Lesson 54 · Before and After: -기 전에 & -(으)ㄴ 후에
Hyeju’s Beginner Korean · Lesson 54 · Grammar
Before and After: -기 전에 & -(으)ㄴ 후에
Learn Before and After: -기 전에 & -(으)ㄴ 후에 with form rules, natural examples, common mistakes, romanization, and six practice questions with answers.
Introduction / Review
Arrange the steps in a routine. -기 전에 means “before doing”; -(으)ㄴ 후에 means “after doing.” Follow the order of the events, which may differ from the order of English words.
N = noun; V = action verb; A = descriptive verb. Romanization is a reading aid.
Today’s Grammar / Explanation
- Before: action stem + 기 전에, regardless of final letter: 먹기 전에, 자기 전에, 만들기 전에.
- After: vowel + ㄴ 후에; consonant + 은 후에: 가다 → 간 후에; 먹다 → 먹은 후에. Final ㄹ drops: 만들다 → 만든 후에.
- Keep the spaces: 먹기 전에, 먹은 후에. Tense normally appears on the final predicate in today’s patterns.
Examples
밥을 먹기 전에 손을 씻어요.
babeul meokgi jeone soneul ssiseoyo
I wash my hands before eating.
자기 전에 책을 읽어요.
jagi jeone chaegeul ilgeoyo
I read a book before sleeping.
학교에 가기 전에 아침을 먹어요.
hakgyoe gagi jeone achimeul meogeoyo
I eat breakfast before going to school.
밥을 먹은 후에 이를 닦아요.
babeul meogeun hue ireul dakkayo
I brush my teeth after eating.
숙제를 한 후에 쉬어요.
sukjereul han hue swieoyo
I rest after doing my homework.
운동한 후에 물을 마셔요.
undonghan hue mureul masyeoyo
I drink water after exercising.
Compare with similar grammar
LESSON 77
-고 나서
숙제를 하고 나서 게임을 해요.Also “after”, but it stresses finishing the first action completely. -(으)ㄴ 후에 is a more neutral “after” and also works with nouns: 수업 후에.
Look ahead: Lesson 77 →LESSON 53
-(으)ㄹ 때
밥을 먹을 때 텔레비전을 봐요.“When”: the moment or period something happens. It doesn’t put two actions in order the way 전에 and 후에 do.
Review Lesson 53 →LESSON 56
-는 동안
기다리는 동안 음악을 들었어요.“While”: the two actions overlap. With -기 전에 and -(으)ㄴ 후에 they never overlap.
Look ahead: Lesson 56 →LESSON 58
-아/어서
친구를 만나서 영화를 봤어요.Links two steps that belong together (you met your friend and watched the film with them). -(으)ㄴ 후에 only tells you the order.
Look ahead: Lesson 58 →| Pattern | Meaning | Do the actions overlap? | Works with nouns? |
|---|---|---|---|
| -기 전에 | Before doing A | No | Yes: 수업 전에 |
| -(으)ㄴ 후에 | After doing A | No | Yes: 수업 후에 |
| -고 나서 | After finishing A | No | No |
| -(으)ㄹ 때 | When A happens | Often | Yes: 방학 때 |
| -는 동안 | While A continues | Yes | Yes: 방학 동안 |
Common mistakes
밥을 먹기 전에 손을 씻어요 means washing happens first. 밥을 먹은 후에 이를 닦아요 means eating happens first. Do not assume the first clause always names the first event.
“Before” always uses -기: 가기 전에, never 간 전에.
“After” uses the -(으)ㄴ form: 보다 → 본 후에, not 보기 후에.
Don’t put past tense before 전에. The last verb (했어요) already tells you it was yesterday.
Stems ending in ㄹ drop the ㄹ before ㄴ: 만들다 → 만든 후에.
Mini practice · six questions
All sentences below are new. Try each one before opening the answer.
- Fill in the blank______ 운동을 해요. (샤워하다 · 전)
Check answer
샤워하기 전에 운동을 해요.
Add 기 전에 straight to the stem: 샤워하 + 기 전에. “I work out before I shower.”
- Fill in the blank · stem check손을 ______ 밥을 먹어요. (씻다 · 후)
Check answer
손을 씻은 후에 밥을 먹어요.
씻 ends in a consonant, so it takes 은 후에. “I eat after washing my hands.”
- Choose the better form버스를 (타기 전에 / 탄 후에) 표를 사요.
Check answer
타기 전에
You buy the ticket first and then get on, so it’s “before getting on”.
- Choose the better form친구를 (기다리는 동안 / 기다린 후에) 책을 읽었어요.
Check answer
기다리는 동안
You read while you were waiting. The two actions overlap, so use -는 동안.
- Find and fix the mistake수업이 끝나기 후에 도서관에 가요.
Check answer
수업이 끝난 후에 도서관에 가요.
“After” needs -(으)ㄴ: 끝나 + ㄴ 후에 → 끝난 후에.
- Say it in KoreanI always have coffee before I go to work.
Check answer
회사에 가기 전에 항상 커피를 마셔요.
가다 → 가기 전에. 항상 (always) can also come first: 항상 회사에 가기 전에….
Today’s Key Point
Before: -기 전에; after: -(으)ㄴ 후에; identify the event order; keep spaces before 전에 and 후에.
M.A. in Korean Language Education · Certified Korean language teacher
About the educator →