Verbs: Past Tense — Korean Grammar

To change a verb into the past tense, you must add a suffix to the verb stem. The verb stem is what remains after removing (dadadata) from the dictionary form. The specific suffix you add depends on the last vowel found in that stem. This system is based on "vowel harmony," dividing vowels into "bright" and "dark" categories.

Once the past tense suffix is added, the verb acts like a stem again, allowing you to add final politeness endings like (-ŏyo) - polite or (-sŭmnida-seumnida-sŭmnida-sumnida) - formal.

Stems ending in 'a' or 'o' (Bright Vowels)

If the last vowel of the verb stem is (a) or (o), you add the suffix (ass).

If the stem ends in a consonant, (ass) is simply added.

작다
chak·dajak·dachak·dacak·ta
to be small
작았어요.
cha·gass·ŏ·yo.ja·gass·eo·yo.cha·gass·ŏ·yo.ca·kass·e·yo.
It was small.
좋다
cho·tʰajo·tacho·t'aco·tha
to be good
좋았어요.
cho·ass·ŏ·yo.jo·ass·eo·yo.cho·ass·ŏ·yo.co·ass·e·yo.
It was good.

If the stem ends in a vowel, it usually merges with (ass) to form a contraction:

(ka·daga·daka·daka·ta) ends in (a). (kagakaka) + (ass) becomes (kassgasskasskass).
(o·dao·dao·dao·ta) ends in (o). (o) + (ass) becomes (wass).

학교에 갔어요.
hak·gyo·e kass·ŏ·yo.hak·gyo·e gass·eo·yo.hak·gyo·e kass·ŏ·yo.hak·kyo·ey kass·e·yo.
I went to school.
친구가 왔어요.
chin·gu·ga wass·ŏ·yo.jin·gu·ga wass·eo·yo.chin·gu·ga wass·ŏ·yo.cin·ku·ka wass·e·yo.
A friend came.
영화를 봤어요.
yŏng·hwa·rŭl pwass·ŏ·yo.yeong·hwa·reul bwass·eo·yo.yŏng·hwa·rŭl pwass·ŏ·yo.yeng·hwa·lul pwass·e·yo.
I watched a movie.

Stems ending in other vowels (Dark Vowels)

For all other vowels—such as (ŏeoŏe), (u), (i), (ŭeuŭu), or (æaeaeay)—you add the suffix (ŏsseossŏssess).

If the stem ends in a consonant, simply add (ŏsseossŏssess).

먹다
mŏk·dameok·damŏk·damek·ta
to eat
밥을 먹었어요.
pa·bŭl mŏ·gŏss·ŏ·yo.ba·beul meo·geoss·eo·yo.pa·bŭl mŏ·gŏss·ŏ·yo.pa·pul me·kess·e·yo.
I ate a meal.
입다
ip·daip·daip·daip·ta
to wear
옷을 입었어요.
o·sŭl i·bŏss·ŏ·yo.o·seul i·beoss·eo·yo.o·sŭl i·bŏss·ŏ·yo.o·sul i·pess·e·yo.
I put on clothes.

If the stem ends in a vowel, contraction usually occurs:

(sŏ·daseo·dasŏ·dase·ta) ends in (ŏeoŏe). (sŏseosŏse) + (ŏsseossŏssess) becomes (sŏssseosssŏsssess).
(pæ·u·dabae·u·dapae·u·dapay·u·ta) ends in (u). (pæ·ubae·upae·upay·u) + (ŏsseossŏssess) becomes (pæ·wossbae·wosspae·wŏsspay·wess).
(ma·si·dama·si·dama·si·dama·si·ta) ends in (i). (ma·si) + (ŏsseossŏssess) becomes (ma·syŏssma·syeossma·syŏssma·syess).
(ssŭ·dasseu·dassŭ·dassu·ta) ends in (ŭeuŭu). The (ŭeuŭu) is dropped, so (ssŭsseussŭssu) + (ŏsseossŏssess) becomes (ssŏsssseossssŏssssess).

한국어를 배웠어요.
han·gu·gŏ·rŭl pæ·woss·ŏ·yo.han·gu·geo·reul bae·woss·eo·yo.han·gu·gŏ·rŭl pae·wŏss·ŏ·yo.han·ku·ke·lul pay·wess·e·yo.
I learned Korean.
커피를 마셨어요.
kʰŏ·pʰi·rŭl ma·syŏss·ŏ·yo.keo·pi·reul ma·syeoss·eo·yo.k'ŏ·p'i·rŭl ma·syŏss·ŏ·yo.khe·phi·lul ma·syess·e·yo.
I drank coffee.
편지를 썼어요.
pʰyŏn·ji·rŭl ssŏss·ŏ·yo.pyeon·ji·reul sseoss·eo·yo.p'yŏn·ji·rŭl ssŏss·ŏ·yo.phyen·ci·lul ssess·e·yo.
I wrote a letter.

Verbs ending in 'Hada'

Verbs ending in (ha·daha·daha·daha·ta) follow a unique rule. (ha·daha·daha·daha·ta) changes to (hæsshaesshaesshayss) in the past tense. This applies to the vast number of verbs formed by "Noun + (ha·daha·daha·daha·ta)".

공부하다
kong·bu·ha·dagong·bu·ha·dakong·bu·ha·dakong·pu·ha·ta
to study
어제 공부했어요.
ŏ·je kong·bu·hæss·ŏ·yo.eo·je gong·bu·haess·eo·yo.ŏ·je kong·bu·haess·ŏ·yo.e·cey kong·pu·hayss·e·yo.
I studied yesterday.
사랑하다
sa·rang·ha·dasa·rang·ha·dasa·rang·ha·dasa·lang·ha·ta
to love
우리는 사랑했어요.
u·ri·nŭn sa·rang·hæss·ŏ·yo.u·ri·neun sa·rang·haess·eo·yo.u·ri·nŭn sa·rang·haess·ŏ·yo.u·li·nun sa·lang·hayss·e·yo.
We loved.

Irregular Verbs in Past Tense

Some verbs change their stem shape before the past tense suffix is added.

The ㄷ (d) Irregular

For verbs like (tŭt·dadeut·datŭt·datut·ta) - to listen or (kŏt·dageot·dakŏt·daket·ta) - to walk, the final (d) changes to (r/l) when followed by a vowel. Since the past tense suffix starts with a vowel ( (ŏsseossŏssess)), this change always happens.

음악을 들었어요.
ŭ·ma·gŭl tŭ·rŏss·ŏ·yo.eu·ma·geul deu·reoss·eo·yo.ŭ·ma·gŭl tŭ·rŏss·ŏ·yo.u·ma·kul tu·less·e·yo.
I listened to music.
공원을 걸었어요.
kong·wŏ·nŭl kŏ·rŏss·ŏ·yo.gong·wŏ·neul geo·reoss·eo·yo.kong·wŏ·nŭl kŏ·rŏss·ŏ·yo.kong·wŏ·nul ke·less·e·yo.
I walked in the park.

The ㅂ (b) Irregular

For descriptive verbs like (chʰup·dachup·dach'up·dachup·ta) - to be cold or (tŏp·dadeop·datŏp·datep·ta) - to be hot, the (b) is removed and replaced with (u). Then, you add (ŏsseossŏssess), which combines to form (wosswosswŏsswess).

날씨가 추웠어요.
nal·ssi·ga chʰu·woss·ŏ·yo.nal·ssi·ga chu·woss·eo·yo.nal·ssi·ga ch'u·wŏss·ŏ·yo.nal·ssi·ka chu·wess·e·yo.
The weather was cold.
매웠어요.
mæ·woss·ŏ·yo.mae·woss·eo·yo.mae·wŏss·ŏ·yo.may·wess·e·yo.
It was spicy.

Past Tense of 'To Be' (이다 (i·da))

The verb (i·dai·dai·dai·ta) - to be has two forms in the past tense depending on whether the previous noun ends in a vowel or a consonant.

After a consonant: (i·ŏss·ŏ·yoi·eoss·eo·yoi·ŏss·ŏ·yoi·ess·e·yo)
After a vowel: (yŏss·ŏ·yoyeoss·eo·yoyŏss·ŏ·yoyess·e·yo)

학생이었어요.
hak·sæng·i·ŏss·ŏ·yo.hak·saeng·i·eoss·eo·yo.hak·saeng·i·ŏss·ŏ·yo.hak·sayng·i·ess·e·yo.
I was a student.
의사였어요.
ŭi·sa·yŏss·ŏ·yo.ui·sa·yeoss·eo·yo.ŭi·sa·yŏss·ŏ·yo.uy·sa·yess·e·yo.
She was a doctor.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Korean course

67 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 1. A few of them, with the words “Verbs: Past Tense” is about in bold:

너 주려고 계란 한 다스랑 초코바 샀어.
nŏ ju·ryŏ·go gye·ran han da·sŭ rang chʰo·kʰo·ba sass·ŏ.neo ju·ryeo·go gye·ran han da·seu rang cho·ko·ba sass·eo.nŏ ju·ryŏ·go gye·ran han da·sŭ rang ch'o·k'o·ba sass·ŏ.ne cu·lye·ko kyey·lan han ta·su lang cho·kho·pa sass·e.
I bought a dozen eggs and a candy bar for you too. (cas.)
Lesson 47
좀 어때? 괜찮아졌어? 아니면 안좋아졌어?
chom ŏ·ttæ? kwæn·chʰan·a jyŏss·ŏ? a·ni·myŏn an jo·a jyŏss·ŏ?jom eo·ddae? gwaen·chan·a jyeoss·eo? a·ni·myeon an jo·a jyeoss·eo?chom ŏ·ttae? kwaen·ch'an·a jyŏss·ŏ? a·ni·myŏn an jo·a jyŏss·ŏ?com e·ttay? kwayn·chan·a cyess·e? a·ni·myen an co·a cyess·e?
How are you feeling? Good or bad? (cas.)
Lesson 61
말도 안 됩니다. 두 분 모두 틀리셨어요.
mal do an dwæm·ni·da. tu bun mo·du tʰŭl·li·syŏss·ŏ·yo.mal do an dwaem·ni·da. du bun mo·du teul·li·syeoss·eo·yo.mal do an dwaem·ni·da. tu bun mo·du t'ŭl·li·syŏss·ŏ·yo.mal to an twaym·ni·ta. tu pun mo·tu thul·li·syess·e·yo.
How ridiculous (form.). You are both wrong.
Lesson 163

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