Learn Hardcore Korean: da-eum dal siganpyoreul imi bwasseoyo. - I already looked at next month’s timetable.

Korean frequently omits the subject if it’s clear from context. Here, I is implied by the verb ending -요 (polite) and the conversation setting. If you really wanted to include it, you could say 저는 다음 달 시간표를 이미 봤어요, but it’s not necessary.

What does 다음 달 mean, and why 달 instead of 월?

다음 달 literally means “next month.” Korean has two counters for months:

달 is the pure Korean word, used in everyday speech (하나 달, 두 달, etc.).
월 is the Sino-Korean word, used when stating calendar months (1월, 2월, etc.).
Since we’re talking about the relative “next month,” we use 달.

Why is there no time particle like 에 or 에는 after 다음 달?

Particles such as 에 (at/to) or 에는 (as for) mark time or topic, but when a time expression directly modifies the verb phrase, you can often drop the particle for brevity.

다음 달에 시간표를 봤어요 is also correct.
Omitting 에 makes it sound a bit more conversational: 다음 달 시간표를 봤어요.

Why is 시간표를 marked with -를?

-를 is the object marker, showing that 시간표 (timetable/schedule) is the direct object of the verb 보다 (to see). If the noun ends in a consonant, you’d use -을, but 시간표 ends in a vowel ㅏ, so it takes -를.

What role does 이미 play, and where can it be placed?

이미 means “already.” It’s an adverb modifying the verb 봤어요. You can place it:

Right before the verb: 시간표를 이미 봤어요.
At the very beginning (for emphasis): 이미 다음 달 시간표를 봤어요.
Moving it around slightly changes the nuance or emphasis but doesn’t affect the core meaning.

The verb 봤어요 is in past tense. Is this the equivalent of the English present perfect “have already seen”?

Korean doesn’t distinguish past vs. present perfect in the same way English does. 봤어요 simply indicates a completed action (“saw” or “have seen”). The presence of 이미 conveys the “already” nuance, so you get the sense of “I have already seen.”

What level of politeness is used in 봤어요?

봤어요 is the standard polite informal (요-ending) form. It’s appropriate for most strangers, acquaintances, teachers, or coworkers.

More formal: 봤습니다
More casual (among close friends): 봤어

Could we rearrange the sentence differently, for example using 는?

Yes. Changing particles or word order shifts the focus:

다음 달 시간표는 이미 봤어요.
• Using the topic marker 는 emphasizes 다음 달 시간표 (“As for next month’s schedule, I’ve already seen it”).
이미 다음 달 시간표를 봤어요.
• Emphasizes 이미 (“Already, I saw next month’s schedule”).
But the core meaning remains the same because Korean word order is relatively flexible.