-기 전에 in Korean: “before”

-기 전에

-gi jeone

before

Beginner · Linking ideas

-기 전에 (-gi jeone) means "before" doing something. Attach it to a verb to say what happens before that action, like "before eating" or "before bed".

How to form it

WhenAddExample
Verb stem (vowel)+ 기 전에자다 → 자기 전에
Verb stem (consonant)+ 기 전에먹다 → 먹기 전에
Noun+ 전에수업 → 수업 전에
Length of time (ago)+ 전에1시간 → 1시간 전에

How to use it

A-기 전에 B means B happens before A. The stem never changes, so it is one of the easiest patterns to use.

Do not put past tense on the verb before 기. Even for past events, keep it plain and put the past tense at the end: 오기 전에 배웠어요.

After a noun, 전에 means "before": 수업 전에 (before class). After a length of time it means "ago": 3년 전에 (three years ago). It works in casual and polite speech alike.

Examples

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Daily routine

I brush my teeth before going to bed

A parent to a child

Wash your hands before eating

Texting a friend

I'll message you before I leave

Talking about your past

I learned Korean before coming to Korea
Kkachi the magpie

Hanbok explains every word and ending in a sentence, with audio and a translation. Try it on this example, or paste a line with -기 전에 from a drama, a song or a text.

Don’t mix it up with

-(으)ㄴ 후에: The opposite: "after". Note the different shapes: 먹기 전에 (before eating) but 먹은 후에 (after eating).

-기 전까지: Means "until (before)": 끝나기 전까지 기다려요 (I'll wait until it ends).

Common mistakes

Adding past tense: 먹었기 전에 is wrong. Always say 먹기 전에.

Questions learners ask

How do you say "ago" in Korean?

Put 전에 after a length of time: 일주일 전에 (a week ago).

Can I use -기 전에 with past tense?

Not on the verb before 기. Keep it plain and show the past at the end of the sentence.

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