Beginner Estimated read: 3 mins

Past Tense A/V-았/었어요

Used to describe an action or event that has already been completed in the past, or a state of being in the past.

Summary

Equivalent

Past Tense (Did, Was/Were)

Example

I watched a movie with my friends yesterday.

어제 친구들과 영화를 봤어요.

Grammar rules

  • Similar to the present tense rules: stems with 'ㅏ' or 'ㅗ' take '-았-'.
  • Other vowels take '-었-'.
  • '하다' is changed to '했-'.
  • For nouns with '이다' (to be) in the past tense, use '이었어요' (consonant) or '였어요' (vowel).

    학생이었어요. / 의사였어요.

Patterns

1

V/A (Verbs/Adjectives) stem containing ㅏ or ㅗ

과거 (Past) · -았어요

2

V/A (Verbs/Adjectives) stem containing other vowels

과거 (Past) · -었어요

3

하다 verbs

과거 (Past) · 했어요

Example sentences

V/A (Verbs/Adjectives) stem containing ㅏ or ㅗ · 과거 (Past) · -았어요

I watched a movie with my friends yesterday.

어제 친구들과 영화를 봤어요.

V/A (Verbs/Adjectives) stem containing other vowels · 과거 (Past) · -었어요

I went on a trip to Jeju Island last weekend.

지난 주말에 제주도로 여행을 갔어요.

V/A (Verbs/Adjectives) stem containing other vowels · 과거 (Past) · -었어요

When I was young, I couldn't eat spicy food.

어렸을 때는 매운 음식을 못 먹었어요.

Conversation

A: Why didn't you answer my call earlier?

아까 왜 전화를 안 받았어요?

B: Sorry, I was in a meeting.

미안해요, 회의 중이었어요.

Practice

Fill in the blank

Select the correct past tense form.

Studying.

Eating out.