Learn Korean: Time + (으)로 / 됐다

Let’s take a look at the Korean sentence pattern Time + (으)로/됐다. We use this to answer questions like How long has it been since... For example, if someone asked me How long has it been since you got married?, I would answer five months. But if I have to be more specific, when it exactly fell on the fifth month, I would say five months / last week. There are two time expressions: five months and last week. Five months (5달) is the exact duration and last week (지난 주) is the point of limit. We say the point of limit first (지난 주) and attach 로 to it (지난 주로). If the word ends in a consonant, use 으로. Next is the duration and the verb 됐다 (5달 됐다). The actual sentence is 지난 주로 5달(이) 됐어(요). The subject particle is attached to the time expression. Use 이 if the word ends in a consonant and 가 if the word ends in a vowel. Nevertheless, it is often dropped in spoken language.

 

3월로 5년이 됐어요.

Five years last March. (since I started working in this company)

내일로 한달 돼요.

It’s gonna be a month by tomorrow. (since I arrived here)

작년으로 10년이 됐어요.

It’s been ten year by last year.