Korean word

그제야

Pronunciation

Romanizationkeujeya

Meaning

  • adverbonly then

Example

그제야 알게 됐어.keu je ya al ge twae sseo

I only found out then.

Illustration for 그제야 (only then)

More examples

회의가 끝나고 그제야 집으로 돌아갔다.hoe ui ga kkeun na go keu je ya chi beu ro to ra gat tta

Only after the meeting ended did I go home.

Core concept

Something happens or becomes known only at the moment being discussed, not before.

Common phrases

  • 그제야 준비를 마쳤다keu je ya chun bi reul ma cheot tta

    only then finished preparing

  • 그제야 집으로 돌아갔다keu je ya chi beu ro to ra gat tta

    only then went home

Similar words

이제야ijeya: Something becomes clear or happens only now, after a long delay.
마침내machimnae: A goal is achieved after a long process has reached its end.
결국kyeolguk: The final outcome follows from everything that happened along the way.
드디어teudieo: A long-awaited event finally takes place after all the necessary steps are complete.

Definition in Korean

이전에 일어나지 않았거나 알지 못하던 일이 특정한 순간이 되어서야 비로소 일어나거나 드러났음을 나타내는 부사.i jeo ne i reo na ji a nat kkeo na al ji mo ta deon i ri teuk jjeong han sun ga ni toe eo seo ya pi ro so i reo na geo na teu reo na sseu meul na ta nae neun pu sa

Word origin

The origin is uncertain, so learning the whole word as a single unit avoids attaching an unsupported meaning to separate parts.

Usage tips

  • It often appears with a past-tense statement when a speaker wants to stress how late a realization or event occurred.

Opposites

Word lists with this word