-N 때, A/V-(으)ㄹ 때

In Korean, the grammar pattern 'N 때' and 'A/V-(으)ㄹ 때' are commonly used to express 'when' in sentences. They are used to indicate a specific point in time or a condition that triggers an event or action. Let's take a closer look at each of these patterns.

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1. When the verb stem ends in a vowel, add –ㄹ 때.

가다 (to go)

1. 가다 -> 가
2. 가 + ㄹ 때
3. 갈 때.

보다 (to see)

1. 보다 -> 보
2. 보 + ㄹ 때
3. 볼 때.

운동하다 (to exercise)

1. 운동하다 -> 운동하
2. 운동하 + ㄹ 때
3. 운동할 때.

Examples

• 체육관에 갈 때 음료수를 사 가세요. (Please buy a drink when you go to the gym.)
• 영화를 볼 때 조용히 해주세요. (Please be quiet when watching a movie.)
• 운동할 때는 아무 말도 하지 않아요. (I don't say anything when I exercise.)

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2. When the verb stem ends with a final consonant, add –을 때.

입다 (to wear)

1. 입다 -> 입
2. 입 +을 때
3. 입을 때.

물다 (to bite)

1. 물다 -> 물
2. 물 +을 때
3. 물을 때.

먹다 (to eat)

1. 먹다 -> 먹
2. 먹 +을 때
3. 먹을 때.

Examples

• 이 셔츠를 입을 때 팔이 아파요. (It hurts when I wear this shirt.)
• 제 강아지가 제 옷을 물을 때 옷이 찢어졌어요. (My clothes got torn when my dog bit them.)
• 과자를 먹을 때 너무 행복해요. (I am very happy when I eat snacks.)

3. N 때.

*When 때 is used after a noun, it indicates a particular period of time.

• 선거 때 = during election period
• 고등학생 때 = during the time as a high school student
• 스무 살 때 = when I was 20

때 is not often used with 오전 (a.m.), 오후 (p.m.), 아침 (morning), 밤(night). However, in this case, you can use ‘에’.

• 오전 때 -> 오전에.
• 밤 때 -> 밤에.

You may see that many Korean people express '저녁 때' in verbal conversation. This is not grammatically correct, but it is used colloquially.