# 오후 희의까지 시간이 좀 남았으니까



## wonlon

*가: 오늘까지 보고서를 제출해야 하는데 그만 잠이 들고 말았어요.
      (The report has to be submitted within today, but I fell asleep.)
나: 오후 희의까지 시간이 좀 남았으니까 빨리 하세요.
      (Before the afternoon meeting there is a little time left, do it quickly.) *

In the second sentence, the situation is about the future, right? Why is the past tense ending used in *남**았**으니까*?


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## vientito

Check that guide you have downloaded again in chapter 16 on tenses.  In fact, 었 is not exclusively used in the past.  It could be used under certain sense in the future.  Specifically check out page 204 - used as well for completed action and state in the future.

I have a feeling 었 is not really about tense as viewed in english.  The form could exist spanning all time spectrum.  Its only meaning is about a sense of completion.  In this sense, it is close to future perfect in english


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## ggonak4001

aaa.. it's so weired.. cause I have browsed "았" and yes, this word have the past tense sound. like 집에 갔다. 눈이 왔다.

but, normally, we use 시간이 남았으니까 not 시간이 남었으니까, 시간이 남있으니까...emm.... it's hard to  explain about? of? this...

and you can also say "시간이 남아 있으니까'  this have same meaning~


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## kenjoluma

No. It is not past. It is not future, either.
It is a 'perfect' tense. I think I explained this to you before comparing to the Chinese word "了".
(Of course, its usage is quite different from that of Chinese)


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## idialegre

My Korean is not that advanced, but I would note that the Korean construction is really not all that different from the English one. The Korean sentence uses the "perfect" tense form 남았으니까, while the English uses the perfect tense form "left." (past participle of "leave.")


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## wonlon

kenjoluma said:


> No. It is not past. It is not future, either.
> It is a 'perfect' tense. I think I explained this to you before comparing to the Chinese word "了".
> (Of course, its usage is quite different from that of Chinese)


I have been reading the pages of the book *vientito* mentioned and sections of tense in other grammar books these two days. I think I still need time to pick up this whole bunch of things.

My Korean teacher (a Korean) also said that it resembles "time is left", though he didn't explain the rule very clearly. I think it may be translated as "time is left" or the present perfect "time has been left" (a past completed action which relates to the present).


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## kenjoluma

Can I confuse you a little more? 

Actually, '오후 회의까지 시간이 좀 남으니까...' is also okay. Sounds completely natrual to me.

"Remaining time" and "Time left", well take your pick.


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## wonlon

kenjoluma said:


> Can I confuse you a little more?
> 
> Actually, '오후 회의까지 시간이 좀 남으니까...' is also okay. Sounds completely natrual to me.
> 
> "Remaining time" and "Time left", well take your pick.


Yeh, I may choose whichever I like.


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