Korean Grammar Beginner -Particles- (7): N에2

Table of Contents 숨기기

I. Examples

II. Grammar Point

III. Practice

IV. See More

I. Examples

저는 아침 6시에 일어나요.
(I get up at 6 a.m in the morning.)

토요일에 만나요.
(See you on Saturday.)

1월 1일에 한국에 왔어요.
(I came to Korea on 1st January.)

II. Grammar Point

1. ‘at’ in English + Time

In addition to the previously explained usage, 에 also indicate time and expresses the time when action, event or situation occurs. It corresponds to ‘at’ or ‘on’ in English. 에 can combine with the particle 는 and 도, resulting in 에는 and 에도.

Year – 2009년에 (in 2009)
Month – 5월에 (in May)
Day – 8월 5일에 (on 5th August)
Day of Week – 월요일에 (on Monday)
Season – 봄에 (in spring)
Time – 아침에 (in the morning)

2. 에는 / 에도

The above-mentioned 에는 is a postpositional particle used to emphasize the place or time of the preceding statement or compare it with another. 에도 simply means 에 + as well. The example below will be helpful for a clear understanding.

지금 출발하면 오늘 안에는 도착할 수 있을 거야.
(“If we leave now, we should be able to arrive
(at least) within today.)

이번 여름에는 제주도에나 갈까?
(Should we go to Jeju Island this summer?)
= did not go to Jeju last summer

모닥불은 그 다음 날에도 여전히 타고 있었다.
(The bonfire was still smouldering the next day.)

토요일에도 우편물 배달을 하나요?
(Is there a postal/mail delivery (even) on Saturdays?)

3. 에 Cannot Be Added to

You cannot use 에 with the time nouns, such as 그제 or 그저께 (the day before yesterday), 어제 or 어저께 (yesterday), 오늘 (today), 내일 (tomorrow), 모레 (the day after tomorrow) and 언제 (when).

어제에 레아를 만났아요. (X)
(I met Lea yesterday.)

내일에 영화를 볼 거예요. (X)
(I plan to see a movie tomorrow.)

언제에 프랑스에 가요? (X)
(When will you go to France?)

4. Plural 에 –> X

In a sentence where multiple time-related nouns are used, 에 is added only to the final noun. For instance, 다음 주에 토요일에 오전에 10시 30분에 만나요 is grammatically incorrect. It should be 다음 주 토요일 오전 10시 30분에 만나요 (Let’s meet next Saturday at 10:30 A.M.).

III. Practice

일요일 오후 3시___ 만나요.
한국은 8월15일___ 왔어요.