TOPIK I Grammar · Ch.5 Tense, Progress & States 04

TOPIK I Grammar · Ch.5 Tense, Progress & States 04

'-(으)ㄹ 때 / -(으)ㄴ 지' - "When" and "It's Been ... Since"

Two small time expressions finish this chapter. One is Korean's all-purpose "when" clause (a sentence part with its own verb); the other builds a sentence English speakers reach for constantly - "it's been two years since I came to Korea."

Key point Verb + -(으)ㄹ 때 = "when ~": 먹을 때 (= when eating). Verb + -(으)ㄴ 지 + time + 됐어요 = "it's been [time] since ~": 한국에 온 지 2년 됐어요 (= it's been two years since I came to Korea). Batchim → 을/은, vowel → ㄹ/ㄴ.

How to use it

때 means "time/moment," and -(으)ㄹ 때 wraps any verb into a when-clause that sits before the main sentence: 밥을 먹을 때 텔레비전을 봐요 (= when I eat, I watch TV). For a moment already in the past, the past marker joins in: 어렸을 때 (= when I was young), 한국에 살았을 때 (= when I lived in Korea).

-(으)ㄴ 지 is a fixed frame, and English has its mirror image: "it's been ~ since ~." Korean flips the order - the since-part comes first: [event]-(으)ㄴ 지 + [duration] + 됐어요. 한국어를 배운 지 6개월 됐어요 = it's been six months since I started learning Korean. The verb before 지 always takes the past form -(으)ㄴ, because the event already happened - that's the whole logic of "since."

At a glance

Pattern	Example	Meaning
-(으)ㄹ 때	공부할 때	when (I) study
-(으)ㄹ 때	시간이 있을 때	when (I) have time
-았/었을 때	어렸을 때	when (I) was young
-(으)ㄴ 지 ~ 됐어요	온 지 2년 됐어요	it's been 2 years since (I) came
-(으)ㄴ 지 ~ 됐어요	먹은 지 1시간 됐어요	it's been an hour since (I) ate
-(으)ㄴ 지 ~ 넘었어요	만난 지 10년 넘었어요	it's been over 10 years since (we) met

Examples

피곤할 때는 일찍 자요. When I'm tired, I go to bed early. - -ㄹ 때 also attaches to adjective stems like 피곤하.

한국에 처음 왔을 때 말을 못 했어요. When I first came to Korea, I couldn't speak the language. - Past moment → -았을 때.

이 회사에서 일한 지 두 달 됐어요. It's been two months since I started working at this company. - No batchim, so -ㄴ 지: it counts the time that has passed since something began.

Common mistakes

❌ 한국에 온 지 2년 있어요. → ⭕ 한국에 온 지 2년 됐어요. English "it has been two years" pulls you toward 있어요, but the -(으)ㄴ 지 frame pairs with 되다/지나다. Memorize it as one set: 온 지 ~ 됐어요 - and note the past modifier ㄴ (the verb form used before a noun), because the arrival already happened.

❌ 밥을 먹는 때 말하지 마세요. → ⭕ 밥을 먹을 때 말하지 마세요. 때 takes -(으)ㄹ even for present, habitual moments - it's a fixed pairing, not a tense choice. When in doubt, ㄹ 때 is the shape.

Quick check

Change each verb into the correct form before 때 or 지.
1. 어리다 → (      ) 때 부산에 살았어요.
2. 기다리다 → 버스를 (      ) 때 음악을 들어요.
3. 결혼하다 → (      ) 지 5년이 지났어요.

Show answers

1. 어렸을 (a past time → -았/었을 때; 어릴 때 is also natural)   2. 기다릴 (no batchim → ㄹ 때)   3. 결혼한 (past modifier -ㄴ + 지 for time since)

💡 Study tip - Build your own "since" line tonight. 한국어를 배운 지 ( ) 됐어요 - fill in your real number and say it until it's automatic. It's the single most useful sentence this pattern makes. Every teacher, exam interviewer, and new Korean friend will ask you how long you've been studying.