-(으)ㄹ 때 - When

-(으)ㄹ 때 expresses "when" or "at the time of" in Korean. It indicates the specific time or condition under which an action occurs.

Structure

Verb/Adjective stem + -(으)ㄹ 때

Breakdown:

• -(으)ㄹ: Future/general modifier
• 때: Time, occasion

Literal meaning: "At the time of [doing]"

Formation Rules

Stem Ending in Vowel or ㄹ: -ㄹ 때

Vowel stems:

• 가다 → 갈 때 (when going)
• 하다 → 할 때 (when doing)
• 오다 → 올 때 (when coming)
• 되다 → 될 때 (when becoming)
• 자다 → 잘 때 (when sleeping)

ㄹ stem (drop ㄹ, add -ㄹ):

• 만들다 → 만들 때 (when making)
• 살다 → 살 때 (when living)
• 놀다 → 놀 때 (when playing)
• 팔다 → 팔 때 (when selling)

Stem Ending in Consonant: -을 때

Consonant stems:

• 먹다 → 먹을 때 (when eating)
• 읽다 → 읽을 때 (when reading)
• 듣다 → 들을 때 (when listening)
• 앉다 → 앉을 때 (when sitting)
• 입다 → 입을 때 (when wearing)
• 좋다 → 좋을 때 (when good)
• 춥다 → 추울 때 (when cold)

Core Meaning: Specific Time/Condition

When Doing Something

At the time of an action:

• 학교에 갈 때 (when going to school)
• 밥을 먹을 때 (when eating)
• 공부할 때 (when studying)
• 운동할 때 (when exercising)
• 일할 때 (when working)

Under Certain Conditions

When in a certain state:

• 피곤할 때 (when tired)
• 슬플 때 (when sad)
• 기쁠 때 (when happy)
• 바쁠 때 (when busy)
• 아플 때 (when sick)

Different Time References

Future/General: -(으)ㄹ 때

Default form - general or future:

• 한국에 갈 때 연락하세요 (Contact me when you go to Korea)
• 시간이 있을 때 오세요 (Come when you have time)
• 피곤할 때 쉬세요 (Rest when you're tired)

Present: -는 때

Currently happening (less common):

• 밥을 먹는 때 (the time when eating - right now)
• 일하는 때 (the time when working - currently)

Note: -(으)ㄹ 때 is much more common for general "when" statements.

Past: -았/었/했을 때

When something happened in the past:

• 어렸을 때 (when I was young)
• 학생이었을 때 (when I was a student)
• 한국에 갔을 때 (when I went to Korea)
• 만났을 때 (when we met)
• 살았을 때 (when I lived [there])

Common Usage Patterns

Daily Actions

Times during daily routines:

• 집에 갈 때 (when going home)
• 학교에 올 때 (when coming to school)
• 밥 먹을 때 (when eating)
• 자러 갈 때 (when going to sleep)
• 일어날 때 (when waking up)

Conditions and States

When in certain conditions:

• 날씨가 좋을 때 (when the weather is good)
• 시간이 있을 때 (when I have time)
• 돈이 필요할 때 (when I need money)
• 도움이 필요할 때 (when I need help)
• 외로울 때 (when lonely)

Advice and Instructions

Do something when...:

• 힘들 때 전화하세요 (Call me when it's hard)
• 궁금할 때 물어보세요 (Ask when you're curious)
• 배고플 때 먹으세요 (Eat when you're hungry)
• 졸릴 때 자세요 (Sleep when you're sleepy)

With Different Subjects

Same Subject

Same person does both actions:

• 학교에 갈 때 친구를 만나요 (I meet my friend when I go to school)
• 공부할 때 음악을 들어요 (I listen to music when I study)

Different Subjects

Different people/things:

• 비가 올 때 집에 있어요 (I stay home when it rains)
• 친구가 올 때 청소할게요 (I'll clean when my friend comes)
• 부모님이 주무실 때 조용히 해요 (I'm quiet when my parents sleep)

Past Tense: -았/었/했을 때

Recalling Past Times

When something was true in the past:

• 어렸을 때 (when I was young)
• 학생이었을 때 (when I was a student)
• 젊었을 때 (when I was young)
• 가난했을 때 (when I was poor)

Past Actions

When past actions occurred:

• 한국에 갔을 때 (when I went to Korea)
• 그를 만났을 때 (when I met him)
• 그 소식을 들었을 때 (when I heard that news)
• 대학교에 다녔을 때 (when I attended university)

Common Expressions

Daily Life

• 갈 때 (when going)
• 올 때 (when coming)
• 먹을 때 (when eating)
• 잘 때 (when sleeping)
• 일할 때 (when working)
• 쉴 때 (when resting)

States and Feelings

• 힘들 때 (when it's hard)
• 행복할 때 (when happy)
• 슬플 때 (when sad)
• 기쁠 때 (when happy/joyful)
• 외로울 때 (when lonely)
• 바쁠 때 (when busy)

Conditions

• 시간이 있을 때 (when I have time)
• 돈이 필요할 때 (when I need money)
• 날씨가 좋을 때 (when the weather is good)
• 배고플 때 (when hungry)
• 목마를 때 (when thirsty)

Past Memories

• 어렸을 때 (when I was young)
• 학생이었을 때 (when I was a student)
• 처음 만났을 때 (when we first met)
• 살았을 때 (when I lived [there])

Example Sentences

General Time

• 학교에 갈 때 버스를 타요 (I take the bus when I go to school)
• 밥을 먹을 때 TV를 봐요 (I watch TV when I eat)
• 시간이 있을 때 운동해요 (I exercise when I have time)
• 날씨가 좋을 때 산책해요 (I walk when the weather is good)

Advice

• 힘들 때 저한테 연락하세요 (Contact me when things are hard)
• 궁금할 때 언제든지 물어보세요 (Ask anytime when you're curious)
• 외로울 때 친구를 만나세요 (Meet friends when you're lonely)

Past Memories

• 어렸을 때 이 동네에 살았어요 (I lived in this neighborhood when I was young)
• 학생이었을 때 열심히 공부했어요 (I studied hard when I was a student)
• 처음 만났을 때가 기억나요 (I remember when we first met)

Instructions

• 출발할 때 문자 보내 주세요 (Please text me when you leave)
• 도착할 때 전화하세요 (Call when you arrive)
• 끝날 때 알려 주세요 (Let me know when it's finished)

Example Dialogues

Dialogue 1: Daily Routine

A: 보통 언제 운동해요?
(When do you usually exercise?)

B: 시간이 있을 때 운동해요.
(I exercise when I have time.)

Dialogue 2: Past Memory

A: 어렸을 때 어디 살았어요?
(Where did you live when you were young?)

B: 부산에 살았어요.
(I lived in Busan.)

Dialogue 3: Advice

A: 한국어 공부가 너무 어려워요.
(Korean study is so difficult.)

B: 힘들 때 저한테 연락하세요. 도와줄게요.
(Contact me when it's hard. I'll help you.)

Dialogue 4: Making Plans

A: 언제 만날까요?
(When shall we meet?)

B: 시간이 되실 때 연락해 주세요.
(Please contact me when you have time.)

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 가는 때

Using -는 for general "when"

✅ Correct: 갈 때

Use -(으)ㄹ for general/future

---

❌ Incorrect: 먹는 때

Using present form for habitual

✅ Correct: 먹을 때

Use -(으)ㄹ 때 for general "when"

---

❌ Incorrect: 어릴 때

Wrong past form

✅ Correct: 어렸을 때

Use past tense: 어리다 → 어렸다 → 어렸을 때

Usage Notes

-(으)ㄹ 때 vs -는 때

-(으)ㄹ 때 (general, future, habitual):

• 갈 때 (when going - general)
• 먹을 때 (when eating - general)

-는 때 (currently happening, specific moment):

• 가는 때 (the moment of going - right now)
• Less common in everyday speech

Default: Use -(으)ㄹ 때 for most "when" statements

때 as Noun

Can be used independently:

• 그때 (at that time, then)
• 이때 (at this time, now)
• 언제 (when - question word)

Comparison with Similar Expressions

-(으)ㄹ 때 vs -는 동안

-(으)ㄹ 때 (at the time when, specific moment):

• 갈 때 (when going - at that specific time)

-는 동안 (while, during the entire period):

• 가는 동안 (while going - throughout the journey)

-(으)ㄹ 때 vs -면

-(으)ㄹ 때 (when, at the time):

• 시간이 있을 때 (when I have time - emphasizes the time)

-면 (if, when - conditional):

• 시간이 있으면 (if/when I have time - conditional)

Note: Often interchangeable, but -면 is more conditional.

-(으)ㄹ 때 vs -자마자

-(으)ㄹ 때 (when, at the general time):

• 도착할 때 (when arriving - at that time)

-자마자 (as soon as, immediately):

• 도착하자마자 (as soon as arriving - immediately, no delay)

Summary Table

Form	Usage	Example
-(으)ㄹ 때	When (general/future)	갈 때, 먹을 때
-는 때	When (currently)	가는 때, 먹는 때
-았/었/했을 때	When (past)	갔을 때, 먹었을 때
-(으)ㄹ때 + Verb	When doing, [do verb]	갈 때 전화하세요
-(으)ㄹ때 + Adj	When doing, [be adj]	갈 때 피곤해요

Key Takeaways

• ✅ Most common form: -(으)ㄹ 때 for general "when" statements
• ✅ Past memories: -았/었/했을 때 (when I was...)
• ✅ Works with verbs and adjectives: Very versatile
• ✅ Essential pattern: One of the most useful temporal expressions
• ✅ Different from -면: Less conditional, more temporal
• ✅ Time marker: Specifies when actions occur or states exist

-(으)ㄹ 때 is absolutely essential for natural Korean conversation. It's one of the most frequently used patterns for expressing "when" and is crucial for talking about conditions, habits, memories, and instructions.