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They indicates the past action that happened in recent, but also expresses the completion of an action. '았' is used if the stem ends in a bright vowel such as 'ㅏ', or 'ㅗ'. '었' is used when the stem ends in other vowels such as 'ㅓ', 'ㅡ', 'ㅐ', 'ㅜ', 'ㅔ' or 'ㅣ', etc.
The ending '-어요.' is used for the past tense.
When the stem has a 받침 (syllable-final consonant), it becomes stem+었/았다.
For polite speech, you need to add a honorific suffix '-(으)시' before 었/았. '-으시' is used when the stem ends in a consonant, while '-시' is used for the stem that ends in a vowel.
선생님께서 집에 오셨어요. The teacher came (my) home.
오다's stem is 오, so you add -(으)시 었/았어요 after 오.
|보다. [to see]||았 + 어요.||보았어요. → 봤어요.|
|받다. [to receive]||았 + 어요.||받았어요.|
|하다. [to do]||았 + 어요.||했어요. NOT 핬어요.|
|먹다. [to eat]||었 + 어요.||먹었어요.|
|찾다. [to find]||았 + 어요.||찾았어요.|
|세다. [to count]||었 + 어요.||세었어요. → 셌어요.|
|타다. [to ride]||았 + 어요.||타았어요. → 탔어요.|
|보다. [to see]||시 + 었 + 어요.||보시었어요. → 보셨어요.|
|받다. [to receive]||으시 + 었 + 어요.||받으시었어요. → 받으셨어요.|
|하다. [to do]||시 + 었 + 어요.||하시었어요. → 하셨어요.|
|먹다. [to eat]||Please see below the table.|
|찾다. [to find]||으시 + 었 + 어요.||찾으시었어요. → 찾으셨어요.|
|세다. [to count]||시 + 었 + 어요.||세시었어요. → 세셨어요.|
|타다. [to ride]||시 + 었 + 어요.||타시었어요. → 타셨어요.|
*For 먹다. "to eat", Koreans don't say 먹으셨어요. for someone who's older than the speaker (to the elderly). Instead, you must say 잡수셨어요. (잡수다). For someone who's a little bit older than you, but not the elderly, use 드셨어요. (드시다). Please go to the honorific expression page for more information.
차에 탔어요. (I) rode a car. (means I just rode a car, or I'm riding a car)
소문 들었어. (I) heard the rumor. (means I just heard the rumor, or I heard the rumor recently.)
해리한테 전화왔어. (You) have a phone call from Harry. (means you have a phone call from Harry right now, or Harry just called a moment ago.)
They indicates the past action or situation that was completed long time ago.
|Verb||Double past tense|
|사다. [to buy]||았+었+어요.||샀었어요. bought (long before)|
|받다. [to receive]||았+었+어요.||받았었어요. received (long before)|
|만나다. [to meet]||았+었+어요.||만났었어요. met (long before)|
|보다. [to see]||았+었+어요.||봤었어요. saw (long before)|
|가다. [to go]||았+었+어요.||갔었어요. went (long before and no longer there)|
|오다. [to come]||았+었+어요.||왔었어요. came (long before and no longer here)|
|크다. [big]||었+었+어요.||컸었어요. was big|
|짧다. [short]||았+었+어요.||짧았었어요. was short|
1. 학교에 왔어요. (I) came school, / (I) am at school.
학교에 왔었어요. (I) was at school. (at that time and am no longer at school)
2. 친구를 만났어요. (I) met a friend, / (I) am meeting a friend.
친구를 만났었어요. (I) met a friend. (long before)
3. 모자를 썼어요. (I) wore a hat, / (I) am wearing a hat.
모자를 썼었어요. (I) wore a hat. (long before) / (I) used to wear a hat.
4. 시집을 읽었어요. (I) read a poetry, / (I) am reading a poetry.
시집을 읽었었어요. (I) read a poetry. (long before) / (I) used to read a poetry.
5. (자동차) 운전을 했었어요. (I) drove a car. / (I) am driving a car.
(자동차) 운전을 했었었어요. (I) drove a car. (long before) / (I) used to drive a car.
6. 티셔츠가 작았어요. The T-shirt was small.
티셔츠가 작았었어요. The T-shirt was small. (and is no longer small) / The t-shirt used to be small.
7. 결혼했어요. I got married. (and I'm still married)
결혼했었어요. I got married. (I was once married, and I'm single now)