Meaning and Usage
"지난달" means "last month" and is used to refer to the month immediately before the current one. It is a common time expression in everyday conversation and writing.
Common Contexts
You will often hear "지난달" when talking about past events, financial reports, or changes that happened recently. For example, "지난달에 여행을 갔어요" means "I went on a trip last month."
Collocations and Patterns
- 지난달에: used to specify an action or event that happened last month.
- 지난달부터: indicates the starting point from last month.
- 지난달 매출: refers to sales figures from last month, common in business contexts.
Register and Politeness
"지난달" is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal situations without change.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse "지난달" with "저번달" (the previous month in a more casual tone). While similar, "지난달" is slightly more formal and common in written language. Use "지난달" for clear, standard references to last month.