TOPIK I · LEVEL 2
-기 전에
-기 전에 means 'before doing': the main action happens before the action of the verb that -기 전에 attaches to.
시간·순서Time & sequenceHan: -기 전에 never takes the past marker 았/었; the past is shown only on the main verb 배웠어요.
Examples
저는 자기 전에 보통 책을 읽어요.I usually read a book before going to bed.
밥을 먹기 전에 손을 씻으세요.Wash your hands before you eat.
친구가 오기 전에 방을 청소해야 해요.I have to clean my room before my friend comes.
한국에 오기 전에 한국어를 조금 배웠어요.I learned a little Korean before coming to Korea.
Don’t mix up
-기 전에vs-(으)ㄴ 후에-(으)ㄴ 후에 means 'after': the attached action happens first. 밥을 먹은 후에 커피를 마셔요 = I drink coffee after eating.-기 전에vsN 전에With a noun, 전에 follows the noun directly with no 기; 기 is needed only after a verb: 수업 전에, but 공부하기 전에.
How to build it
V+기 전에
먹다 → 먹기 전에
- Do not put past tense before -기 전에. The tense is shown only on the main verb: 가기 전에 먹었어요, not 갔기 전에 먹었어요.
- It attaches directly to a verb stem. With a noun, use N + 전에 without 기: 수업 전에. With 하다 verbs both forms work: 식사 전에 / 식사하기 전에.
- The two clauses can have different subjects. Mark the subject of the -기 전에 clause with 이/가, not 은/는: 친구가 오기 전에.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 한국에 왔기 전에 한국어를 배웠어요.
Right: 한국에 오기 전에 한국어를 배웠어요.
-기 전에 never takes the past marker 았/었; the past is shown only on the main verb 배웠어요.
Practise -기 전에 on real TOPIK questions
Hannim plans each day up to your exam date: questions on this pattern, reviews, full mock papers and graded writing. 7 days free, no card.
Start 7-day free trialMore level 2 grammar
All TOPIK grammar- -(으)ㄴ 지Shows how much time has passed since an action happened.
- -(으)ㄹ 때Attaches to a verb or adjective to say at what time or in what situation something happens: 'when …'.
- -(으)ㄴ 후에Shows that the second action happens after the first action is finished.
- -(으)면서-(으)면서 links two actions or states that one person does or has at the same time: "while doing A, (also) B."
- -다가-다가 means you were doing one thing and then stopped or switched to another: 'while doing A, (then) B'.
- -(으)면-(으)면 attaches to a verb or adjective to set a condition: "if X happens or is true, then Y," and it can also mean "whenever X" for things that regularly happen.
- -(으)ㄹ 것Ends a written instruction or rule with a noun-like command: 'do X; X is to be done'. Impersonal and firm; used in notices, exam instructions, memos and rule lists.
- -(으)면 안 되다States that an action is not allowed or not acceptable: 'you must not… / it's not okay to…'.
- -(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다Attach it to a verb to say that someone can or cannot do something, either because of their ability or because the situation allows or prevents it.