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Breakdown of sueop junge jilmunhal ttae ginjangdwaeyo.
수업sueop
class
중에junge
during
긴장되다ginjangdoeda
to be nervous
질문하다jilmunhada
to ask questions
~ㄹ 때~ㄹ ttae
when
Questions & Answers about sueop junge jilmunhal ttae ginjangdwaeyo.
What does 수업 중에 mean?
- 수업 means “class” or “lesson.”
- 중 literally means “middle” or “among.”
- The particle -에 here marks a time period.
Putting it together, 수업 중에 means “during class.”
What’s the difference between 수업 중에 and 수업 동안?
- 중(에) focuses on something happening within a period (“in the middle of”).
- 동안 emphasizes the entire span (“for the whole time”).
Example:
• 수업 중에 질문했어요. – I asked a question at some point during class.
• 수업 동안 질문했어요. – I asked questions throughout the entire class.
What does -을 때 do in 질문할 때?
- -을 때 means “when (you) ….”
- You attach it to the verb stem: 질문하다 → 질문하-
- -ㄹ 때 → 질문할 때.
- So 질문할 때 = “when (I/you/one) ask(es) a question.”
Can I say 질문할 때에 instead of 질문할 때?
- In modern spoken/written Korean, you almost always drop -에 after 때.
- 때 itself already carries the sense of “time when.”
- While 때에 exists in very formal or literary contexts, learners should use 질문할 때 in everyday speech.
Why is 긴장돼요 used instead of 긴장해요?
- 긴장 is a noun meaning “tension” or “nervousness.”
- -되다 means “to become.”
- So 긴장되다 = “to become nervous.”
- Conjugated politely, 긴장돼요 = “I get nervous.”
- 긴장해요 would come from a hypothetical 긴장하다 (“to do tension”) which is less common in this context.
Why is there no subject like 저는 in the sentence?
- Korean often omits subjects when they’re clear from context.
- Here, it’s obvious that “I” am the one getting nervous in class.
- You can add 저는 for emphasis or clarity:
저는 수업 중에 질문할 때 긴장돼요.
How would I say this sentence in the past or future tense?
- Past tense: 수업 중에 질문할 때 긴장됐어요. (“I was nervous when asking questions in class.”)
- Future tense: 수업 중에 질문할 때 긴장될 거예요. (“I will be nervous when asking questions in class.”)
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“How do speech levels work in Korean?”
Korean has multiple speech levels that indicate formality and politeness. The most common are the formal polite (‑습니다/‑ㅂ니다), informal polite (‑아요/‑어요), and casual (‑아/‑어) forms. Which level you use depends on who you're speaking to and the social context.
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