Expression of the Week

Alumni 1:    그것이 궁금하다. 

I’m curious about that.

Alumni 2:    야, 야, 너 이제 술 그만 마셔.

Hey, hey. You need to stop drinking.

Alumni 3:    선배 취했다. 

He’s drunk.

Jung-hwan:    괜찮아. 언제 적 일인데 뭐.

It’s okay. It happened such a long time ago.

Hye-yeong:    그래, 언제 적 일이야. 

You’re right. It was ages ago.

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언제 적 일이야

언제 – when, meaning sometime in the past (not specific) 

적 – time or moment

일 – matter, affair or a certain act that one did

Casual – 언제 적 일이야

Semi-polite – 언제 적 일이에요

>>”언제” means “sometime in the past (not specific)” and “적” means “time or moment.” Hence, it is very difficult to directly translate what “언제 적” means but it is roughly used to mean “sometime (long) ago”.

>>You can remember that the use of “언제 (적)” refers to sometime (long ago) in the past and is used often like the following examples. 

Ex) 언제 적 얘기야.  That story (happening) is from a long time ago. 

나 어릴 적  (long ago) When I was young.