ITOPIK 1-2

A/V-(으)ㄹ 때usage

when

This pattern points to the time when an action is in progress or a state continues. It says that the event in the main clause happens at that time. For a completed past event, use -았/었을 때 to show that the event had already ended.

접속 conjugation

  • Vowel-final stem + -ㄹ 때
    • 가다갈 때
    • 바쁘다바쁠 때
  • Consonant-final stem + -을 때
    • 먹다먹을 때
    • 작다작을 때
  • ㄹ-final stem + -ㄹ 때
    • 살다살 때
    • 만들다만들 때
  • Past form + -았/었을 때
    • 도착하다도착했을 때
  • Noun + 때
    • 방학 때
    • 시험 때

예문

EXAMPLES
비가 올 때는 버스를 타요.
When it rains, I take the bus.from 2026.09.28 Mon the examples
진짜? 제일 더울 때 고장 나면 정말 힘들지.
Seriously? It’s really tough when it breaks down during the hottest part of the year.from 2026.09.28 Mon the everyday dialogue
피곤할 때는 일찍 자요.
I go to bed early when I’m tired.from 2026.09.29 Tue the examples
한국에 처음 왔을 때 한국말을 전혀 몰랐습니다.
When I first came to Korea, I didn’t know any Korean at all.from 2026.09.29 Tue the examples
품질은 인정합니다. 다만 작년에 계약할 때 약속하신 가격이 있잖아요.
I acknowledge the quality. However, there’s also the price you promised when we signed the contract last year.from 2026.09.29 Tue the business dialogue
※-(으)ㄹ 때 points to a time, whereas -(으)면 sets a condition: 비가 올 때 refers to the time when it rains, while 비가 오면 makes rain the condition With weekdays, dates, and clock times, use 에 rather than 때: ✗ 월요일 때 / ✓ 월요일에

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