Attaching 전에, 중에, 후에/뒤에/다음에,밖에/외에,안에/속에/내에,사이에/중에 gives the meaning of ‘before/during/after/besides/within/between’ an event happens.
AV + 기 + 전에
1. 전에 is appended after a verb, and the resulting meaning is ‘before’ doing [verb]. Usually the verb is in the ‘기’ form that indicates the act of doing.
우리 집에 가기전에 커피를 샀어요. – Before I went to my house, I bought some coffee.
AV + 는 + 중에
2. 중에 is appended after a verb, and the resulting meaning is ‘during’ or ‘in the middle of’ doing [verb]. Usually the verb is in the ‘는’ form that indicates the present.
학교에 다니는중에 이상한 사람 봤어요 – I was in the middle of going to school when I saw a strange person.
AV + (ㄴ/은) + 후에/뒤에/다음에
3. 후에, 뒤에, and 다음에 are all appended after a verb, and all mean ‘after’ doing [verb]. Usually the verb is appended with ‘ㄴ/은’ to indicate that action is past tense.
우리 집에 간후에 친구랑 만날거예요. After I get to my house, I will meet a friend.
N + 외에/밖에
4. 외에 and 밖에 are both appended after a noun, and both mean ‘besides’ or ‘outside of’ this noun.
친구밖에 다른 사람이랑 안 얘기해요. Besides my friends, I don’t talk to other people.
N + 안에/속에/내에
5. 안에, 속에, 내에 all mean ‘within’ or ‘inside’ but differ in nuances. They are all appended after a noun.
올해안에 한국에 갈거예요. – I will go to Korea within this year.
N + 사이에(서)/중에(서)
6. 사이에 and 중에 both mean ‘between’ or ‘amongst’. They are both appended after a noun.
친구사이에 싸움이 있어요. – There is a fight between my friends.
| WORD | TRANSLATION |
| 앞에 | IN FRONT |
| 뒤에 | BEHIND, AFTER |
| 옆에 | BESIDE |
| 위에 | ON TOP OF |
| 밑에 | UNDERNEATH |
| 다음에 | AFTER |
| 나중에 | LATER |
| 전에 | BEFORE |
| 후에 | AFTER |
| 중에 | IN THE MIDDLE, AMONGST, BETWEEN |
| 아래에 | BENEATH |
| 외에 | OUTSIDE OF |
| 안에, 속에, 내에 | WITHIN, INSIDE, AMIDST |
| 밖에 | OUTSIDE, OUTSIDE OF, BESIDES |
| 사이에 | BETWEEN, AMONGST |
| 곁에 | BY ONE’S SIDE |