Korean word

오래전

Pronunciation

Romanizationoraejeon

Meaning

  • adverba long time ago

Example

저는 오래전에 그 가게에 자주 갔어요.cheo neun o rae jeo ne keu ka ge e cha ju ka sseo yo

I often went to that store a long time ago.

Illustration for 오래전 (a long time ago)

More examples

그 영화를 오래전에 본 기억이 있어요.keu yeong hwa reul o rae jeo ne pon ki eo gi i sseo yo

I remember seeing that movie a long time ago.

Core concept

A point far back on the timeline, with no specific date given.

Common phrases

  • 오래전에o rae jeo ne

    a long time ago

Similar words

예전에yejeone: Points to a previous time in a general, unspecific way.
한참 전에hancham cheone: Marks a time well before the present or a particular reference point.
진작chinjak: Shows that an action was already due or should have happened earlier.
이전에ijeone: Means at an earlier point in time, often before a specified event.

Definition in Korean

지금보다 훨씬 옛날의 때를 가리키는 부사로, 특정한 시기를 밝히지 않고 먼 과거를 나타낸다.chi geum bo da hwol ssin yen na rui ttae reul ka ri ki neun pu sa ro teuk jjeong han si gi reul pal ki ji an ko meon kwa geo reul na ta naen da

Word origin

오래전 (oraejeon, "a long time ago") is formed from 오래 (orae, "a long time") and 전 (jeon, "before"), joining the ideas of a long span and an earlier time.

Usage tips

  • It works well when a story looks back without giving a year, month, or other precise date.

Other meanings

  • in the old daysadverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word