Learn Hardcore Korean: jinan jueneun nalssiga neomu chuwoseo bakke an nagasseoyo. - Last week, the weather was so cold that I didn’t go outside.

지난 주 means “last week.” The particle -에 marks time (“at/in last week”), and -는 adds a topic nuance (“as for last week”). Together, 지난 주에는 emphasizes that you’re talking specifically about last week.

Why is 추워서 used instead of 춥고 or 추웠어요?

The connective -아서/어서 indicates cause. 추워서 means “because it was cold.”

-고 would just link actions (“and”), without implying cause.
추웠어요 is a standalone past tense verb (“it was cold”), so it wouldn’t connect smoothly to the result clause that follows.

What role does 너무 play in 너무 추워서?

너무 means “too” or “so.” Here it intensifies 춥다 to “too cold.” It suggests the cold was excessive, which leads to the result clause.

What does 밖에 안 나갔어요 literally mean, and why use 밖에?

Literally, 밖에 with a negative verb means “nothing but” or “only.”

밖에 = “outside” as a limit word
안 나갔어요 = “did not go out”
Together 밖에 안 나갔어요 means “I didn’t go out at all” (i.e., nothing except staying inside).

Why is the negative marker 안 used instead of 못 in 안 나갔어요?

안 simply negates the verb (“did not go”). It implies a choice.
못 implies inability or impossibility.
Since the speaker chose not to go out because of the cold, 안 is appropriate.

There’s no subject like 저 or 나는. How do we know who didn’t go out?

Korean often drops subjects when context is clear. Here, because the speaker is talking about their own experience in a polite form (-어요), the subject is understood as “I” (저/나).

What politeness level is 나갔어요, and can it be changed?

나갔어요 is in the polite informal style (해요 form). You can adjust it:

Casual: 나갔어
Formal polite: 나갔습니다
Plain style: 나갔다

Could 지난 주에는 be written as 지난주에는 (without a space), and does it change the meaning?

Yes. 지난 주 vs. 지난주 are both acceptable. Writing 지난주 as one word is common in everyday writing and doesn’t change the meaning. The particles -에 and -는 still attach the same way.