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

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! 🎉