Talking About Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday

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TL;DR 🦄

📅 오늘 [o-neul] — "Today"

☀️ 내일 [nae-il] — "Tomorrow"

🌙 어제 [eo-je] — "Yesterday"

➡️ 모레 [mo-re] — "The day after tomorrow"

⬅️ 그저께 [geu-jeo-kke] — "The day before yesterday"

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🎧 Iru Helper Note — Head to the Korean Helper Widgets and listen to today's phrases at natural speed. 오늘, 내일, 어제 [o-neul, nae-il, eo-je] come up in almost every conversation — get them locked in! 🌟

🌈 The Big Picture

오늘 [o-neul] (today), 내일 [nae-il] (tomorrow), and 어제 [eo-je] (yesterday) are some of the very first words you need for real conversations — making plans, talking about your day, or recapping what happened. In Korean, these time words usually come at the beginning of the sentence, right where you'd expect them in English too: 오늘 바빠요 ("Today I'm busy"), 내일 만나요 ("Let's meet tomorrow"). 📅

🎭 Expanding the Calendar

Once you have today/tomorrow/yesterday, you can stretch further in both directions:

모레 [mo-re] — the day AFTER tomorrow ➡️

그저께 [geu-jeo-kke] (also 그그저께 for two days before that) — the day BEFORE yesterday ⬅️

이번 주 [i-beon ju] (this week), 다음 주 [da-eum ju] (next week), 지난주 [ji-nan-ju] (last week) — the same "today/tomorrow/yesterday" logic, but for weeks! 📆

Remember to match your verb tense to the time word — 어제 needs past tense (-았/었어요), 내일 needs future/plan forms, and 오늘 can be either depending on what's already happened today.

🧳 Essential Phrase Kit

오늘 [o-neul] — today 📅

내일 [nae-il] — tomorrow ☀️

어제 [eo-je] — yesterday 🌙

모레 [mo-re] — the day after tomorrow ➡️

그저께 [geu-jeo-kke] — the day before yesterday ⬅️

이번 주 [i-beon ju] — this week 📆

다음 주 [da-eum ju] — next week ⏭️

지난주 [ji-nan-ju] — last week ⏮️

오늘 아침 [o-neul a-chim] — this morning 🌅

내일 모레 [nae-il mo-re] — tomorrow or the day after / "in the next couple of days" 🔁

🛠️ Putting It Together

A: 오늘 시간 있어요? B: 오늘은 바빠요. 내일은 괜찮아요. [A: o-neul si-gan i-sseo-yo? B: o-neu-reun ba-ppa-yo. nae-i-reun gwaen-chan-a-yo.]

A: "Do you have time today?" B: "Today I'm busy. Tomorrow is fine." 📱 — Note how the time word leads each sentence.

A: 어제 뭐 했어요? B: 어제는 집에서 쉬었어요. [A: eo-je mwo hae-sseo-yo? B: eo-je-neun ji-be-seo swi-eo-sseo-yo.]

A: "What did you do yesterday?" B: "Yesterday I rested at home." 🛋️ — 어제 pairs with past tense -었어요.

A: 그저께부터 계속 비가 와요. B: 모레까지 온대요. [A: geu-jeo-kke-bu-teo gye-sok bi-ga wa-yo. B: mo-re-kka-ji on-dae-yo.]

A: "It's been raining since the day before yesterday." B: "They say it'll rain until the day after tomorrow." 🌧️ — 그저께 and 모레 stretch the timeline both ways.

🗣️ Speaking Practice: Mini Dialogue

Read both roles out loud, then switch roles!

민수: 지은 씨, 이번 주에 시간 있어요?

[Minsu: ji-eun ssi, i-beon ju-e si-gan i-sseo-yo?]

Minsu: "Jieun, do you have time this week?"

지은: 음... 오늘이랑 내일은 바빠요. 모레는 괜찮아요.

[Jieun: eum... o-neu-li-rang nae-i-reun ba-ppa-yo. mo-re-neun gwaen-chan-a-yo.]

Jieun: "Hmm... today and tomorrow I'm busy. The day after tomorrow is fine."

민수: 좋아요! 그럼 모레 저녁에 만날까요?

[Minsu: jo-a-yo! geu-reom mo-re jeo-nyeo-ge man-nal-kka-yo?]

Minsu: "Great! Then shall we meet the evening after tomorrow?"

지은: 네, 좋아요. 그런데 어제도 약속이 있었는데 깜빡했어요.

[Jieun: ne, jo-a-yo. geu-reon-de eo-je-do yak-so-gi i-sseot-neun-de kkam-ppa-kae-sseo-yo.]

Jieun: "Yes, sounds good. By the way, I had plans yesterday too but I forgot."

민수: 진짜요? 다음 주에 다시 약속 잡아야겠네요.

[Minsu: jin-jja-yo? da-eum ju-e da-si yak-sok ja-ba-ya-get-ne-yo.]

Minsu: "Really? You'll need to reschedule for next week then."

지은: 맞아요. 메모해 둘게요!

[Jieun: ma-ja-yo. me-mo-hae dul-ge-yo!]

Jieun: "Right. I'll write it down this time!"

🧭 Speaking Tip

Korean time words sit comfortably at the start of a sentence, often with the topic marker 은/는 attached (오늘은, 내일은, 어제는) when you're contrasting days — "TODAY I'm busy, but TOMORROW is fine." Practice swapping just the time word and the verb tense while keeping the rest of the sentence the same — it's a quick way to build fluency! 📅

⚠️ Pitfalls to Dodge

❌ Mixing up 모레 (day after tomorrow) with 내일 (tomorrow) → ✅ 내일 = +1 day, 모레 = +2 days — practice counting them out loud.

❌ Saying 어제 but using present/future tense → ✅ 어제 needs past tense: 어제 갔어요 (went), not 어제 가요.

❌ Forgetting that 그저께 means "the day before yesterday," not "a few days ago" → ✅ For vaguer past, use 며칠 전 ("a few days ago") instead.

❌ Placing the time word awkwardly at the end of the sentence → ✅ Time words usually come first: 내일 만나요, not 만나요 내일.

Great job — you can now talk about today, tomorrow, yesterday, and beyond with confidence! 📅✨

Try this exercise

Instructions: Choose the best phrase or answer for each situation.

1. Translate: "Today" ＿＿＿＿

Answer

오늘 [o-neul]

2. Translate: "Tomorrow" ＿＿＿＿

Answer

내일 [nae-il]

3. Translate: "Yesterday" ＿＿＿＿

Answer

어제 [eo-je]

4. Fill in: ＿＿＿＿ 비가 왔어요. ("It rained yesterday.")

Answer

어제 [eo-je] (paired with past tense 왔어요)

5. True or False: 모레 means "two days from now."

Answer

True → 모레 = the day after tomorrow.

6. Translate: "The day before yesterday" ＿＿＿＿

Answer

그저께 [geu-jeo-kke]

7. Fill in: ＿＿＿＿ 만나요! ("Let's meet tomorrow!")

Answer

내일 [nae-il]

8. Translate: "Last week" ＿＿＿＿

Answer

지난주 [ji-nan-ju]

9. True or False: Time words like 오늘/내일/어제 usually go at the end of a Korean sentence.

Answer

False → they usually come at the beginning.

10. Practice saying this out loud: 오늘은 바빠요. 내일은 시간 있어요. 모레 만나요! [o-neu-reun ba-ppa-yo. nae-i-reun si-gan i-sseo-yo. mo-re man-na-yo!]

Answer

"Today I'm busy. Tomorrow I have time. Let's meet the day after tomorrow!" → A natural scheduling chain!

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Vocabulary Box

오늘 [o-neul] → today

내일 [nae-il] → tomorrow

어제 [eo-je] → yesterday

모레 [mo-re] → day after tomorrow

그저께 [geu-jeo-kke] → day before yesterday

이번 주 [i-beon ju] → this week

다음 주 [da-eum ju] → next week

지난주 [ji-nan-ju] → last week

오늘 아침 [o-neul a-chim] → this morning

내일 모레 [nae-il mo-re] → in the next couple of days

Pitfalls 💡

모레 ≠ 내일 (2 days vs 1 day)

어제 → past tense verbs

Time words go FIRST

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Want more reps? Visit the Practice Hub when you're ready! 🚀

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🎯 Practice Hub — Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday (오늘/내일/어제)

안녕하세요! [an-nyeong-ha-se-yo] Let's get fluent talking about days! 📅✨

🔊 Audio reminder: Use the Korean Helper Widgets to hear any phrase.

Exercise 1 — Match the Day Word 🗓️

A. Translate: "This week" ＿＿＿＿

Answer

이번 주 [i-beon ju]

B. Translate: "Next week" ＿＿＿＿

Answer

다음 주 [da-eum ju]

C. Fill in: ＿＿＿＿ 친구를 만났어요. ("I met a friend yesterday.")

Answer

어제 [eo-je]

D. True or False: 그저께 and 지난주 mean the same thing.

Answer

False → 그저께 = 2 days ago specifically; 지난주 = last week.

E. Translate: "This morning" ＿＿＿＿

Answer

오늘 아침 [o-neul a-chim]

F. Fill in: ＿＿＿＿ 회의가 있어요. ("There's a meeting tomorrow.")

Answer

내일 [nae-il]

G. True or False: 모레 requires past tense verbs.

Answer

False → 모레 is in the future, so use future/plan forms.

H. Translate: "The day after tomorrow" ＿＿＿＿

Answer

모레 [mo-re]

I. Fill in: ＿＿＿＿ 부터 휴가예요. ("Starting today, it's vacation.")

Answer

오늘 [o-neul]

J. Practice saying this out loud: 지난주에 바빴는데 이번 주는 괜찮아요. [ji-nan-ju-e ba-ppat-neun-de i-beon ju-neun gwaen-chan-a-yo.]

Answer

"Last week I was busy, but this week is fine." → Comparing two weeks!

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Quick Reference:

Past: 그저께 → 어제 → 오늘

Future: 오늘 → 내일 → 모레

Weeks: 지난주 → 이번 주 → 다음 주

Exercise 2 — Fill in the Blank: Tense Matching 🧩

A. 어제 영화를 ＿＿＿＿. (보다 → past tense)

Answer

봤어요 [bwa-sseo-yo] → "watched"

B. 내일 친구를 ＿＿＿＿. (만나다 → future/plan)

Answer

만날 거예요 / 만나요 [man-nal geo-ye-yo / man-na-yo] → "will meet"

C. 오늘 날씨가 정말 ＿＿＿＿. (좋다 → present)

Answer

좋아요 [jo-a-yo] → "is good"

D. True or False: You can say 내일 어제 together to mean "the near future."

Answer

False → that combination doesn't make sense; use 내일 모레 instead.

E. 그저께부터 ＿＿＿＿ 까지 출장이었어요. ("I was on a business trip from the day before yesterday until today.")

Answer

오늘 [o-neul]

F. Translate: "What are you doing next week?" ＿＿＿＿

Answer

다음 주에 뭐 해요? [da-eum ju-e mwo hae-yo?]

G. A: 시험이 언제예요? B: ＿＿＿＿예요. 내일 모레요.

Answer

모레 [mo-re] → "The day after tomorrow."

H. True or False: 오늘은 can be used to contrast today with another day.

Answer

True → 은/는 adds contrast: "오늘은 바빠요, 내일은 괜찮아요."

I. Translate: "I was sick the day before yesterday." ＿＿＿＿

Answer

그저께 아팠어요 [geu-jeo-kke a-pa-sseo-yo]

J. Practice saying this out loud: 그저께는 비가 왔고, 어제는 흐렸고, 오늘은 맑아요. [geu-jeo-kke-neun bi-ga wat-go, eo-je-neun heu-ryeot-go, o-neu-reun mal-ga-yo.]

Answer

"The day before yesterday it rained, yesterday was cloudy, and today is clear." → A weather timeline!

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Quick Rule — Tense Pairing:

그저께/어제 → past tense (-았/었어요)

오늘 → present tense (-아/어요)

내일/모레 → future/plan forms (-(으)ㄹ 거예요)

Exercise 3 — Mix It All Together 🗣️

A. Tell a friend your plans: "Today I'll study, tomorrow I'll rest." ＿＿＿＿

Answer

오늘은 공부하고, 내일은 쉴 거예요. [o-neu-reun gong-bu-ha-go, nae-i-reun swil geo-ye-yo.]

B. Fill in: A: 약속이 ＿＿＿＿예요? B: 다음 주 화요일이에요.

Answer

언제 [eon-je] → "When is the appointment?"

C. True or False: 내일 모레 can be used loosely to mean "in a couple of days" without being exact.

Answer

True → it's often used casually for "the near future."

D. Translate: "I'm free this week, but busy next week." ＿＿＿＿

Answer

이번 주는 괜찮은데 다음 주는 바빠요. [i-beon ju-neun gwaen-chan-eun-de da-eum ju-neun ba-ppa-yo.]

E. A friend asks what you did yesterday and the day before. Answer in full: ＿＿＿＿

Answer

그저께는 집에 있었고, 어제는 친구를 만났어요. [geu-jeo-kke-neun ji-be i-sseot-go, eo-je-neun chin-gu-reul man-na-sseo-yo.] → "The day before yesterday I stayed home, and yesterday I met a friend."

F. A: 언제 한국에 가요? B: ＿＿＿＿요! (you're leaving in 2 days)

Answer

모레 [mo-re]

G. True or False: It's natural to say 오늘부터 ("starting today") when announcing a new habit.

Answer

True → e.g. "오늘부터 운동할 거예요" = "Starting today, I'll exercise."

H. Translate: "See you next week!" ＿＿＿＿

Answer

다음 주에 봐요! [da-eum ju-e bwa-yo!]

I. Fill in: A: 어제 뭐 했어요? B: ＿＿＿＿ 회사에서 일했고, 저녁에는 집에서 쉬었어요.

Answer

어제는 [eo-je-neun] (or simply leave it implied) → "Yesterday, I worked at the office and rested at home in the evening."

J. Practice saying this out loud: 지난주에는 바빴고, 이번 주는 좀 쉬고, 다음 주부터 다시 바빠질 거예요. [ji-nan-ju-e-neun ba-ppat-go, i-beon ju-neun jom swi-go, da-eum ju-bu-teo da-si ba-ppa-jil geo-ye-yo.]

Answer

"Last week was busy, this week I'm resting a bit, and starting next week I'll get busy again." → A full timeline in one sentence!

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Everyday Cheat Sheet:

오늘 = today

내일 = tomorrow / 모레 = +2 days

어제 = yesterday / 그저께 = -2 days

이번 주/다음 주/지난주 = this/next/last week

🎉 잘했어요! [jal-haess-eo-yo] You can now navigate today, tomorrow, yesterday, and the whole calendar with confidence! 📅✨