Lesson 21 · Yesterday & Last Weekend

Hyeju’s Beginner Korean Vocabulary · Lesson 21

Yesterday & Last Weekend

Learn 12 Korean words for yesterday and last weekend, with usage notes, examples, romanization, and six practice questions with answers.

Beginner · Level 2Learn · Practice · Review

Introduction

Learn past-time words before the grammar lesson. Examples with these time words preview the past form explained in this lesson’s grammar partner.

New words are tagged Focus, and words you’ve already met are tagged Review. Use the romanization only when you get stuck; the Hangul shows the real sound.

Today’s Vocabulary

어제 · Focus

eoje · yesterday

Time word · Usually no 에.

어제 친구를 만났어요.eoje chingureul mannasseoyo

I met a friend yesterday.

그제 · Focus

geuje · the day before yesterday

N/adverbial time word · Usually no 에.

그제 친구를 만났어요.geuje chingureul mannasseoyo

I met a friend the day before yesterday.

지난주 · Focus

jinanju · last week

N · Written as one word.

지난주에 친구를 만났어요.jinanjue chingureul mannasseoyo

I met a friend last week.

지난달 · Focus

jinandal · last month

N · Written as one word.

지난달에 여행했어요.jinandare yeohaenghaesseoyo

I traveled last month.

작년 · Focus

jangnyeon · last year

Time noun · 작년에 is natural; 에 can also be omitted in context.

작년에 한국에 갔어요.jangnyeone hanguge gasseoyo

I went to Korea last year.

아침 · Review

achim · morning; breakfast

N · Meal meaning with 먹다.

아침을 먹어요.achimeul meogeoyo

I eat breakfast.

저녁 · Review

jeonyeok · evening; dinner

N · Meal meaning with 먹다.

저녁을 먹어요.jeonyeogeul meogeoyo

I eat dinner.

만나다 · Review

mannada · meet

V · The person met takes 을/를.

친구를 만나요.chingureul mannayo

I meet a friend.

보다 · Review

boda · to see; to watch

Review of the main verb 보다. It is different from the comparison particle 보다 in Lesson 19.

영화를 봐요.yeonghwareul bwayo

I watch a movie.

먹다 · Review

meokda · to eat

Review: 아침 can name breakfast as well as morning.

아침을 먹어요.achimeul meogeoyo

I eat breakfast.

마시다 · Review

masida · to drink

Review. Pair 먹다 with food and 마시다 with drinks.

물을 마셔요.mureul masyeoyo

I drink water.

재미있다 · Review

jaemiitda · to be interesting; to be fun

Use for something engaging or fun. Do not assume it always means funny.

이 책이 재미있어요.i chaegi jaemiisseoyo

This book is interesting.

Useful Phrases / Make Sentences

어제 친구를 만났어요.eoje chingureul mannasseoyoI met a friend yesterday.

지난 주말에 영화를 봤어요.jinan jumare yeonghwareul bwasseoyoI watched a movie last weekend.

정말 재미있었어요.jeongmal jaemiisseosseoyoIt was really fun.

The past forms here preview the grammar partner. Compare 만나요 → 만났어요 and 봐요 → 봤어요. 정말 means really. Keep the time word and the ending consistent.

Mini Practice

1. Choose the meaning of 어제: A. the day before yesterday / B. yesterday.

2. Which word means “last week”: 지난주 / 지난달?

3. Match 1. 작년, 2. 아침, 3. 저녁 with A. evening; dinner, B. last year, C. morning; breakfast.

4. Write the Korean dictionary word or phrase for “meet.”

5. Put these chunks in a natural order: 먹어요. / 아침을.

6. Write one short sentence using 재미있다.

Check the answers

1. B. 어제 = yesterday.

2. 지난주 (jinanju). N · Written as one word.

3. 1–B; 2–C; 3–A.

4. 만나다 (mannada).

5. 아침을 먹어요. — I eat breakfast. Other natural word orders work too.

6. One possible answer: 이 책이 재미있어요. (i chaegi jaemiisseoyo) — This book is interesting. Yours may look different — that’s okay as long as the grammar works.

Today’s Key Point

어제 / 그제 = yesterday / the day before yesterday.

Write 지난주 and 지난달 as single words, but 지난 주말 with a space.

The past examples preview -았/었어요 in the grammar partner.

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