Key Facts
- Hangul: 언제; Revised Romanization: eonje
- Part of speech: adverb
- Origin: native
- Register: Neutral.
When in Korean: What Does 언제 Mean?
언제 asks about a time and has a neutral register. It stays the same whether you ask about a date, a day or a rough moment. For an exact clock time, Koreans usually ask with 몇 시 (what time) instead.
How Do You Pronounce 언제?
Two syllables, eon-je. The vowel ㅓ is an open, unrounded "uh", and the ㄴ at the end of the first syllable must be clearly heard: it is the only sound that separates 언제 (when) from 어제 (yesterday).
Example Sentences with 언제
언제 와요?
Eonje wayo?
When are you coming?
와요 means come, so the question asks when the other person will arrive.
생일이 언제예요?
Saengiri eonjeyeyo?
When is your birthday?
생일이 is the birthday as subject, and 예요 completes the "is" question.
언제 만날까요?
Eonje mannalkkayo?
When shall we meet?
만날까요 is the "shall we meet?" form, the usual way to fix a time with a friend.
Common Phrases and Collocations
Each phrase adds a particle or ending to the question word.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 언제 어디서나 | anytime, anywhere |
| 언제든지 | whenever |
| 언제부터 | since when |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ 어제 와요? (meant as "When are you coming?")
Correct: ✓ 언제 와요?
Why: 어제 means "yesterday", so dropping the ㄴ changes the question word into a time word. Keep the clear n before je.
언제 Compared with Similar Words
몇 시 asks for a clock time. 어제 sounds similar but means yesterday. 지금 means now.
| Word | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 몇 시 | what time | Asks about clock time. |
| 어제 | yesterday | Sounds similar but means 'yesterday'. |
| 지금 | now | Current time. |
Background on 언제
The collocations show how far one question word stretches. 언제든지 means whenever, and 언제 어디서나 means anytime anywhere, so a question about time becomes a promise of availability. 언제부터 asks "since when?": in a neutral tone it is a simple question about a starting point, and in a sharp tone it sounds like a complaint.
Arranging a Study Session
Two classmates need a time to study together. The first question leaves the time open; the follow-up asks for a clock time.
Mina
언제 같이 공부할까요?
Eonje gachi gongbuhalkkayo?
When shall we study together?
Alex
금요일은 어때요?
Geumyoireun eottaeyo?
How about Friday?
Mina
좋아요. 몇 시에 만날까요?
Joayo. Myeot sie mannalkkayo?
Sounds good. What time shall we meet?
Alex
오후 세 시에 만나요.
Ohu se sie mannayo.
Let’s meet at three in the afternoon.
언제 allows a broad answer such as Friday. Once they agree on the day, 몇 시에 narrows the question to the hour. The answer 오후 세 시에 includes “afternoon”, so the classmates can distinguish three in the afternoon from three in the morning. 언제 can accept either kind of answer, but 몇 시 makes the request for an hour explicit.
Starting Points and Deadlines
언제부터 asks “from when?” or “since when?” The particle 부터 marks a starting point. When asking about a class or job, the answer might be a date; when asking about a shop’s morning service, it could be a clock time. The noun or activity in the conversation supplies the scale.
언제까지 asks “until when?” or “by when?” 까지 marks an endpoint. In a conversation about a stay, it asks when the stay ends. In a conversation about submitting work, it asks for the deadline. English chooses between “until” and “by”, but Korean uses 까지 for the endpoint in both situations.
A bare 언제 question does not tell the listener whether you need the beginning or the end. Adding 부터 or 까지 makes that clear. If a course notice gives both a start date and a finish date, these two particles help you connect each date to its role.
When Does 언제 Mean “Whenever”?
언제든지 means “whenever” or “at any time”. The added 든지 opens the choice. In a discussion about visiting, it says the timing is flexible; it does not ask the visitor to supply a time. The shorter 언제든 also occurs with the same open-choice meaning.
언제 어디서나 means “anytime, anywhere”. You may see it in a service description or hear it in a promise of support. The expression combines time with place, so it is broader than 언제든지 alone. A sign using it describes availability rather than asking two questions.
언제나 means “always”. It describes something that holds consistently. Keep that meaning separate from the question 언제: the extra 나 changes the whole expression. In a message of thanks, 언제나 can describe someone’s continuing help rather than a particular date.
Where Will You Hear 언제?
Friends use 언제 to arrange visits, meals and calls. Staff use it to ask about arrival dates or appointment times. The question word stays neutral; the verb ending determines how the question addresses the listener. The polite examples on this page are useful when speaking with someone you do not know well.
English also uses “when” to join two statements, as in “when I arrive”. Korean does not normally insert 언제 as that kind of connector. The phrase 올 때 means “when coming” or “when someone comes”; 때 means “time” or “occasion”. Keep 언제 for asking about an unknown time, and learn time clauses as a separate pattern.
Words for Answering a When-Question
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 오늘 | today | Answers with a day relative to now. |
| 내일 | tomorrow | Specifies the following day. |
| 오전 | morning / a.m. | Distinguishes morning clock times. |
| 오후 | afternoon / p.m. | Makes the study-session answer precise. |
The question words lesson connects 언제 with other ways to ask for missing information.
Quick Self-Test
- Which asks about an endpoint: 언제부터 or 언제까지?
- What question more specifically requests a clock time?
- Does 언제나 ask “when?”
Show answers
- 언제까지.
- 몇 시에 asks “at what time?”
- No. It means “always”.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say when in Korean?
When in Korean is 언제 (eonje). It usually comes near the start of the question, as in 언제 와요? (When are you coming?).
How do I ask someone's birthday?
Say 생일이 언제예요? (When is your birthday?). 생일 means birthday, and 언제예요 means "when is it?".
Is 언제 the same as 어제?
No. 언제 means "when" and 어제 means "yesterday". The two differ only by the ㄴ at the end of the first syllable, so pronounce it clearly.
What does 언제부터 mean?
언제부터 means "since when?" or "from when?". It asks when something started, and a sharp tone can make it sound like a complaint.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: the question words list puts when beside what and where.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Compare with the page for yesterday.
- Also compare the page for now.
- Next in the list: the page for why.
- Practice: add this word to the vocabulary flashcard decks.