LEARN + KOREAN / Note 37 TOPIK I

Before That (-기 전에)

a

기 turns any verb stem into a noun-like form, roughly the “-ing” version, and 전에 means “before.” Glue them together and you have “before doing [verb],” attached the same way to every stem with nothing to check first.

밥을 먹기 전에 손을 씻어요.
babeul meokgi jeone soneul ssiseoyo.
I wash my hands before eating.
In Real Life
기 전에 is the simpler cousin of -(으)ㄴ 후에. No vowel-or-consonant split, no irregular shifts, because 기 converts the verb into a plain form first, before anything else attaches to it.
자기 전에 이를 닦아요.
jagi jeone ireul dakkayo.
I brush my teeth before sleeping.
수영을 하기 전에 준비 운동을 해요.
suyeongeul hagi jeone junbi undongeul haeyo.
I do warm-up exercises before swimming.
학교에 가기 전에 숙제를 해요.
hakgyoe gagi jeone sukjereul haeyo.
I do homework before going to school.
고향에 돌아가기 전에 선물을 살 거예요.
gohyange doragagi jeone seonmureul sal geoyeyo.
I will buy gifts before returning to my hometown.
여행을 가기 전에 여권을 확인해요.
yeohaengeul gagi jeone yeogwoneul hwaginhaeyo.
I check my passport before a trip.
In Real Life
Tense never touches the verb sitting right before 전에, even in a fully past-tense sentence. 밥을 먹기 전에 손을 씻었어요 (I washed my hands before eating) keeps 먹기 in its bare form; it’s never 먹었기 전에. Only the main clause carries tense.

Vocabulary

KoreanEnglish
이
i
tooth
닦다
dakkda
to brush, to wipe
준비 운동
junbi undong
warm-up exercise
고향
gohyang
hometown
돌아가다
doragada
to return, to go back
확인하다
hwaginhada
to check, to confirm
출발하다
chulbalhada
to depart
도착하다
dochakhada
to arrive
샤워하다
syawohada
to shower
화장하다
hwajanghada
to put on makeup
미리
miri
in advance, beforehand
서두르다
seodureuda
to hurry
깜빡하다
kkamppakhada
to forget for a moment, to slip one's mind
늦잠(을) 자다
neutjam(eul) jada
to sleep in, to oversleep
세수하다
sesuhada
to wash one's face
머리를 감다
meorireul gamda
to wash one's hair
정신없다
jeongsineopda
to be frantic, disorganized
여유롭다
yeoyuropda
to be leisurely, relaxed
습관적으로
seupgwanjeogeuro
habitually
알람을 맞추다
allameul matchuda
to set an alarm