Level 4

지금껏

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Meaning and Usage

"지금껏" means "so far" or "until now" and is used to refer to the entire period leading up to the present moment. It emphasizes the continuity or accumulation of time or experience.

Common Contexts

It is often used in formal or neutral contexts to highlight past experiences, efforts, or states that have lasted until now.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 지금껏 해온 일: the work done so far
  • 지금껏 모르다: to not know until now
  • 지금껏 살아오다: to have lived until now

These collocations emphasize the duration or accumulation of an action or state.

Nuances

Using "지금껏" often implies a reflection on the past with some significance or emotional weight. It can express surprise, pride, regret, or simply a factual statement about the past.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse "지금껏" with "지금까지". While both mean "until now," "지금껏" tends to be slightly more formal or literary and often used in written or formal spoken Korean. "지금까지" is more common in everyday conversation.

Example Sentences

지금껏 이런 경험은 처음이에요.

Jigeumkkeot ireon gyeongheomeun cheoeum-ieyo.

This is the first time I've had this kind of experience so far.

지금껏 노력한 만큼 좋은 결과가 있길 바랍니다.

Jigeumkkeot noryeokhan mankeum joeun gyeolgwa-ga itgil barabnida.

I hope there will be good results as much as the effort made so far.

그는 지금껏 아무 말도 하지 않았다.

Geuneun jigeumkkeot amu maldo haji anatta.

He hasn't said anything until now.