📘 Korean Tenses: Past, Present, and Future

Understand Korean Verb Tenses Easily

Korean verbs change form depending on the tense — past, present, or future. Once you understand these patterns, you can express everything from your daily routine to your long-term dreams! Let’s explore each tense with simple examples.

✅ Present Tense - 현재

Use -아요 / -어요 / -해요 for present tense, based on the verb stem.

Verb	Stem	Present Tense	Meaning
가다	가	가요	go
먹다	먹	먹어요	eat
하다	하	해요	do

🕘 Past Tense - 과거

Use -았어요 / -었어요 / -했어요 depending on the vowel of the verb stem.

Verb	Past Tense	Meaning
가다	갔어요	went
먹다	먹었어요	ate
하다	했어요	did

⏩ Future Tense - 미래

The most common form uses -ㄹ/을 거예요 to say “will do.”

Verb	Future Tense	Meaning
가다	갈 거예요	will go
먹다	먹을 거예요	will eat
하다	할 거예요	will do

🎯 Ready to Practice With a Tutor?

Learning tenses is easier when you apply them in real conversations. 👉 Book a Korean class with me on italki and we’ll practice grammar in a fun, personalized way.

💬 Your Turn!

Try writing a short sentence in Korean in the past, present, and future tense. Example: 저는 밥을 먹었어요 / 먹어요 / 먹을 거예요. Need feedback? Leave a comment below! 😊