an hour since I ate.)
• 창문을 닫은 지 삼십분이 지났다. (It has been 30 minutes since I closed the window.) More Examples: