TOPIK I Core Vocabulary · Time & Dates ③

Times of day — 점심, 오전, 오후, 늦다, 일찍

These words split the day into parts. They also show when something happens. Two useful pairs are 오전 ↔ 오후 and 늦게 ↔ 일찍.

01점심jeomsim

lunch · also the middle of the day.

Note Like 아침 and 저녁, 점심 can mean a meal or a time of day. 점심을 먹다 means the meal. 점심에 만나다 means the time.

Examples 점심을 먹다 (to have lunch) · 점심시간 (lunch break)

점심 같이 먹을까요? Shall we have lunch together?  |  같이 = together  |  This is a common question among coworkers

02오전ojeon

a.m., morning · midnight to midday.

Note The word comes from 오 (midday, twelve o'clock) and 전 (before). So it means before noon, the same as a.m. It goes before the time, as in 오전 아홉 시.

Examples 오전에 수업이 있다 (to have a morning class) · 오전 열 시 (ten a.m.)

오전 아홉 시에 회의가 있어요. I have a meeting at nine a.m.  |  회의 = meeting  |  Clock times take 에

03오후ohu

p.m., afternoon · midday to midnight. The opposite of 오전.

Note The word means after noon. It also covers evening hours. So 오후 여덟 시 means eight in the evening.

Examples 오후에 만나다 (to meet in the afternoon) · 오후 세 시 (three p.m.)

오후에 시간이 좀 있어요. I have some time this afternoon.  |  Use this when you are making plans

04늦다neutda🔊 [늗따]

to be late · arriving after the agreed time.

Pronunciation [늗따]. The final consonant ㅈ becomes a ㄷ sound. The ㄷ after it is then said as a strong (tense) sound ㄸ.

Note The event you are late for takes 에, as in 수업에 늦다.

Examples 약속에 늦다 (to be late for an appointment) · 늦게 오다 (to come late) · 늦잠 (oversleeping)

늦어서 정말 죄송합니다. I'm very sorry I'm late.  |  People often say this when they arrive late

05일찍iljjik

early · ahead of the expected time.

Note Put 일찍 right before the verb. Do not add -하게. 일찍하게 is wrong.

Examples 일찍 일어나다 (to get up early) · 일찍 자다 (to go to bed early) · 일찍 오다 (to arrive early)

내일은 일찍 일어나야 해요. I have to get up early tomorrow.  |  The opposite here is 늦게

Quick check3 questions

Fill in each blank in Korean.

1. __________ 아홉 시에 회의가 있어요. (nine a.m. — before noon)
2. __________ 정말 죄송합니다. (늦다 · with -아/어서)
3. 내일은 __________ 일어나야 해요. (get up early)

Show answers

1. 오전   2. 늦어서   3. 일찍

Study tip Clock times follow this order: 오전/오후 + hour + minute, as in 오전 아홉 시 삼십 분. Hours use native Korean numbers like 하나·둘·셋. Minutes use the Sino-Korean numbers, the set borrowed from Chinese, like 일·이·삼. So one time expression can use both number systems.