How to Say "When" in Korean - How To Say Guide

언제

eonje[ˈɘ(ː)ɲd͡ʑe̞]

The English word "when" is translated into Korean as 언제 (eonje).

언제 is used as "as soon as, at the time that (conj)".

Meaning: as soon as, at the time that (conj)

How do you pronounce it?

eonje

When asking 'when' in a polite social context, Koreans often omit the word 언제 entirely if the time is implied, as explicitly asking for a time can sometimes feel too demanding or blunt.
The word 언제 is a contraction of 어느 meaning 'which', 적 meaning 'time' and the particle -의. Literally, it means 'at what time'.
While 언제 asks about a specific point in time, Korean uses a different word 때 when referring to a general period or era, such as 'the time of the dinosaurs'.

걔 언제 올지 모르겠어
I don't know when he's coming.
This sentence demonstrates using 언제 to express uncertainty about a person's arrival time.
Tatoeba #8306574 by ljj, translation #2425565 by CM
집에 언제 도착할 겁니까?
When will you get home?
This sentence shows how to ask for a specific arrival time using 언제.
Tatoeba #10760067 by HappyMidnight, translation #2006365 by AlanF_US
눈이 언제 내리기 시작했어?
When did it start snowing?
This sentence illustrates asking about the starting time of an event using 언제.
Tatoeba #8441230 by Eunhee, translation #8441020 by CK
언제 만날 수 있나요?
When can we meet?
몇 시에 회의가 시작되나요?
What time does the meeting start?
언제 놀러 갈 거야?
When are we going to hang out?
언제쯤 도착할 거 같아?
When do you think you will arrive (around what time)?
43 more sentences on Tatoeba

Minji and Minjun are discussing their plan to eat dinner.

민지 Min-ji

우리 언제 저녁 먹을까요?
uri eonje jeonyeok meogeulkkayo?
When shall we have dinner?
민준 Min-jun

지금 바로 먹어요.
jigeum baro meogeoyo.
Let's eat right now.
민지 Min-ji

그럼 언제 나갈 거예요?
geureom eonje nagal geoyeyo?
Then when are you going to head out?
민준 Min-jun

5분 뒤에 나갈게요.
obun dwie nagalgeyo.
I'll go out in five minutes.

Sources

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