-았- / -었- – Korean past tense
- Meaning
- did, was
- Level
- Beginner
- Topic
- Verb endings & tenses
Past tense is added to the verb stem before the ending: -았- after ㅏ or ㅗ, -었- after other vowels and 했- for 하다. With the polite ending this gives -았어요 / -었어요 / 했어요.
Key rules
- 았/었 = past marker
- Same vowel rule as 아/어요
- Double ㅅ appears
- Common motion past
- Same as present contraction
- Entertainment past
- 하다 past = 했어요
- Memorize this form
Examples with -았- / -었-
The highlighted part is the grammar form.
- 어제 밥을 먹었어요 Eoje babeul meogeosseoyo I ate rice yesterday Stem with ㅓ/ㅗ vowel → 었어요. 먹 + 었어요 · Base form: 먹다 (meokda)
- 학교에 갔어요 Hakgyoe gasseoyo I went to school Stem with ㅏ vowel → 았어요. 가 + 았어요 = 갔어요 · Base form: 가다 (gada)
- 영화를 봤어요 Yeonghwareul bwasseoyo I watched a movie 보 + 았어요 contracts to 봤어요 · Base form: 보다 (boda)
- 숙제를 했어요 Sukjereul haesseoyo I did homework 하다 → 했어요 (special contraction) · Base form: 하다 (hada)
- 한국에 왔어요 Hanguge wasseoyo I came to Korea 오 + 았어요 contracts to 왔어요 · Base form: 오다 (oda)
- 책을 읽었어요 Chaegeul ilgeosseoyo I read a book 읽 + 었어요 = 읽었어요 · Base form: 읽다 (ikda)
- 일찍 잤어요 Iljjik jasseoyo I slept early 자 + 았어요 = 잤어요 · Base form: 자다 (jada)
- 친구를 만났어요 Chingureul mannasseoyo I met a friend 만나 + 았어요 = 만났어요 · Base form: 만나다 (mannada)
Use -았- / -었- in your own sentences
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More: verb endings & tenses
-ㅂ니다 / -습니다Formal polite endingformal polite statement-아요 / -어요Polite present 해요 formpolite, friendly statement or question안 + verb / -지 않다Negative sentencesdo not, is not-고 싶다Want to dowant to (do something)-(으)ㄹ 거예요Future tensewill, going to-고 있다Progressive: be doingbe doing (right now)-(으)세요Polite requests and commandsplease do-(으)ㅂ시다 / -(으)ㄹ까요?Let’s / shall we?let’s, shall we-(으)ㄹ 수 있다 / 없다Can / cannotcan, be able to
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