Chapter 2

Numbers, Time & Daily Schedule

Understand clock time, days, and the vocabulary you need to talk about your work schedule — and to ask when your shift starts.

Study Notes

Korean has two number systems — pure Korean numbers for counting hours, and Sino-Korean numbers for minutes and dates. This chapter focuses on hours.
"몇 시예요?" ("What time is it?") is one of the most useful questions you'll ask in your first week.
Past tense in Korean is formed by changing the verb ending, not by adding a separate word like English 'did'.

Vocabulary

시

Time

o'clock / hour

지금 아홉 시예요.

Jigeum ahop siyeyo.

“It's nine o'clock now.”

오늘

oneul

Time

Today

오늘 바빠요.

Oneul bappayo.

“I'm busy today.”

내일

naeil

Time

Tomorrow

내일 쉬어요.

Naeil swieoyo.

“I'm off tomorrow.”

출근하다

chulgeunhada

Workplace

To go to work

저는 아침 8시에 출근해요.

Jeoneun achim yeodeolsie chulgeunhaeyo.

“I go to work at 8 a.m.”

몇 시

myeot si

Time

What time

몇 시에 시작해요?

Myeot sie sijakhaeyo?

“What time does it start?”

Grammar

-았/었어요

Intermediate

Talking about the past

Attach -았어요 or -었어요 to a verb or adjective stem (based on vowel harmony) to talk about something that already happened.

어제 일찍 출근했어요.

Eoje iljjik chulgeunhaesseoyo.

“I went to work early yesterday.”

-(으)ㄹ 거예요

Intermediate

Talking about the future or intentions

Attach -ㄹ 거예요 (or -을 거예요 after a consonant) to a verb stem to talk about future plans or make a prediction.

내일부터 일찍 출근할 거예요.

Naeilbuteo iljjik chulgeunhal geoyeyo.

“I'm going to start coming to work early from tomorrow.”

Conversation Practice

Asking About Shift Times

Checking tomorrow's schedule with a coworker

You

내일 몇 시에 출근해요?

Naeil myeot sie chulgeunhaeyo?

“What time do we go to work tomorrow?”

Coworker

아침 8시에 출근해요.

Achim yeodeolsie chulgeunhaeyo.

“We go to work at 8 a.m.”

You

오늘보다 늦어요?

Oneulboda neujeoyo?

“Is that later than today?”

Coworker

네, 오늘은 7시였어요.

Ne, oneureun ilgopsiyeosseoyo.

“Yes, today was 7 o'clock.”

Listening Practice

Shift Change Announcement

A supervisor is announcing a schedule change over the factory speaker system. Listen for the new start time and the day it begins.

Transcript

Supervisor: 안내 말씀 드립니다.Attention, please.

Supervisor: 내일부터 출근 시간이 8시로 바뀝니다.Starting tomorrow, the start time changes to 8 o'clock.

Supervisor: 오늘은 평소대로 7시에 출근하세요.Today, please come at the usual 7 o'clock.

Comprehension Check

1. What is the new start time starting tomorrow?

2. What time should workers arrive today?

Reading Practice

My Daily Schedule

저는 아침 7시에 일어나요. 8시에 출근해요.I wake up at 7 a.m. I go to work at 8.

저녁 6시에 퇴근해요. 그리고 저녁을 먹어요.I finish work at 6 p.m. Then I eat dinner.

내일은 쉬는 날이에요. 기뻐요.Tomorrow is a day off. I'm happy.

Comprehension Check

1. What time does the writer go to work?

2. How does the writer feel about tomorrow?

Chapter Quiz

1. How do you ask "What time is it?"

2. Which word means 'tomorrow'?

3. "어제 일찍 출근했어요" describes an action happening when?

4. Which ending expresses future intention?