Key Facts
- 작년 (jangnyeon) means last year.
- Part of speech: noun; origin: Sino-Korean.
- Register: Neutral, everyday word; 지난해 is a slightly more formal alternative.
- Level: A1.
- Hanja: 昨年 (昨 yesterday, last + 年 year).
Last Year in Korean: What Does 작년 Mean?
작년 comes from the hanja 昨年, where 昨 means yesterday or last and 年 means year. It is neutral and everyday. A slightly more formal, written alternative exists, 지난해, so 작년 is the one to use in conversation.
How Do You Pronounce 작년?
Here the spelling misleads. The ㄱ at the end of the first syllable sits before ㄴ, and the nasalization rule turns it into ng, so the word is read [jang-nyeon], not jak-nyeon. The romanization jangnyeon follows the sound. This is rule 18 of the Standard Pronunciation rules (표준 발음법).
How Do You Use 작년 in a Sentence?
작년에 한국에 왔어요.
I came to Korea last year.
Jangnyeone hanguge wasseoyo. With 에 the year becomes a time phrase. The verb 왔어요 is past tense of come, so this sentence tells when you arrived.
작년 여름은 아주 더웠어요.
Last summer was very hot.
Jangnyeon yeoreumeun aju deowosseoyo. Placed before 여름, 작년 turns summer into last summer, and the topic marker 은 makes it what the sentence is about.
작년에는 일본에 갔어요.
Last year I went to Japan.
Jangnyeoneneun ilbone gasseoyo. The double marker 에는 adds contrast: last year, as opposed to other years. The destination 일본에 completes the trip.
Common Word Combinations
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 작년에 | last year |
| 작년 여름 | last summer |
| 작년 이맘때 | this time last year |
| 작년 말 | end of last year |
작년에 and 작년 여름 do the everyday work, 작년 말 marks the end of the year, and 작년 이맘때 means around this time last year. All four place the year word first.
Common Mistake
Wrong: ✗ jak-nyeon, read letter by letter
Correct: ✓ [jang-nyeon]
Why: a final ㄱ before ㄴ becomes the nasal ng. If you hear a k, you are off: keep the back of the tongue raised and let the sound run through the nose.
How Does 작년 Differ from Similar Words?
| Word | Meaning | How to tell it from 작년 |
|---|---|---|
| 지난해 | last year (formal) | Same meaning, but slightly more formal and common in writing and news. |
| 올해 | this year | 올해 is the current year, one step after 작년. |
| 내년 | next year | 내년 is the coming year, two steps after 작년. |
Talking about a First Trip to Korea
Two classmates are comparing when they first visited Korea. One remembers both the year and the season.
Hana
작년에 한국에 왔어요?
Jangnyeone hanguge wasseoyo?
Did you come to Korea last year?
Leo
네. 작년 여름에 처음 왔어요.
Ne. Jangnyeon yeoreume cheoeum wasseoyo.
Yes. I first came last summer.
Hana
작년 여름은 아주 더웠어요.
Jangnyeon yeoreumeun aju deowosseoyo.
Last summer was very hot.
Leo
맞아요. 올해는 봄에 왔어요.
Majayo. Olhaeneun bome wasseoyo.
That’s right. This year I came in spring.
처음 means “for the first time” here. 작년 여름에 adds 에 after the whole phrase “last summer”, while 작년 여름은 makes that summer the topic of a comment about the heat. The final line shifts to 올해, “this year”, so the speakers can compare two visits.
Where Will You Hear or See 작년?
작년 appears in conversations about trips, school, jobs and annual events. A friend showing an old photo may identify it with 작년 여름, “last summer”. In a workplace update, 작년 can introduce a comparison with the current year. The word is neutral enough for both situations.
지난해 is also common in reports and written summaries, as the comparison table shows. 작년 is not impolite or unsuitable for writing. The difference is a preference in style, rather than a rule requiring a formal substitute whenever you speak to someone older.
Last Calendar Year or a Year Ago?
작년 means the previous calendar year. 일 년 전 means one year ago and measures back from a reference point. In January, a trip in the preceding December happened in 작년 even though only a few weeks have passed. That trip did not happen a full year ago.
The reference year also matters in old messages. In an email written during one year, 작년 points to the year before the email was written. For an application or another document that will be read much later, a numbered year avoids this moving reference point. In conversation, 작년 usually needs no further explanation.
Seasonal and Comparison Phrases
작년 이맘때 means “around this time last year”. It can refer to a similar part of the season without claiming the exact same date. In a conversation about weather, the phrase invites a comparison between conditions now and conditions around the same time in the preceding year.
작년 말 means “the end of last year”. 말 follows the time unit, so it belongs at the end of the phrase. 작년부터 means “since last year” and names a starting point. A continuing activity can begin in 작년 and still be happening now; the word itself does not force the whole sentence into the past.
Words for Comparing Years
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 올해 | this year | The current calendar year. |
| 내년 | next year | The calendar year after this one. |
| 재작년 | the year before last | Goes back one year further than 작년. |
| 일 년 전 | one year ago | Focuses on elapsed time rather than the calendar boundary. |
The time expressions lesson teaches the wider set. Keep 재작년 as one word, but write 일 년 전 with spaces: it is a number, a year unit and the word for “before”.
Quick Self-Test
- In January, can last December belong to 작년?
- Does 작년 이맘때 require an exact matching date?
- Which word goes back further: 작년 or 재작년?
Show answers
- Yes. 작년 follows the calendar year boundary.
- No. It means around this time last year.
- 재작년 means the year before last.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does 작년 Mean?
작년 means last year, the year before the current one. Add 에 to use it as a time: 작년에 한국에 왔어요 means I came to Korea last year.
How Is 작년 Pronounced?
It is read [jang-nyeon], not jak-nyeon. The final ㄱ becomes the nasal ng before ㄴ, and the romanization jangnyeon shows this.
Is 지난해 Different?
지난해 means the same thing but is slightly more formal and common in writing and news. In everyday speech, 작년 is the usual word.
What Is the Hanja?
The hanja are 昨年: 昨 means yesterday or last and 年 means year. The same 昨 does not appear in the native word for yesterday.
Where to Go Next
Pair it with this year and next year to cover the three years in a row.