Past Tense 았/었/였

Korean verbs are like Lego sets. You start with a 'stem' and then snap on different endings. To make the past tense, you first find the verb stem by dropping the 다 from the dictionary form. For example, 가다 (to go) has the stem 가. Then, you look at the very last vowel in that stem. This vowel is your guide. It tells you which past tense 'sticker' to pick. There are three main choices: 았, 었, or 였. Once you pick the right one, you usually add a polite ending like 어요 to finish the sentence. It sounds like a lot, but your brain will start doing this automatically after a few tries. Think of it like a grammar traffic light—the vowel tells you which way to go!

1. 1First, find the verb stem by removing 다. For 먹다 (to eat), the stem is 먹.
2. 2Look at the last vowel of the stem. This is the most important step!
3. 3If the last vowel is ㅏ or ㅗ, you must use 았. For example, 자다 (to sleep) becomes 잤어요.
4. 4If the last vowel is anything else (like ㅓ, ㅜ, ㅣ, or ㅡ), you use 었. For example, 먹다 becomes 먹었어요.
5. 5If the verb ends in 하다, it is a special case. It always changes to 했. So, 공부하다 (to study) becomes 공부했어요.
6. 6Be careful with vowel contractions! If a stem ends in a vowel, it often merges with the past tense ending. 가다 + 았 doesn't stay 가았, it shrinks into 갔.
7. 7For the formal polite style, use 았습니다, 었습니다, or 하였습니다 (usually shortened to 했습니다).

• Use it for actions that are completely finished. "I finished my homework."
• Use it to describe past states or feelings. "I was very tired yesterday."
• Use it when ordering food if you want to say what you chose. "I chose the bibimbap."
• Use it in job interviews to describe your experience. "I worked at a bank for two years."
• Use it when asking for directions to say where you just came from. "I came from the subway station."
• Use it to talk about your childhood or old habits that have ended.
• Use it to confirm someone received something. "Did you get my message?"

• Do not use it for things you are doing right now. That is the present tense!
• Avoid it for future plans. Even if you are 100% sure, use the future tense instead.
• Do not use it for universal truths. "The sun rose in the east" sounds like it stopped doing that!
• Be careful with "have been doing" sentences. In English, we say "I have lived here for a year." In Korean, if you still live there, you often use the present tense.
• Don't use it for hypothetical situations. There are other endings for "if I had done."

• Forgetting the double ㅆ at the bottom. This is the signature of the past tense! Without it, you're just stuck in the present.
• Mixing up 았 and 었. Remember: ㅏ and ㅗ are the 'bright' vowels that stick together. Everything else is 'dark' and uses 었.
• Over-contracting or not contracting enough. Writing 가았어요 instead of 갔어요 is a classic beginner move. Don't worry, even native speakers' kids do this while learning!
• Forgetting that 하다 verbs are special. Never say 하았어요. It’s always 했어요.
• Using the wrong polite level. Make sure your ending (어요 vs 습니다) matches who you are talking to.

• Present Tense (아/어/여요): This is for what is happening now or general habits. 먹어요 means "I eat." 먹었어요 means "I ate." It's the difference between a snack now and a snack an hour ago.
• Future Tense (-(으)ㄹ 거예요): This is for what will happen. 갈 거예요 means "I will go." 갔어요 means "I went." One is a plan, the other is a memory.
• Past Perfect (었었): Sometimes you see a double 었. This is for things that happened a long time ago and are totally disconnected from now. For most A1 conversations, the standard 았/었/였 is all you need!