🟢 Talking About Past Events with -았어요/-었어요 | Beginner Level (TOPIK 1–2)

“How do you say ‘I ate’ or ‘I went’ in Korean?”

Past tense is one of the first grammar points beginners encounter in Korean. Using -았어요 / -었어요 helps you share what you did yesterday, last weekend, or even last year — whether it’s eating delicious kimchi or visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace!

💡 Why Learn the Past Tense?

Being able to describe what you did in the past is crucial for storytelling and everyday conversation. Whether talking about yesterday’s lunch or last year’s trip, mastering past tense helps you connect with people and share personal experiences naturally.

📖 How to Form -았어요 / -었어요

Attach -았어요 or -었어요 to the verb stem:

If the final vowel is ㅏ or ㅗ → use -았어요
Otherwise → use -었어요
For 하다 verbs → change to 했어요

Examples:

가다 → 갔어요 (went)
먹다 → 먹었어요 (ate)
공부하다 → 공부했어요 (studied)

📝 Example Sentences

어제 친구를 만났어요.
Eoje chingureul mannasseoyo.
I met my friend yesterday.

지난주에 한국 음식을 먹었어요.
Jinanju-e hanguk eumsig-eul meogeosseoyo.
I ate Korean food last week.

휴가 때 부산에 갔어요.
Hyuga ttae Busan-e gasseoyo.
I went to Busan during vacation.

🗣 Practice Dialogue

A: 주말에 뭐 했어요?
Jumal-e mwo haesseoyo?
What did you do on the weekend?

B: 친구랑 영화 봤어요. 그리고 맛있는 저녁도 먹었어요.
Chingurang yeonghwa bwasseoyo. Geurigo masissneun jeonyeok-do meogeosseoyo.
I watched a movie with a friend and also ate a delicious dinner

Teacher’s Tips

Common mistake: Beginners often forget vowel harmony and say “가었어요” instead of “갔어요.” Practice contractions aloud to make them natural.

Pro tip: Listening to K-dramas or vlogs helps you hear these endings repeatedly, reinforcing correct usage naturally.

🌏 Did You Know?

In Korean storytelling, past tense endings are often mixed with past continuous (-고 있었어요) to describe scenes vividly, like in novels or dramas. This adds a cinematic feeling to everyday stories.

✨ Extra Learning Insight

Combine past tense with **time expressions** like “어제 (yesterday)” or “지난주 (last week)” to make your sentences richer. Example: “지난주에 친구 집에 갔어요” (I went to my friend’s house last week)

Final Thoughts

Mastering -았어요/-었어요 is your first step toward sharing your stories in Korean. The more you practice, the more confident you’ll become when talking about your daily life.

I often write these posts because I’ve seen friends and students — both through italki and in real life here in Korea — hesitate to share past experiences. Once they learned this grammar, their storytelling became lively and personal. I hope you feel the same joy as you connect with others in Korean!

🔗 Related Posts

Using 있다 and 없다 – Beginner Level
Learn to express existence and absence in Korean.
How to Read Korean Menus – Beginner Level
Navigate Korean menus confidently when eating out.
Talking About Food You Like – Beginner Level
Express preferences and talk about favorite foods.
Particles 은/는 vs 이/가 – Beginner Level
Understand topic vs. subject particles in context.

🎓 Want to share your past experiences in Korean more naturally?
Join my 1:1 italki lessons and practice past tense conversations with real feedback.

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