어제 vs 그저께: Mastering Time Expressions

Real-world examples

• ⭕

  어제 친구를 만났어요.

  eo-je chin-gu-reul man-nass-eo-yo., eo je chin gu reul man nass eo yo.

  Refers to the day before today, so 어제 is correct.

• ⭕

  그저께 친구를 만났어요.

  geu-jeo-kke chin-gu-reul man-nass-eo-yo., geu jeo kke chin gu reul man nass eo yo.

  Means two days before today, so 그저께 is correct.

• ❌

  어제 그저께에 갔어요.

  eo-je geu-jeo-kke-e gass-eo-yo., eo je geu jeo kke e gass eo yo.

  Combining 어제 and 그저께 is incorrect as they refer to different days.

• ⭕

  그저께에 학교에 갔어요.

  geu-jeo-kke-e hak-gyo-e gass-eo-yo., geu jeo kke e hak gyo e gass eo yo.

  Correctly indicates two days ago.

• ❌

  어제에 학교에 갔어요.

  eo-je-e hak-gyo-e gass-eo-yo., eo je e hak gyo e gass eo yo.

  '어제' is not used with the particle '에'.

• ❌

  그저께에 비가 왔어요.

  geu-jeo-kke-e bi-ga wass-eo-yo., geu jeo kke e bi ga wass eo yo.

  '그저께' is generally not used with the particle '에'.

• ⭕

  그저께는 날씨가 좋았어요.

  geu-jeo-kke-neun nal-ssi-ga joh-ass-eo-yo., geu jeo kke neun nal ssi ga joh ass eo yo.

  Natural use of 그저께 as subject without particle.

• ⭕

  어제는 바빴어요.

  eo-je-neun ba-ppass-eo-yo., eo je neun ba ppass eo yo.

  어제 is naturally used as subject without particle.

1. From today, when does '그저께' refer to?

   오늘 기준으로 '그저께'는 언제를 가리키나요?(o-neulgi-jun-eu-ro'geu-jeo-kke'neuneon-je-reulga-ri-ki-na-yo?, oneulgijuneuro'geujeokke'neuneonjereulgarikinayo?)
   • 어제(eo-je, eoje)
   • 이틀 전(i-teuljeon, iteuljeon)
   • 오늘(o-neul, oneul)
   • 삼일 전(sam-iljeon, samiljeon)

2. Which sentence correctly uses '어제'?

   다음 중 어제에 대한 올바른 문장은?(da-eumjungeo-je-edae-hanol-ba-reunmun-jang-eun?, daeumjungeojeedaehanolbareunmunjangeun?)
   • 어제에 비가 왔어요.(eo-je-ebi-gawass-eo-yo., eojeebigawasseoyo.)
   • 어제 친구를 만났어요.(eo-jechin-gu-reulman-nass-eo-yo., eojechingureulmannasseoyo.)
   • 그저께에 어제 갔어요.(geu-jeo-kke-eeo-jegass-eo-yo., geujeokkeeeojegasseoyo.)
   • 어제 그저께에 학교 갔어요.(eo-jegeu-jeo-kke-ehak-gyogass-eo-yo., eojegeujeokkeehakgyogasseoyo.)

3. Which expression does NOT fit with '그저께'?

   '그저께'와 어울리지 않는 표현은?('geu-jeo-kke'waeo-ul-ri-jian-neunpyo-hyeon-eun?, 'geujeokke'waeoulrijianneunpyohyeoneun?)
   • 그저께에 갔어요.(geu-jeo-kke-egass-eo-yo., geujeokkeegasseoyo.)
   • 그저께는 날씨가 좋았어요.(geu-jeo-kke-neunnal-ssi-gajoh-ass-eo-yo., geujeokkeneunnalssigajohasseoyo.)
   • 이틀 전에 그저께 일이 있었어요.(i-teuljeon-egeu-jeo-kkeil-iiss-eoss-eo-yo., iteuljeonegeujeokkeiliisseosseoyo.)
   • 그저께 친구를 만났어요.(geu-jeo-kkechin-gu-reulman-nass-eo-yo., geujeokkechingureulmannasseoyo.)