Time Expressions and Context

In Korean, time words play a powerful role in showing when an event happens. Words like 어제 (yesterday), 지금 (now), 매일 (every day), and 내일 (tomorrow) establish a clear timeline for the listener.

Because the context is so important in Korean, providing a specific time word is often the easiest and most natural way to clarify exactly when an action takes place.

The basic present form ( -아요/-어요 ) is highly flexible. Depending on the time word you pair it with, the exact same verb form can express a recurring habit, an action happening right now, or even a scheduled event in the future.

Time Word · Korean Sentence · Meaning

매일 (every day) · 매일 학교에 가요.

I go to school every day. · Habit / Routine

지금 (now) · 지금 학교에 가요.

I am going to school now. · Action in progress

내일 (tomorrow) · 내일 학교에 가요.

I am going to school tomorrow. · Scheduled future

When you are talking about past events or explicit future plans, you pair the time word with the corresponding past or future verb form.

For the past, use a word like 어제 (yesterday) with the -았/었어요 ending.

For the future, use a word like 다음 주 (next week) with the -(으)ㄹ 거예요 ending.

Time Word · Korean Sentence · Meaning

어제 · 어제 학교에 갔어요 .

I went to school yesterday. · Past event

다음 주 · 다음 주에 학교에 갈 거예요 .

I will go to school next week. · Future plan

When talking about the future, you can often choose between the present form ( -아요/-어요 ) and the future form ( -(으)ㄹ 거예요 ). Both are correct, but they carry a slightly different nuance.

Expression · Nuance