TOPIK · Level 117
15 words
Korean word
어느새
Pronunciation
Romanizationeoneusae
Meaning
- adverbbefore I knew it
Example
어느새 밤이 깊어졌어요.eo neu sae pa mi ki peo jeo sseo yo
It was late at night before I knew it.
More examples
어느새 운동이 습관이 됐어요.eo neu sae un dong i seup kkwa ni twae sseo yo
Before I knew it, exercise had become a habit.
Core concept
Time moves on unnoticed, and the result is already there before anyone notices.
Common phrases
어느새 습관이 되다eo neu sae seup kkwa ni toe da
become a habit before I knew it
어느새 늦어지다eo neu sae neu seo ji da
get late before I knew it
어느새 익숙해지다eo neu sae ik ssu kae ji da
become familiar before I knew it
Similar words
어느덧eoneudeot: Describes time passing quietly until a new stage is reached.
벌써peolsseo: Emphasizes that something happened sooner than expected or is complete by now.
이미imi: States that an earlier event has already established the present situation.
어느 틈에eoneu teume: Refers to an unnoticed moment when something happened.
Definition in Korean
알아차리지 못한 사이에 이미 어떤 상태가 되어 있음을 나타내는 부사.a ra cha ri ji mo tan sa i e i mi eo tteon sang tae ga toe eo i sseu meul na ta nae neun pu sa
Word origin
The word is a native Korean formation linked to an unspecified time and a passing interval, which gives it its sense of an unnoticed change reaching its result.
Usage tips
- It commonly highlights the result rather than a plan, so it fits naturally when a situation has changed without deliberate action.
Other meanings
- alreadyadverb