Part 33 - Time Clause

Part 33.1 - ~(으)ㄹ 때 — When, At the Time of Doing Something

Basic Information

Use ~(으)ㄹ 때 to express **"when"** something happens or happened.
It connects a **time clause** to the main sentence.
It is often translated as:

• When...
• At the time (of)...
• While...

Grammar Rule

• Verb stem ending with consonant → ~을 때
• Verb stem ending with vowel → ~ㄹ 때

Usage

Use **~(으)ㄹ 때** to:

• Talk about the time when an action happens or happened.
• Describe background events or conditions.
• Connect two events in time.

Example Sentences

Korean	English
학교에 갈 때 비가 왔어요.	It rained when I went to school.
밥을 먹을 때 TV를 봐요.	I watch TV when I eat.
어렸을 때 한국에 살았어요.	I lived in Korea when I was young.
운전할 때 조심하세요.	Be careful when you drive.
시간이 있을 때 책을 읽어요.	I read books when I have time.

Important Notes

• ~(으)ㄹ 때 can be used for both **present** and **past** contexts.
• It can also express "while" something is happening, but it's not the same as using ~면서 for simultaneous actions.
• **때** means "time", and the verb form before it indicates the time frame.

Summary

Use ~(으)ㄹ 때 to:

• Say when something happens
• Describe conditions or background
• Connect two time-related ideas

This is an essential grammar pattern for talking about time and events in Korean.

Common TOPIK I Patterns

• Verb stem + (으)ㄹ 때 → when (Verb) happens / at the time of (Verb)
• 어렸을 때 → when (I) was young
• 시간이 있을 때 → when (I) have time

End of Lesson

Now you know how to use **~(으)ㄹ 때** to talk about time and events in Korean.
Practice connecting time clauses in your sentences — it will make your Korean sound more natural and fluent! 🎉

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