How do you talk about life milestones in Korean? In this lesson, you’ll learn eight expressions related to school, work, and family, along with -(으)ㄴ 지 to say how much time has passed since something happened. Read the examples below, then use the PDF and video to keep practicing.
Vocabulary
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 입학 | starting school; admission to a school |
| 졸업 | graduation |
| 취직 | getting a job |
| 승진 | promotion at work |
| 퇴사 | leaving a job |
| 자격증을 따다 | earn a qualification or certification |
| 아기를 낳다 | give birth to a baby |
| 결혼 기념일 | wedding anniversary |
Grammar: -(으)ㄴ 지
Saying How Long It Has Been
Attach -(으)ㄴ 지 to a verb stem to express how much time has passed since an action or event happened. It is often translated as “It has been … since …” in English.
A common sentence pattern is verb stem + -(으)ㄴ 지 + time period + 이/가 됐어요.
With regular verb stems, use -ㄴ 지 after a vowel and -은 지 after a consonant. If the stem ends in ㄹ, drop ㄹ and add -ㄴ 지. Some irregular verbs also change their stems. Keep a space before 지.
To ask how long it has been, use -(으)ㄴ 지 얼마나 됐어요?
Example Sentences
한국에 온 지 다섯 달이 됐어요.
It’s been five months since I came to Korea.
운동을 시작한 지 두 달이 됐어요.
It’s been two months since I started exercising.
In the first sentence, 온 지 marks the time since the speaker came to Korea. In the second, 시작한 지 marks the time since the speaker started exercising.
Download the Practice PDF
Want to practice talking about life milestones in Korean? Download the worksheet for vocabulary, grammar, and exercises. Match congratulatory messages to different occasions and practice saying how long it has been since an event using -(으)ㄴ 지.
Watch the Video Lesson
Watch the lesson alongside this post, then come back to the vocabulary and example sentences whenever you need a quick review.
