'When Did It Start?' — Expressing Duration in Korean Medical Context
How to tell a Korean doctor when your symptoms started and how they've changed over time.
오늘부터요.
o-neul-bu-teo-yo
Since today.
어제부터요.
eo-je-bu-teo-yo
Since yesterday.
일주일 전부터요.
il-ju-il jeon-bu-teo-yo
Since a week ago.
한 달 전부터요.
han dal jeon-bu-teo-yo
Since a month ago.
갑자기 아팠어요.
gap-ja-gi a-pass-eo-yo
It started suddenly.
점점 심해져요.
jeom-jeom shim-hae-jyeo-yo
It's getting worse.
왔다 갔다 해요.
watt-da gatt-da hae-yo
It comes and goes.
계속 아파요.
gye-sok a-pa-yo
It hurts constantly.
Why timing matters
Doctors need to know when symptoms started to make a proper diagnosis. They'll ask "언제부터 아팠어요?" (eon-je-bu-teo a-pass-eo-yo) meaning "When did it start hurting?"
The simple formula
[Time] + 부터 + 아팠어요. Example: 어제부터 아팠어요 (It started hurting yesterday).
Describing how it changes
You can also describe whether the pain is getting better, worse, or staying the same. This gives the doctor important context.
Combining with other descriptions
Try combining timing with location and pain type: "어제부터 머리가 욱신욱신해요" (Since yesterday, my head has been throbbing).
Tip
The magic word is ~부터 (bu-teo), meaning 'since'. Just add a time word before it: 어제부터 (since yesterday), 3일 전부터 (since 3 days ago).
Useful links
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