이미

In a sentence

• 그는 이미 집에 도착했다.

  He has already arrived home.

  In this sentence, '이미' indicates an action that has occurred prior to the current moment, emphasizing that the arrival is a completed action.

• 이미 알았던 내용이라 놀라지 않았다.

  I wasn’t surprised because it was something I already knew.

  Here, '이미' is used to denote prior knowledge, highlighting that the speaker was aware beforehand.

• 그 소문은 이미 오래전에 퍼졌다.

  That rumor spread a long time ago.

  In this usage, '이미' conveys that the spreading of the rumor occurred in the past, establishing the time frame of the event.