-기 전에
Quick answer: -기 전에 means before doing — the first of two things.
How to form it
Verb stem + 기 전에 · same form after any stem · after a noun: N 전에
In Korean: 동사 어간 + 기 전에 받침과 상관없습니다 명사에는 N 전에
What to know
-(으)ㄴ 후에 in 2-2 took the past form of the verb. -기 전에 does not — it always takes plain -기, because the action has not happened yet. So 먹은 후에 but 먹기 전에. Getting these two the wrong way round is the most common mistake in this unit.
Examples
- 청소하기 전에 빨래해요.I do the laundry before I clean.
- 자기 전에 정리해요.I tidy up before I go to bed.
- 버리기 전에 분리수거를 해요.I sort the recycling before I throw it out.
Where it's taught
HanDa Level 2 (TOPIK I), Lesson 11: 토요일마다 청소를 해요 — I clean every Saturday. Also in the Level 2 book.
Practise -기 전에 out loud
In the HanDa app this is Level 2, Lesson 11 — drills, a speaking check and an AI teacher that corrects what you say. Free for 7 days.