Learn Korean for Free | Beginner Korean Grammar #31
What did you eat yesterday? Where did you go last weekend? -았/었어요 changes a polite present sentence into the polite past.
What Does A/V-았/었어요 Mean?
Attach -았/었어요 to an adjective or verb stem to describe a completed past action or a past state. The English translation may use “did,” “was,” or “were.”
The Rule
Stems whose final vowel is ㅏ or ㅗ usually take -았어요: 작다 → 작았어요, 오다 → 왔어요. Other vowels take -었어요: 먹다 → 먹었어요, 배우다 → 배웠어요. 하다 becomes 했어요. Many forms contract in natural Korean.
Useful Korean Words
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 어제 | yesterday |
| 지난주 | last week |
| 먹다 | to eat |
| 가다 | to go |
| 보다 | to see/watch |
| 배우다 | to learn |
| 바쁘다 | to be busy |
| 재미있다 | to be interesting |
Korean Grammar Examples
어제 비빔밥을 먹었어요.
I ate bibimbap yesterday.
지난주에 부산에 갔어요.
I went to Busan last week.
친구하고 영화를 봤어요.
I watched a movie with a friend.
어제는 아주 바빴어요.
I was very busy yesterday.
한국에서 한글을 배웠어요.
I learned Hangul in Korea.
A Short Dialogue
A: 주말에 뭐 했어요? — What did you do on the weekend?
B: 친구를 만나서 영화를 봤어요. — I met a friend and watched a movie.
A: 영화가 재미있었어요? — Was the movie interesting?
B: 네, 아주 재미있었어요. — Yes, it was very interesting.
A Common Mistake to Avoid
Do not add the past form after the complete polite present: 먹어요었어요 is incorrect. Start with the stem 먹- and add -었어요. Watch common contractions: 가았어요 becomes 갔어요, 보았어요 often becomes 봤어요, and 하였어요 becomes 했어요.
Quick Quiz 🎯
Change to the polite past: ① 공부해요 ② 가요 ③ 먹어요 ④ 날씨가 좋아요.
Answers and Explanation
① 공부했어요 ② 갔어요 ③ 먹었어요 ④ 날씨가 좋았어요. In each answer, the past marker appears before the polite 요 ending.
Try It in Your Own Life
Write two original sentences using A/V-았/었어요 about your experience, schedule, ability, plan, or Korean study. Read them aloud, change one detail, and say them again. Check both the grammar form and the spacing before comparing your work with the model sentences.
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