Key Facts
- Hangul: 오전; Revised Romanization: ojeon
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 午前 (午 noon + 前 before)
- Register: Neutral, standard word; used for clock times.
A.M. in Korean: What Does 오전 Mean?
오전 is a noun meaning "a.m." or "morning (before noon)". It is a standard, neutral word for clock times and schedules, and it covers the whole stretch from midnight to noon.
How Do You Pronounce It?
Two syllables, o-jeon. The o is said with rounded lips, and jeon uses the open eo vowel, close to the u in "fun", before n.
Example Sentences with 오전
오전에 회의가 있어요.
Ojeone hoeuiga isseoyo
I have a meeting in the morning.
오전에 is "in the morning". 회의가 is the subject, and 있어요 says there is one: I have a meeting in the morning.
오전 아홉 시에 일어나요.
Ojeon ahop sie ireonayo
I get up at nine a.m.
오전 comes before 아홉 시. Spoken hours use native numbers, so nine o'clock is 아홉 시.
오전에는 바빠요.
Ojeoneneun bappayo
I am busy in the morning.
에는 adds contrast: in the morning I am busy, but perhaps not later.
Common Phrases and Collocations
오전 9시 is 9 a.m., 오전 근무 is a morning shift, 오전 중에 is during the morning, and 오전반 is a morning class.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 오전 9시 | 9 a.m. |
| 오전 근무 | morning shift |
| 오전 중에 | during the morning |
| 오전반 | morning class |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ 9시 오전
Correct: ✓ 오전 9시
Why: English puts a.m. after the number, but Korean goes from the larger unit to the smaller one: first the half of the day, then the hour.
오전 Compared with 오후 and 아침 and 정오
오후 is the opposite, p.m. 아침 is early morning and also breakfast, while 정오 is exactly 12:00.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 오후 | p.m. | 오후 is the opposite of 오전, from noon to midnight. |
| 아침 | morning | 아침 is the early part of the morning and also means breakfast; it is not used for clock times like 11 a.m. |
| 정오 | noon | 정오 is exactly 12:00, the point where 오전 ends. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
오전 is Sino-Korean, written 午前 in hanja: 午 (noon) plus 前 (before). So it means literally "before noon".
Confirming a Morning Appointment
A patient calls a clinic to check an appointment. The receptionist gives the hour, and the patient confirms which half of the day it falls in.
Patient
내일 예약이 몇 시예요?
Naeil yeyagi myeot siyeyo?
What time is my appointment tomorrow?
Receptionist
오전 열 시예요.
Ojeon yeol siyeyo.
It is at ten a.m.
Patient
오전 열 시에 갈게요.
Ojeon yeol sie galgeyo.
I will come at ten a.m.
Receptionist
네, 내일 봬요.
Ne, naeil bwaeyo.
Yes, see you tomorrow.
The receptionist can leave out the word for appointment because both speakers already know the subject. 오전 still matters: ten in the evening would be a very different booking. In the patient's reply, 에 follows the whole time expression, so 오전 열 시에 means “at ten a.m.”
Where Will You See 오전 on Schedules?
오전 appears before the hour in appointment messages, opening hours and class timetables. A written time such as 오전 10시 30분 has three parts: the half of the day, the hour and the minutes. When reading it aloud, use native Korean numbers for the hour and Sino-Korean numbers for the minutes. The number systems change within a single clock time.
A schedule using a 24-hour clock may show 09:00 without 오전. The leading zero already identifies a morning hour. In conversation, adding 오전 makes a bare hour clearer, especially when arranging travel or checking a booking over the phone.
오전 is neutral, so it belongs in both a friend's message and a formal notice. The ending of the sentence supplies the politeness. A short label on a timetable needs no polite ending at all.
Morning Phrases with Different Promises
오전 중에 means “during the morning.” It gives a time window rather than an exact appointment. If someone promises a call 오전 중에, you know to expect it before noon, but you still do not have a precise hour. 오전 내내 means “all morning,” describing how long something continues. The first phrase locates an event; the second emphasizes its duration.
오전 근무 names work scheduled for the morning. 오전반 names a morning class or group, often contrasted with an afternoon group. Neither expression means that the activity necessarily begins at midnight: the actual hours depend on the workplace or school.
Near the boundary, 정오 means noon and 자정 means midnight. English “12 a.m.” and “12 p.m.” can cause the same confusion in translated schedules. Using the boundary word, or confirming the date and a 24-hour time, makes an overnight booking clearer.
Words for the Rest of the Day
| Korean | Meaning | Useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 오후 | p.m. | Put it before an afternoon or evening clock time. |
| 정오 | noon | Names the exact midday boundary. |
| 자정 | midnight | Check the date when this is a meeting or departure time. |
| 새벽 | dawn / early morning | Useful for hours when people may still be asleep. |
The time expressions lesson groups these day parts with clock vocabulary. 새벽 can make an early hour sound more natural in conversation, while 오전 is useful for the precise a.m. label on a booking.
Quick Self-Test
- Where does 오전 go in “9 a.m.”?
- Does 오전 중에 promise an exact hour?
- Which word means exactly noon?
Show answers
- Before the hour: 오전 9시.
- No. It means during the morning, before noon.
- 정오.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "a.m." in Korean?
Say 오전 (ojeon) and put it before the hour: 오전 9시 is 9 a.m. It is the standard word on clocks, timetables and schedules.
Where does 오전 go in a time?
Before the hour: 오전 9시, read ojeon ahop si. Putting it after the time, as in English, sounds wrong in Korean.
What is the opposite of 오전?
The opposite is 오후, meaning p.m. It covers everything from noon to midnight, so 오후 아홉 시 is 9 p.m.
What is the difference between 오전 and 아침?
오전 is any time before noon and is used with clock times. 아침 is the early morning and also means breakfast.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Time expressions groups 오전 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add 오전 to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Compare with the page for p.m..
- Compare with the page for morning.