A2 conjunction 2 min read

~때

A word used to talk about a specific time or moment when something happens.

~ttae
Practice it

Explanation at your level:

You use ~때 to say 'when'. If you want to say 'when I eat', you say 먹을 때. It is very easy to use and helps you tell your story!

At this level, you can use ~때 to describe daily routines. 'When I go to school' is 학교에 갈 때. It helps you connect your actions to specific times of the day.

Now you can use ~때 with past tense verbs. 'When I was young' is 어릴 때. This allows you to talk about your history and memories with much more detail.

You can now use ~때 in complex sentences, including hypothetical situations. It helps you distinguish between specific moments and general periods of time effectively.

At the advanced level, you will notice how ~때 is used in literary contexts to set the scene. It helps create a narrative flow that feels natural and poetic to native speakers.

Mastering ~때 involves understanding subtle nuances of timing. You will use it to express precise moments in academic writing and formal speech, ensuring your timing is always perfect.

Word in 30 Seconds

  • Used to indicate a specific time or moment.
  • Attaches to nouns or verbs.
  • Requires a space before the word.
  • Essential for daily communication.

Welcome to the world of ~때! This is one of the most useful building blocks in the Korean language. Think of it as your temporal anchor; whenever you want to say 'when' something happened, this is your go-to word.

You will attach it to verbs or nouns to create a clear timeline. Whether you are talking about your childhood or what you do when it rains, ~때 helps you organize your thoughts perfectly.

The word ~때 is a native Korean word, not a Sino-Korean one. Its roots go back to ancient Korean, where it was used to describe the 'turning' or 'occurrence' of natural cycles like the seasons.

Over centuries, it evolved from a simple noun for 'time' into the essential grammatical particle we use today. It represents the Korean focus on situational context, where the 'time' of an action is just as important as the action itself.

Using ~때 is quite simple. If you attach it to a noun, just place it directly after. For example, 'lunch time' becomes 점심때.

If you attach it to a verb, use the past tense or present tense form before adding ~때. It is highly flexible and used in both casual conversations with friends and formal business reports.

때를 기다리다 means 'to wait for the right moment.' It is about patience.

때가 되다 means 'the time has come.' Use this when a deadline or a special event is finally happening.

때를 놓치다 translates to 'to miss the boat' or 'miss the opportunity.' Don't let your chances slip away!

제때 means 'on time.' This is perfect for when you are punctual.

때와 장소 means 'time and place,' often used when telling someone to behave appropriately.

Pronunciation is key! The 'tt' sound is a tense consonant, so make sure it sounds sharp and crisp, not like a soft 't'.

Grammatically, it acts as a bridge. It doesn't have a plural form because 'time' in this sense is an uncountable concept. Just remember to keep your verb endings consistent before adding it.

Fun Fact

It is one of the most frequently used words in daily Korean conversation.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /tɛ/

Crisp 't' sound followed by 'ae' vowel.

US /tɛ/

Sharp, tense 't' followed by 'eh' sound.

Common Errors

  • Softening the 't'
  • Confusing with '떼'
  • Wrong vowel length

Rhymes With

배 새 개 해 왜

Difficulty Rating

Reading 1/5

Very easy to read

Writing 2/5

Needs correct spacing

Speaking 2/5

Pronunciation of 'tt' is key

Listening 1/5

Very common

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

시간 먹다 가다

Learn Next

동안 때문에 경우

Advanced

시절 순간

Grammar to Know

Noun + 때

점심때

Verb + 을 때

먹을 때

Past + 었을 때

갔을 때

Examples by Level

1

밥 먹을 때 말하지 마세요.

Don't talk when eating.

Verb + 을 때

2

잘 때 조용히 하세요.

Be quiet when sleeping.

Verb + 을 때

3

학교 갈 때 버스를 타요.

I take the bus when going to school.

Verb + 을 때

4

친구 만날 때 행복해요.

I am happy when I meet friends.

Verb + 을 때

5

공부할 때 음악을 들어요.

I listen to music when studying.

Verb + 을 때

6

비 올 때 우산을 써요.

I use an umbrella when it rains.

Noun + 때

7

점심때 만나요.

Let's meet at lunch time.

Noun + 때

8

운동할 때 물을 마셔요.

I drink water when exercising.

Verb + 을 때

1

8 examples

1

8 examples

1

8 examples

1

8 examples

1

8 examples

Common Collocations

어릴 때
밥 먹을 때
잘 때
점심때
공부할 때
비 올 때
운동할 때
여행할 때
출근할 때
퇴근할 때

Idioms & Expressions

"때를 기다리다"

wait for the right time

지금은 때를 기다려야 해요.

neutral

"때가 되다"

the time has come

이제 떠날 때가 되었어요.

neutral

"제때"

on time

제때 도착해서 다행이에요.

neutral

"때를 놓치다"

miss the opportunity

기회를 놓치지 마세요.

neutral

"때와 장소"

time and place

때와 장소를 가려서 말하세요.

formal

"때를 묻히다"

to get dirty

옷에 때를 묻히지 마세요.

casual

Easily Confused

~때 vs 떼

Looks similar

떼 means a group or tantrum

떼를 쓰지 마세요.

~때 vs 동안

Both relate to time

동안 is duration

한 시간 동안.

~때 vs 시

Both relate to time

시 is clock time

두 시.

~때 vs 사이

Both relate to time

사이 is an interval

그 사이에.

Sentence Patterns

A1

Noun + 때

점심때 만나요.

A2

Verb + 을 때

공부할 때 조용히 하세요.

B1

Past Verb + 었을 때

어렸을 때 행복했어요.

A2

Noun + 때 + Verb

비 올 때 우산을 써요.

A2

Verb + 을 때 + Verb

잘 때 음악을 들어요.

Word Family

Nouns

시간 Time in general

Related

때문에 Because of (shares the '때' root)

How to Use It

frequency

10/10

Formality Scale

Formal (academic) Neutral Casual (friends) Slang (none)

Common Mistakes

Using ~때 with adjectives directly → Use ~을 때 after transforming
Adjectives need to be modified to act like verbs.
Confusing ~때 with ~동안 → Use ~때 for points, ~동안 for duration
They are not interchangeable.
Misspelling as '떼' → It is '때'
The double consonant is important.
Adding to past tense inappropriately → Check context
Past tense + 때 refers to a memory.
Ignoring space → Always space before 때
It is a separate word.

Tips

💡

The Clock Trick

Associate it with a ticking clock.

💡

Native Flow

Use it to connect your daily activities.

🌍

Punctuality

Use '제때' to show you value time.

💡

Verb Conjugation

Always use present/past tense before it.

💡

Tense Consonant

Sharpen that 'T'!

💡

Space Matters

Always put a space before it.

💡

Versatility

It is one of the most common words.

💡

Flashcards

Pair it with common daily verbs.

💡

Noun usage

Don't add '을' to nouns.

💡

Context

It sets the 'when' for your sentence.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a clock (Time) that goes 'T-T' (때).

Visual Association

A clock striking a specific hour.

Word Web

시간 순간 기회 시절

Challenge

Try to describe your whole day using only '...할 때'.

Word Origin

Native Korean

Original meaning: Time or moment of occurrence

Cultural Context

None

Directly maps to 'when' or 'at the time of'.

Used in countless K-pop lyrics Common in K-drama dialogue

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Daily Routine

  • 아침때
  • 점심때
  • 저녁때

School/Work

  • 공부할 때
  • 일할 때
  • 회의할 때

Travel

  • 여행할 때
  • 도착할 때
  • 출발할 때

Memories

  • 어릴 때
  • 옛날에
  • 그때

Conversation Starters

"어릴 때 꿈이 뭐였어요?"

"공부할 때 음악을 들어요?"

"점심때 보통 뭐 먹어요?"

"비 올 때 뭐 하는 걸 좋아해요?"

"잘 때 무슨 생각을 해요?"

Journal Prompts

어릴 때 가장 행복했던 기억을 써보세요.

공부할 때 집중하는 방법을 적어보세요.

퇴근할 때 기분이 어떤지 써보세요.

여행할 때 꼭 가져가는 물건은 무엇인가요?

Frequently Asked Questions

8 questions

Yes, just attach it directly.

It functions as a noun suffix.

그때.

It is neutral and used everywhere.

때 is a point, 동안 is a duration.

Yes, with modification.

No.

After the verb or noun it modifies.

Test Yourself

fill blank A1

밥 ___ 말하지 마세요.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: 먹을 때

Correct structure is verb + 을 때.

multiple choice A2

Which means 'When I was young'?

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: 어릴 때

어릴 때 is the standard phrase.

true false B1

Is '때' used for duration?

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: False

That is '동안'.

match pairs B1

Word

Meaning

All matched!

Context matching.

sentence order B2

Tap words below to build the sentence
Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:

Subject + verb + 때 + verb.

Score: /5

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