For autodidact students of Korean, 지금 (jigeum) is "now": the present moment, the time at which one is speaking. 지금 가요 (I'm going now). 지금 몇 시예요? (What time is it now?). It is the plainest, most frequent way to say "now" in Korean, and it is the word you should reach for first.
Unlike English "now," which is an adverb only, 지금 is both a noun and an adverb. As an adverb it stands on its own before the verb: 지금 비가 와요 (it's raining now). As a noun it takes particles, exactly as a word like 오늘 (today) does: 지금은 (as for now), 지금도 (even now, still), 지금까지 (until now), 지금부터 (from now on), 지금쯤 (about now, by now), 지금의 (of now, present-day).
The word is Sino-Korean, from the characters 只今: 只 "only, just" and 今 "now, the present." Literally, "just now, this very present."
Korean has several other words that English also translates "now," and each has its own job: - 이제 (ije): now, at this point, from now on. It marks a change from before: 이제 가요 (it's time to go now; now I'm leaving). - 요즘 (yojeum): these days, nowadays. A stretch of time around the present. - 방금 (banggeum): just now, a moment ago. - 당장 (dangjang): right now, immediately, on the spot.
This lesson teaches 지금 and shows where these neighbours take over.
Script note: 지금 is two syllable blocks. 지 = ㅈ + ㅣ; 금 = ㄱ + ㅡ + ㅁ, with ㅁ as the final consonant (받침). Before a vowel, that ㅁ carries over into the next syllable: 지금은 is pronounced [지그믄].
Key Takeaways: - 지금 (jigeum): now, the present moment. It is both a noun and an adverb - 지금은 / 지금도 / 지금까지 / 지금부터 / 지금쯤: now (by contrast) / even now, still / until now / from now on / about now, by now - 지금 당장: right now, this minute - 지금 막: just this moment - 이제 (ije): now, as a change from before, "from now on" - 요즘 (yojeum): these days; 방금 (banggeum): just now, a moment ago - 只今: Sino-Korean origin, "just this present"
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51.1a 지금 now 가요 go
51.1b jigeum (JEE-gum) now gayo (GAH-yo) go-POLITE
51.2a 지금 now 몇 what-number 시예요 o'clock-is
51.2b jigeum (JEE-gum) now myeot (MYUHT) how-many siyeyo (SHEE-yeh-yo) hour-COP.POLITE
51.3a 지금은 now-as-for 바빠요 busy
51.3b jigeumeun (JEE-guh-meun) now-TOP bappayo (BAHP-pa-yo) busy-POLITE
51.4a 지금 now 뭐 what 해요 do
51.4b jigeum (JEE-gum) now mwo (MWUH) what haeyo (HEH-yo) do-POLITE
51.5a 지금 now 비가 rain 와요 comes
51.5b jigeum (JEE-gum) now biga (BEE-ga) rain-SUBJ wayo (WAH-yo) come-POLITE
51.6a 지금부터 now-from 한국어로만 in-Korean-only 말해요 speak
51.6b jigeumbuteo (JEE-gum-boo-tuh) now-from hangugeoroman (HAHN-goo-guh-ro-man) Korean-INSTR-only malhaeyo (MAHL-heh-yo) speak-POLITE
51.7a 지금까지 now-until 뭐 what 했어요 did
51.7b jigeumkkaji (JEE-gum-kkah-jee) now-until mwo (MWUH) what haesseoyo (HESS-suh-yo) do-PAST.POLITE
51.8a 저는 I 지금 now 서울에 in-Seoul 살아요 live
51.8b jeoneun (JUH-neun) I-HUMBLE.TOP jigeum (JEE-gum) now seoure (SUH-oo-reh) Seoul-LOC sarayo (SAH-ra-yo) live-POLITE
51.9a 지금 now 생각해 thinking 보니 having-tried 제가 I 틀렸어요 was-wrong
51.9b jigeum (JEE-gum) now saenggakhae (SENG-gak-heh) think-CONN boni (BO-nee) try-SEQ jega (JEH-ga) I-HUMBLE.SUBJ teullyeosseoyo (TEUL-lyuhss-suh-yo) be-wrong-PAST.POLITE
51.10a 지금 now 당장 immediately 병원에 to-hospital 가야 must-go 돼요 it-becomes
51.10b jigeum (JEE-gum) now dangjang (DAHNG-jang) immediately byeongwone (BYUHNG-wuh-neh) hospital-to gaya (GAH-ya) go-NECESSITY dwaeyo (DWEH-yo) become-POLITE
51.11a 지금 now 이 this 순간은 moment 다시 again 오지 come 않아요 not
51.11b jigeum (JEE-gum) now i (EE) this sunganeun (SOON-ga-neun) moment-TOP dasi (DAH-shee) again oji (OH-jee) come-NEG.CONN anayo (AH-na-yo) not-POLITE
51.12a 기차가 train 지금쯤 about-now 부산에 in-Busan 도착했을 will-have-arrived 거예요 thing-is
51.12b gichaga (GEE-cha-ga) train-SUBJ jigeumjjeum (JEE-gum-jjeum) now-about busane (BOO-sa-neh) Busan-LOC dochakhaesseul (DOH-chak-hess-seul) arrive-PAST.PROSPECTIVE geoyeyo (GUH-yeh-yo) thing-COP.POLITE
51.13a 그 that 사람은 person 지금도 even-now 그 that 집에 in-house 살고 living 있어요 is
51.13b geu (GEU) that sarameun (SAH-ra-meun) person-TOP jigeumdo (JEE-gum-doh) now-ALSO geu (GEU) that jibe (JEE-beh) house-LOC salgo (SAHL-go) live-CONN isseoyo (EESS-suh-yo) be-PROGRESSIVE.POLITE
51.14a 십 ten 년 years 전과 before-and 지금은 now 많이 much 달라요 differ
51.14b sip (SHIP) ten nyeon (NYUHN) year jeongwa (JUHN-gwa) before-AND jigeumeun (JEE-guh-meun) now-TOP mani (MAH-nee) much dallayo (DAHL-la-yo) differ-POLITE
51.15a 방금 just-now 전화했는데 I-phoned-but 지금은 now 안 not 받아요 answers
51.15b banggeum (BAHNG-gum) just-now jeonhwahaenneunde (JUHN-hwa-hen-neun-deh) phone-PAST.CIRCUMSTANTIAL jigeumeun (JEE-guh-meun) now-TOP an (AHN) not badayo (BAH-da-yo) receive-POLITE
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51.1 지금 가요. (jigeum gayo) "I'm going now." 51.2 지금 몇 시예요? (jigeum myeot siyeyo?) "What time is it now?" 51.3 지금은 바빠요. (jigeumeun bappayo) "I'm busy right now." (implied: at other times, perhaps not) 51.4 지금 뭐 해요? (jigeum mwo haeyo?) "What are you doing now?" 51.5 지금 비가 와요. (jigeum biga wayo) "It's raining now." 51.6 지금부터 한국어로만 말해요. (jigeumbuteo hangugeoroman malhaeyo) "From now on, we speak only Korean." 51.7 지금까지 뭐 했어요? (jigeumkkaji mwo haesseoyo?) "What have you been doing all this time?" 51.8 저는 지금 서울에 살아요. (jeoneun jigeum seoure sarayo) "I live in Seoul now." 51.9 지금 생각해 보니 제가 틀렸어요. (jigeum saenggakhae boni jega teullyeosseoyo) "Thinking about it now, I was wrong." 51.10 지금 당장 병원에 가야 돼요. (jigeum dangjang byeongwone gaya dwaeyo) "You have to go to the hospital right now." 51.11 지금 이 순간은 다시 오지 않아요. (jigeum i sunganeun dasi oji anayo) "This moment, now, will not come again." 51.12 기차가 지금쯤 부산에 도착했을 거예요. (gichaga jigeumjjeum busane dochakhaesseul geoyeyo) "The train will have reached Busan by now." 51.13 그 사람은 지금도 그 집에 살고 있어요. (geu sarameun jigeumdo geu jibe salgo isseoyo) "That person still lives in that house, even now." 51.14 십 년 전과 지금은 많이 달라요. (sip nyeon jeongwa jigeumeun mani dallayo) "Ten years ago and now are very different." 51.15 방금 전화했는데 지금은 안 받아요. (banggeum jeonhwahaenneunde jigeumeun an badayo) "I called a moment ago, but now they're not answering."
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51.1 지금 가요. 51.2 지금 몇 시예요? 51.3 지금은 바빠요. 51.4 지금 뭐 해요? 51.5 지금 비가 와요. 51.6 지금부터 한국어로만 말해요. 51.7 지금까지 뭐 했어요? 51.8 저는 지금 서울에 살아요. 51.9 지금 생각해 보니 제가 틀렸어요. 51.10 지금 당장 병원에 가야 돼요. 51.11 지금 이 순간은 다시 오지 않아요. 51.12 기차가 지금쯤 부산에 도착했을 거예요. 51.13 그 사람은 지금도 그 집에 살고 있어요. 51.14 십 년 전과 지금은 많이 달라요. 51.15 방금 전화했는데 지금은 안 받아요.
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These are the grammar rules for 지금 (jigeum), "now."
지금 is a noun that also works as an adverb. On its own, before the verb, it is an adverb: 지금 가요 (I'm going now). It needs no particle, and in ordinary time expressions it does not take the time particle 에: say 지금 가요, not \*지금에 가요. (Set phrases such as 지금에 와서, "at this late stage," are idioms and do not change the rule.) As a noun, 지금 takes the ordinary noun particles: - 지금 (jigeum): now - 지금은 (jigeumeun): now, as for now (in contrast with other times) - 지금도 (jigeumdo): even now, still - 지금까지 (jigeumkkaji): until now, so far - 지금부터 (jigeumbuteo): from now on - 지금쯤 (jigeumjjeum): about now, by now - 지금의 (jigeumui): present-day, of now (지금의 서울, present-day Seoul)
지금은 (topic) sets now against other times. 지금 바빠요 simply says "I'm busy now." 지금은 바빠요 says "right now I'm busy," with the unspoken "but later I won't be." That makes it a polite way to decline. In 51.15, 방금 … 지금은 … sets "a moment ago" against "now."
지금 with tenses. 지금 goes with the present tense (지금 비가 와요), with the progressive -고 있다 (지금 뭐 하고 있어요? what are you doing right now?), and with the past tense when joined to 막 or 방금: 지금 막 도착했어요 (I've just this moment arrived). With the future or with -(으)ㄹ게요, 지금 means "straight away": 지금 갈게요 (I'll come right now).
지금쯤 + -었을 거예요, "must have by now." The pattern in 51.12 is verb + -았/었을 거예요, a guess about something already finished: 도착했을 거예요 (will have arrived). With 지금쯤 it says "by about now, surely."
지금 and its neighbours: - 지금 (jigeum): the present moment, neutral. 지금 비가 와요 (it's raining now). - 이제 (ije): now, as a change from before. 이제 비가 와요 (now it's raining, when it wasn't earlier). 이제 가요 (it's time I went). - 요즘 (yojeum): these days, a period. 요즘 바빠요 (I'm busy these days). - 방금 (banggeum): a moment ago, only with the past. 방금 왔어요 (I came just now). - 당장 (dangjang): at once, on the spot. 지금 당장 (right this minute). - 현재 (hyeonjae): the present, currently. Formal, used in news and writing.
Common Mistakes: - \*지금에 가요. In time expressions 지금 takes no 에: 지금 가요. - Using 이제 for a neutral "now." 이제 always hints at a change. To ask "what are you doing now?", say 지금 뭐 해요?, not 이제 뭐 해요?, which sounds like "so what are you going to do now?" - Using 지금 for "these days." 저는 지금 서울에 살아요 is correct for where you live at present, but for a habit or trend over weeks or months, use 요즘: 요즘 운동해요 (I exercise these days). - Using 방금 with the present tense. 방금 means "a moment ago," so its verb is past: 방금 먹었어요, not \*방금 먹어요.
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지금 어디야? / 지금 어디예요? (Where are you now?) is probably the question Korean phones hear most. It opens calls between family and friends, and it is how people meet up in a city where plans are made on the move.
지금 가요 and 지금 갈게요 (I'm coming right now) are famously elastic. Said by someone still at home, 지금 가요 can mean "I'm about to leave." Koreans joke about this in the same way English speakers joke about "on my way."
지금 당장 (right now, this minute) adds urgency, and parents, bosses and advertisements all use it: 지금 당장 신청하세요 (apply right now).
The proverb 당장 먹기엔 곶감이 달다, "for eating right now, the dried persimmon is sweet," warns against choosing what pleases in the moment without thinking of what comes after. Its first word is 당장, the urgent "now," not 지금. A variant, recorded in the 표준국어대사전 (Standard Korean Language Dictionary), begins 우선 먹기는 곶감이 달다.
지금 이 순간 (this moment, now) is a phrase many Koreans know as the Korean title of the song "This Is the Moment" from the musical Jekyll & Hyde, which has had a long run on the Korean stage. Section A's 51.11 borrows the phrase.
Register: 지금 is neutral and suits every level of speech. In news, notices and formal writing you will also meet 현재 (現在, "at present"): 현재 기온은 영하 5도입니다 (the current temperature is minus five degrees).
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윤동주 (Yun Dong-ju, 1917–1945), 〈별 헤는 밤〉 — "Counting the Stars at Night," written 1941; published posthumously in 《하늘과 바람과 별과 시》 (Sky, Wind, Stars and Poems), 1948
The third stanza, in modern spelling:
가슴속에 하나 둘 새겨지는 별을 이제 다 못 헤는 것은 쉬이 아침이 오는 까닭이요, 내일 밤이 남은 까닭이요, 아직 나의 청춘이 다하지 않은 까닭입니다.
F-A: Interlinear
F.1a 가슴속에 in-the-heart 하나 one 둘 two 새겨지는 being-engraved 별을 stars
F.1b gaseumsoge (GAH-seum-so-geh) heart-inside-LOC hana (HAH-na) one dul (DOOL) two saegyeojineun (SEH-gyuh-jee-neun) be-engraved-ADNOMINAL byeoreul (BYUH-reul) star-OBJ
F.2a 이제 now 다 all 못 cannot 헤는 counting 것은 the-fact
F.2b ije (EE-jeh) now da (DAH) all mot (MOT) cannot heneun (HEH-neun) count-ADNOMINAL geoseun (GUH-seun) thing-TOP
F.3a 쉬이 soon 아침이 morning 오는 coming 까닭이요 is-because
F.3b swii (SHWEE-ee) easily-soon achimi (AH-chee-mee) morning-SUBJ oneun (OH-neun) come-ADNOMINAL kkadalgiyo (KKAH-dal-gee-yo) reason-COP.AND
F.4a 내일 tomorrow 밤이 night 남은 remaining 까닭이요 is-because
F.4b naeil (NEH-il) tomorrow bami (BAH-mee) night-SUBJ nameun (NAH-meun) remain-PAST.ADNOMINAL kkadalgiyo (KKAH-dal-gee-yo) reason-COP.AND
F.5a 아직 still 나의 my 청춘이 youth 다하지 exhausted 않은 not 까닭입니다 is-because
F.5b ajik (AH-jik) still naui (NAH-eh) I-GEN cheongchuni (CHUHNG-choo-nee) youth-SUBJ dahaji (DAH-ha-jee) be-spent-NEG.CONN aneun (AH-neun) not-ADNOMINAL kkadalgimnida (KKAH-dal-geem-nee-da) reason-COP.FORMAL
F-B: Original and Translation
가슴속에 하나 둘 새겨지는 별을 / 이제 다 못 헤는 것은 / 쉬이 아침이 오는 까닭이요, / 내일 밤이 남은 까닭이요, / 아직 나의 청춘이 다하지 않은 까닭입니다.
"The stars being engraved one by one in my heart: / if I cannot count them all now, / it is because morning comes too soon, / because tomorrow night remains, / because my youth is not yet spent." (Translation: Latinum Institute.)
F-C: Original
가슴속에 하나 둘 새겨지는 별을 이제 다 못 헤는 것은 쉬이 아침이 오는 까닭이요, 내일 밤이 남은 까닭이요, 아직 나의 청춘이 다하지 않은 까닭입니다.
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
The first edition of 1948 prints this stanza in the spelling of its day: 가슴속에 하나 둘 새겨지는 별을 / 이제 다 못헤는것은 / 쉬이 아츰이 오는 까닭이오, / 來日 밤이 남은 까닭이오, / 아직 나의 靑春이 다하지 않은 까닭입니다. The text above keeps its words but modernises the spelling and spacing (아츰 → 아침, 까닭이오 → 까닭이요, 來日 → 내일, 靑春 → 청춘).
헤다 is the older and dialect form of 세다, "to count"; the title 별 헤는 밤 means "the night of counting stars." -는 것은 … 까닭입니다 is the formal pattern "the fact that … is because …," and Yun repeats 까닭 three times.
Why does the poet say 이제 and not 지금? This lesson's main contrast is at work here. 지금 would state only the present moment. 이제 marks a turning point: until now he could count the stars, but now, as the night turns toward morning, he no longer can. The reasons he gives all look forward: morning is coming, another night remains, his youth is not over. 이제 looks both ways, back at the night he has spent and ahead to the time he still has. Yun wrote the poem as a student in 1941. He died in Fukuoka Prison in February 1945, six months before the liberation, and the collection was published three years after his death. That knowledge makes "my youth is not yet spent" hard to read.
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Minsu works late and must catch the last train home. The narrative is in the plain written style (-ㄴ다 / -다) and uses the present tense for vividness, as Korean stories often do.
51.16a 민수가 Minsu 시계를 clock 본다 looks 지금은 now 밤 night 열한 eleven 시 o'clock 오십 fifty 분이다 minutes-is
51.16b minsuga (MEEN-soo-ga) Minsu-SUBJ sigyereul (SHEE-gyeh-reul) clock-OBJ bonda (BON-da) see-PLAIN jigeumeun (JEE-guh-meun) now-TOP bam (BAHM) night yeolhan (YUHL-han) eleven si (SHEE) hour osip (OH-ship) fifty bunida (BOO-nee-da) minute-COP.PLAIN
51.17a 막차는 last-train 자정에 at-midnight 떠난다 leaves 지금 now 뛰면 if-runs 탈 board 수 way 있다 exists
51.17b makchaneun (MAHK-cha-neun) last-train-TOP jajeonge (JAH-juhng-eh) midnight-at tteonanda (TTUH-nan-da) leave-PLAIN jigeum (JEE-gum) now ttwimyeon (TTWEE-myuhn) run-IF tal (TAHL) board-PROSPECTIVE su (SOO) means itda (EET-da) exist-PLAIN
51.18a 민수는 Minsu 가방을 bag 들고 picking-up 지금 now 바로 straight 사무실을 office 나선다 leaves
51.18b minsuneun (MEEN-soo-neun) Minsu-TOP gabangeul (GAH-bang-eul) bag-OBJ deulgo (DEUL-go) lift-AND jigeum (JEE-gum) now baro (BAH-ro) directly samusireul (SAH-moo-shee-reul) office-OBJ naseonda (NAH-suhn-da) set-out-PLAIN
51.19a 엘리베이터가 elevator 지금 now 막 just 내려가 going-down 버렸다 has-gone
51.19b ellibeiteoga (EL-lee-beh-ee-tuh-ga) elevator-SUBJ jigeum (JEE-gum) now mak (MAHK) just naeryeoga (NEH-ryuh-ga) go-down-CONN beoryeotda (BUH-ryuht-da) END-UP-PAST.PLAIN
51.20a 지금 now 기다릴 to-wait 시간이 time 없어 there-isn't 민수는 Minsu 계단으로 by-stairs 달린다 runs
51.20b jigeum (JEE-gum) now gidaril (GEE-da-reel) wait-PROSPECTIVE sigani (SHEE-ga-nee) time-SUBJ eopseo (UHP-suh) not-exist-INFORMAL minsuneun (MEEN-soo-neun) Minsu-TOP gyedaneuro (GYEH-da-neu-ro) stairs-VIA dallinda (DAHL-leen-da) run-PLAIN
51.21a 거리에는 in-the-street 지금도 even-now 사람들이 people 많다 are-many
51.21b georieneun (GUH-ree-eh-neun) street-LOC.TOP jigeumdo (JEE-gum-doh) now-ALSO saramdeuri (SAH-ram-deu-ree) person-PL.SUBJ manta (MAHN-ta) many-PLAIN
51.22a 지금까지 until-now 이렇게 like-this 빨리 fast 뛰어 running 본 having-tried 적이 time 없다 there-isn't
51.22b jigeumkkaji (JEE-gum-kkah-jee) now-until ireoke (EE-ruh-keh) this-way ppalli (PPAHL-lee) fast ttwieo (TTWEE-uh) run-CONN bon (BON) try-PAST.ADNOMINAL jeogi (JUH-gee) occasion-SUBJ eopda (UHP-da) not-exist-PLAIN
51.23a 역 station 시계가 clock 보인다 is-seen 지금 now 열한 eleven 시 o'clock 오십팔 fifty-eight 분이다 minutes-is
51.23b yeok (YUHK) station sigyega (SHEE-gyeh-ga) clock-SUBJ boinda (BO-een-da) be-seen-PLAIN jigeum (JEE-gum) now yeolhan (YUHL-han) eleven si (SHEE) hour osippal (OH-ship-pal) fifty-eight bunida (BOO-nee-da) minute-COP.PLAIN
51.24a 지금 now 들어오는 coming-in 열차는 train 오늘의 today's 마지막 last 열차입니다 train-is
51.24b jigeum (JEE-gum) now deureooneun (DEU-ruh-oh-neun) come-in-ADNOMINAL yeolchaneun (YUHL-cha-neun) train-TOP oneurui (OH-neu-reh) today-GEN majimak (MAH-jee-mak) last yeolchaimnida (YUHL-cha-eem-nee-da) train-COP.FORMAL
51.25a 민수는 Minsu 지금 now 막 just 닫히는 closing 문 door 사이로 through-the-gap 뛰어든다 leaps-in
51.25b minsuneun (MEEN-soo-neun) Minsu-TOP jigeum (JEE-gum) now mak (MAHK) just dachineun (DAH-chee-neun) be-closed-ADNOMINAL mun (MOON) door sairo (SAH-ee-ro) gap-VIA ttwieodeunda (TTWEE-uh-deun-da) jump-in-PLAIN
51.26a 문이 door 닫힌다 closes 민수는 Minsu 지금 now 열차 train 안에 inside 있다 is
51.26b muni (MOO-nee) door-SUBJ dachinda (DAH-cheen-da) be-closed-PLAIN minsuneun (MEEN-soo-neun) Minsu-TOP jigeum (JEE-gum) now yeolcha (YUHL-cha) train ane (AH-neh) inside-LOC itda (EET-da) exist-PLAIN
51.27a 숨이 breath 차지만 is-short-but 지금은 now 괜찮다 is-fine
51.27b sumi (SOO-mee) breath-SUBJ chajiman (CHAH-jee-man) be-short-BUT jigeumeun (JEE-guh-meun) now-TOP gwaenchanta (GWEN-chan-ta) be-fine-PLAIN
51.28a 휴대폰이 phone 진동한다 vibrates 지금 now 어디야 where-are-you 엄마의 mother's 문자다 text-is
51.28b hyudaeponi (HYOO-deh-po-nee) mobile-phone-SUBJ jindonghanda (JEEN-dong-han-da) vibrate-PLAIN jigeum (JEE-gum) now eodiya (UH-dee-ya) where-COP.INFORMAL eommaui (UHM-ma-eh) mum-GEN munjada (MOON-ja-da) text-message-COP.PLAIN
51.29a 지금 now 막차 last-train 탔어요 got-on 이제 now 집에 home 가요 going
51.29b jigeum (JEE-gum) now makcha (MAHK-cha) last-train tasseoyo (TAHSS-suh-yo) board-PAST.POLITE ije (EE-jeh) now-at-last jibe (JEE-beh) home-to gayo (GAH-yo) go-POLITE
51.30a 지금 now 이 this 순간 moment 민수는 Minsu 조금 a-little 행복하다 is-happy
51.30b jigeum (JEE-gum) now i (EE) this sungan (SOON-gan) moment minsuneun (MEEN-soo-neun) Minsu-TOP jogeum (JOH-gum) a-little haengbokhada (HENG-bo-ka-da) be-happy-PLAIN
51.16 민수가 시계를 본다. 지금은 밤 열한 시 오십 분이다. (minsuga sigyereul bonda. jigeumeun bam yeolhan si osip bunida.) "Minsu looks at the clock. It is now ten to midnight." 51.17 막차는 자정에 떠난다. 지금 뛰면 탈 수 있다. (makchaneun jajeonge tteonanda. jigeum ttwimyeon tal su itda.) "The last train leaves at midnight. If he runs now, he can make it." 51.18 민수는 가방을 들고 지금 바로 사무실을 나선다. (minsuneun gabangeul deulgo jigeum baro samusireul naseonda.) "Minsu grabs his bag and leaves the office right away." 51.19 엘리베이터가 지금 막 내려가 버렸다. (ellibeiteoga jigeum mak naeryeoga beoryeotda.) "The elevator has just this second gone down without him." 51.20 "지금 기다릴 시간이 없어!" 민수는 계단으로 달린다. (jigeum gidaril sigani eopseo! minsuneun gyedaneuro dallinda.) "'There's no time to wait now!' Minsu runs for the stairs." 51.21 거리에는 지금도 사람들이 많다. (georieneun jigeumdo saramdeuri manta.) "Even now, the street is full of people." 51.22 지금까지 이렇게 빨리 뛰어 본 적이 없다. (jigeumkkaji ireoke ppalli ttwieo bon jeogi eopda.) "He has never run this fast in his life." 51.23 역 시계가 보인다. 지금 열한 시 오십팔 분이다. (yeok sigyega boinda. jigeum yeolhan si osippal bunida.) "The station clock comes into view. It is now 11:58." 51.24 "지금 들어오는 열차는 오늘의 마지막 열차입니다." (jigeum deureooneun yeolchaneun oneurui majimak yeolchaimnida.) "'The train now arriving is the last train of the day.'" 51.25 민수는 지금 막 닫히는 문 사이로 뛰어든다. (minsuneun jigeum mak dachineun mun sairo ttwieodeunda.) "Minsu leaps through the doors just as they are closing." 51.26 문이 닫힌다. 민수는 지금 열차 안에 있다. (muni dachinda. minsuneun jigeum yeolcha ane itda.) "The doors close. Minsu is now on the train." 51.27 숨이 차지만 지금은 괜찮다. (sumi chajiman jigeumeun gwaenchanta.) "He is out of breath, but for now he is fine." 51.28 휴대폰이 진동한다. "지금 어디야?" 엄마의 문자다. (hyudaeponi jindonghanda. jigeum eodiya? eommaui munjada.) "His phone buzzes. 'Where are you now?' A text from Mum." 51.29 "지금 막차 탔어요. 이제 집에 가요." (jigeum makcha tasseoyo. ije jibe gayo.) "'I've just got on the last train. I'm on my way home now.'" 51.30 지금 이 순간, 민수는 조금 행복하다. (jigeum i sungan, minsuneun jogeum haengbokhada.) "At this moment, now, Minsu is a little happy."
51.16 민수가 시계를 본다. 지금은 밤 열한 시 오십 분이다. 51.17 막차는 자정에 떠난다. 지금 뛰면 탈 수 있다. 51.18 민수는 가방을 들고 지금 바로 사무실을 나선다. 51.19 엘리베이터가 지금 막 내려가 버렸다. 51.20 "지금 기다릴 시간이 없어!" 민수는 계단으로 달린다. 51.21 거리에는 지금도 사람들이 많다. 51.22 지금까지 이렇게 빨리 뛰어 본 적이 없다. 51.23 역 시계가 보인다. 지금 열한 시 오십팔 분이다. 51.24 "지금 들어오는 열차는 오늘의 마지막 열차입니다." 51.25 민수는 지금 막 닫히는 문 사이로 뛰어든다. 51.26 문이 닫힌다. 민수는 지금 열차 안에 있다. 51.27 숨이 차지만 지금은 괜찮다. 51.28 휴대폰이 진동한다. "지금 어디야?" 엄마의 문자다. 51.29 "지금 막차 탔어요. 이제 집에 가요." 51.30 지금 이 순간, 민수는 조금 행복하다.
The narrative present (-ㄴ다 / -는다). Written Korean stories are often told in the plain present: 본다 (looks), 달린다 (runs), 닫힌다 (closes). This is the same "historic present" English uses for vividness. For states and the copula the plain form is -다: 많다 (are many), 괜찮다 (is fine), 분이다 (is … minutes).
지금 막, "just this moment." 막 means "just, right at that point." 지금 막 + past tense says an action has only just finished (51.19: 지금 막 내려가 버렸다, it has only just gone down). 지금 막 + present adnominal says it is happening as we watch (51.25: 지금 막 닫히는 문, the doors that are closing this very moment). Do not confuse this 막 with the prefix 막- in 막차 (51.17, 51.29), which means "last": 막차 is the last train, 첫차 the first.
-(으)ㄹ 수 있다, "can." 탈 수 있다 (51.17): the verb 타다 (board, ride) + -ㄹ + 수 (way, means) + 있다 (exists) = "there is a way to board," that is, "he can catch it."
-아/어 본 적이 없다, "have never (tried to) …" 뛰어 본 적이 없다 (51.22): 뛰다 (run) + -어 보다 (try) + -ㄴ 적 (occasion) + 이 없다 (there is none). With 지금까지: "until now there has never been a time he ran like this."
지금 and 이제 together (51.29). Minsu's text uses both words in their proper places. 지금 막차 탔어요 reports the present fact, "I've just now got on the last train." 이제 집에 가요 marks the change, "and so now, at last, I'm going home." Swap them and the text sounds off; this is the difference Section D describes.
Station announcements (51.24). 지금 들어오는 열차 (the train now arriving) uses the formal -ㅂ니다 style, 열차입니다, as all public announcements do. 열차 is the formal word for "train"; 기차 (51.12) is the everyday one.
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지금 (jigeum) — IPA: /tɕi.ɡɯm/ — Two syllables. Korean has no stress accent to speak of; give both syllables equal weight. At the start of a word ㅈ is lax, a light "j" that is nearly voiceless; between vowels it becomes a fully voiced /dʑ/. The respellings in this lesson write the lax consonants ㄱ ㄷ ㅂ ㅈ as G D B J throughout. Between vowels ㄱ is voiced to /ɡ/. The vowel ㅡ /ɯ/ is an unrounded "oo": keep your lips spread as for "ee" and say "oo." 지금은 (jigeumeun) — IPA: /tɕi.ɡɯ.mɯn/ — The final ㅁ moves over to the next syllable: [지그믄]. 지금까지 (jigeumkkaji) — IPA: /tɕi.ɡɯm.k͈a.dʑi/ — ㄲ is tense /k͈/, with no puff of air and a tight throat. ㅈ between vowels is voiced to /dʑ/. 지금쯤 (jigeumjjeum) — IPA: /tɕi.ɡɯm.t͈ɕɯm/ — ㅉ is the tense /t͈ɕ/. 이제 (ije) — IPA: /i.dʑe/ — The ㅈ is voiced between vowels. 방금 (banggeum) — IPA: /paŋ.ɡɯm/ — Final ㅇ is /ŋ/, as in English "sing." 당장 (dangjang) — IPA: /taŋ.dʑaŋ/. 헤는 (heneun) — IPA: /he.nɯn/ — In F-A, from the older 헤다 (to count). 행복하다 (haengbokhada) — IPA: /hɛŋ.bo.kʰa.da/ — ㄱ + ㅎ combine into an aspirated /kʰ/: [행보카다].
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