시간 vs 때
Korean word comparison
Listen to 시간
Listen to 때
| 시간 | 때 |
|---|---|
shi-GAN noun | ttae noun |
| time; the ongoing sequence of events, a moment, or a duration measured in hours/minutes | a time, moment, or occasion; when (often a non-specific point or context) |
How they differ
때 emphasizes an occasion or a general moment (often non-measurable) and is frequently used to mean 'when' in clauses, whereas 시간 is more neutral and often refers to measurable time or available hours.
When to use each
When to use 시간: Prefer 시간 when you mean measurable hours/minutes or available time (e.g., 'I have no time').
When to use 때: Prefer 때 when referring to an occasion, a general moment, or when used as 'when' to link events (e.g., 'when I was a child').
Side-by-side examples
- 공부할 시간이 부족해요.
(I don't have enough time to study.) - 지금은 공부할 때예요.
(Now is the time to study.)
Register & nuance: 때 is very common and colloquial in everyday speech and is more flexible in casual contexts than 시간.