2 · Before a noun, and verbs as nouns
When: -을 때 and 방학 때
clauses of time with 때
The noun 때 (time), after a verb with -을 or after a noun, says when something happens.
Korean has no word like “when” to open a clause. Instead the verb takes the modifier -을 (or an added l after a vowel), and the noun 때, “time”, follows: 밥을 먹을 때, “the time of eating”, when I eat; 한국에 갈 때, when I go to Korea. The clause comes first and the main sentence after it: 피곤할 때 커피를 마셔요.
A stem in 리을 adds nothing: 살 때, 만들 때. The irregular stems change as usual: 추울 때, 들을 때. Adjectives work the same way as verbs — 바쁠 때, “when I am busy” — and so does 이다: 학생일 때, “when I was a student”.
For an event that was complete at the time, the past marker comes in front: -았을 때, -었을 때. 한국에 갔을 때 is “when I went to Korea”, once I was there; 한국에 갈 때 is “when I was going to Korea”, on the way. The tense of the whole sentence still belongs to the main verb at the end.
After a noun, 때 follows directly: 방학 때 (in the holidays), 휴가 때, 대학교 때, 명절 때. It is not used after words that already name a point in time: 주말, 아침 and 월요일 take 에 — 월요일에, never 월요일 때 — and 오늘 needs nothing at all. English speakers also try to put 때 straight after a verb; it always needs the modifier in between.
The form
| after a consonant | 먹다 → 먹을 때 |
| after a vowel: l is added | 가다 → 갈 때 |
| stem in 리을 | 살다 → 살 때 |
| finished at the time | 갔을 때, 먹었을 때 |
| after a noun | 방학 때, 휴가 때 |
| adjectives and 이다 | 바쁠 때, 학생일 때 |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
The verb takes -을 or an added l, and 때 follows as a separate word.
저는 피곤할 때 단 걸 먹어요.When I am tired I eat something sweet.
For an action already finished at that time, use -았을 때 or -었을 때.
처음 서울에 왔을 때 길을 자주 잃어버렸어요.When I first came to Seoul I often got lost.
After a noun, 때 follows directly.
방학 때 뭐 할 거예요?What are you going to do in the holidays?
Words that already name a time take 에, not 때.
월요일에 시간 있어요?Are you free on Monday?
Adjectives and 이다 take the same form.
학생일 때 이 근처에 살았어요.When I was a student I lived near here.
A closer look
때, 때는, 때도, 때마다
때 takes particles like any noun. 때는 sets the time as a topic, often with a contrast: 바쁠 때는 못 가요, “when I am busy I cannot go” — but at other times I can. 때도 means “even when”: 비가 올 때도 걸어요. 때마다 means “every time”: 그 노래를 들을 때마다 웃어요.
In formal writing 때에 appears, and on notices 시 takes its place: 화재 발생 시, “in case of fire”. In conversation, plain 때 is enough.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
-
the noun is 점심 or 저녁
it is written together with 때: 점심때, 저녁때
저녁때 다시 전화할게요.I will call you again this evening.
These two have become single words in the dictionary, like “lunchtime” in English. Other nouns keep the space: 방학 때, 휴가 때.
How to spot it
- 때
- -을 때
- -았을 때
- 방학 때
Example sentences
운전할 때 전화하지 마세요.Do not use your phone while you are driving.
시간이 있을 때 한번 놀러 오세요.Come round some time when you are free.
어렸을 때 시골에서 살았어요.I lived in the countryside when I was a child.
밥을 먹을 때 텔레비전을 봐요.I watch television while I eat.
휴가 때 부산에 갔어요.I went to Busan on my holiday.
비가 올 때는 집에 있는 게 좋아요.When it rains, it is better to stay at home.
8 more example sentences
잠이 안 올 때 음악을 들어요.When I cannot sleep, I listen to music.
친구를 처음 만났을 때 정말 긴장했어요.I was really nervous when I first met my friend.
추울 때는 따뜻한 차가 최고예요.When it is cold, nothing beats a hot cup of tea.
대학교 때 친구들을 오랜만에 만났어요.I met up with my university friends for the first time in ages.
이사 갈 때 친구들이 많이 도와 줬어요.When I moved house, my friends helped me a lot.
명절 때 가족들이 모두 모여요.The whole family gets together at the traditional holidays.
모르는 게 있을 때 언제든지 물어보세요.Whenever there is something you do not know, feel free to ask.
집을 나갈 때 불을 꼭 끄세요.Make sure you switch off the lights when you leave the house.
Worth knowing (1)
-
When or if?
-을 때 is “when, at the time that”, for something that does or did happen. -(으)면 is “if” or “whenever”, for a condition. 비가 올 때 pictures the rainy times themselves; 비가 오면 sets up what follows if it rains. In many everyday sentences both work, but only -(으)면 can say “if” about something that may never happen.
시간이 있으면 같이 가요.If you have time, let's go together.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
때 is a noun, and a verb can only stand before a noun in a modifier form. The form before 때 is the one with l: 피곤할 때, literally “the time of being tired”.
Verb plus l, then ttae: the time of doing — and after a finished event, -asseul ttae.
Your turn
9 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.