오전
ojeon[ˈo̞(ː)d͡ʑʌ̹n]
In Korean, the phrase for the English 'am' (as in a time of day) is 오전 (ojeon).
The term 오전 is used to indicate the period before noon. When specifying a time, place 오전 directly before the time, such as in 오전 10시 (10:00 AM).
Meaning: before noon (adv)
How do you pronounce it?
ojeon
Did you know?
- The concept of 'morning' in Korean is split between the physical time of day and the biological time of waking up, which is why 아침 is often used for breakfast.
- If you are referring to the early morning hours, such as dawn, you would use the native Korean word 새벽 instead of 오전.
- Because 오전 is a Sino-Korean word, it feels more formal and precise than the native Korean word 아침, which refers more to the 'morning' as a feeling or mealtime.
Examples in context
- 저는 학생입니다.I am a student.
- 나는 회사원입니다.I am an office worker.
- 저는 한국 사람입니다.I am Korean.
- 오전 열 시에 만나요.ojeon yeol si-e mannayo.Let's meet at 10 a.m.
- 오전 내내 비가 왔어요.ojeon naenae biga wasseoyo.It rained all morning.
Example conversation
Ji-eun and Min-jun are making plans for a meeting.
- 지은 Ji-eun민준 씨, 오전 일정이 있어요?Minjun ssi, ojeon iljeongi isseoyo?Min-jun, do you have any plans this morning?
- 민준 Min-jun아니요, 오전에는 한가해요.Aniyo, ojeon-eneun hangahaeyo.No, I am free in the morning.
- 지은 Ji-eun그럼 오전 열 시에 만날까요?Geureom ojeon yeol si-e mannalkkayo?Then shall we meet at 10 a.m.?
- 민준 Min-jun좋아요, 그때 만나요.Joayo, geuttae mannayo.Sounds good, see you then.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 오전, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
