기 전에 (gi jeone) means "before".
Indicates an action happens before another.
Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language
- Same form after any stem. After a noun, use just 전에 jeone: 수업 전에 sueop jeone.
Build it
When to use it
Before an action
The first thing happens before the second.
With nouns
Noun + 전에 jeone, no 기 gi.
"Ago"
After a length of time.
Watch out
No past tense before 기 gi. The last verb carries it.
A noun takes 전에 jeone directly. 기 gi only goes on verbs.
In context
8 examples- 1
먹기 전에 손을 씻으세요.
Meokgi jeone soneul ssiseuseyo.
Wash your hands before eating.
- 2
한국에 오기 전에 한국어를 배웠어요.
Hanguge ogi jeone hangugeoreul baewosseoyo.
I learned Korean before coming to Korea.
- 3
나가기 전에 불 좀 꺼 줘.
Nagagi jeone bul jom kkeo jwo.
Turn off the lights before you go out.
- 4
결정하기 전에 잘 생각해 보세요.
Gyeoljeonghagi jeone jal saenggakae boseyo.
Think it over carefully before you decide.
- 5
늦기 전에 빨리 가자.
Neutgi jeone ppalli gaja.
Let's hurry before we're late.
- 6
시험 보기 전에 너무 긴장했어요.
Siheom bogi jeone neomu ginjanghaesseoyo.
I was so nervous before the exam.
- 7
회의 시작하기 전에 자료를 확인해 주세요.
Hoeui sijakagi jeone jaryoreul hwaginhae juseyo.
Please check the handouts before the meeting starts.
- 8
잊어버리기 전에 메모해 둘게요.
Ijeobeorigi jeone memohae dulgeyo.
I'll write it down before I forget.
Practice
8 questions집에 갔기 전에 장을 봤어요.
Jibe gatgi jeone jangeul bwasseoyo.
I went grocery shopping before going home.
기 전에 vs (으)ㄴ 후에
These two are opposites, but they're built differently. 전에 jeone takes 기 gi and never shows tense. 후에 hue takes the past-style 은 eun or ㄴ, because the first action is already over.
- 먹기 전에 meokgi jeone "before eating"
- 먹은 후에 meogeun hue "after eating"
More in the (으)ㄴ 후에 lesson.
By the time: 기 전까지
Add 까지 kkaji and you get a deadline, "by the time" or "until before":
- 해가 지기 전까지 돌아와. haega jigi jeonkkaji dorawa "Be back before the sun goes down."
- 출발하기 전까지 연락 주세요. chulbalhagi jeonkkaji yeollak juseyo "Get in touch before we leave."
전에 on its own
With nothing in front, 전에 jeone means "before" in the sense of "at some point in the past":
- 전에 여기 와 본 적 있어요. jeone yeogi wa bon jeok isseoyo "I've been here before."
Look it up in the dictionary
The entry for 기 전에 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.
