[Grammar] Past tense 았/었/였어요

If you have not learned the present tense yet, please check out this post first.

The past tense verb ending is “-았/었/였어요”.  The rule is the same as the present tense.

1. Delete verb/adjective ending ‘-다’

2. Look at the last letter, there are three types of ending.

1) The vowel of the last letter is 아/오 + 았어요

2) The vowel of the last letter is not 아/오 + 었어요

3) The last letter is ‘하’ + 였어요 (하였어요 is used to use 했어요 in conversation.)

V/A(the vowel is 아/오)	았어요	살+았어요, 가+았어요	살았어요, 갔어요
V/A(the vowel is not 아/오)	었어요	먹+었어요, 마시+었어요	먹었어요, 마셨어요
V/A(ends with ‘하’)	였어요	하+였어요	했어요

 

More examples >>

가다(to go) -> 가 + 았어요 => 갔어요

자다(to sleep)  -> 자 + 았어요 => 잤어요

오다(to come) -> 오 + 았어요 => 왔어요

보다(to look/see) -> 보+ 았어요 => 봤어요

받다(to receive) -> 받 + 았어요 => 받았어요

살다(to live) -> 살 + 았어요 => 살았어요

 

먹다(to eat) -> 먹 + 었어요 => 먹었어요

읽다(to read)  -> 읽 + 었어요 => 읽었어요

마시다(to drink) -> 마시 + 었어요 => 마셨어요

배우다 (to learn) -> 배우 + 었어요 => 배웠어요

주다 (to give) -> 주 + 었어요 => 줬어요

 

공부하다(to study) -> 공부하 + 였어요 => 공부했어요

노래하다(to sing) -> 노래하 + 였어요 => 노래했어요

좋아하다(to like) -> 좋아하 + 였어요 => 좋아했어요

일하다(to work) -> 일하 + 였어요 => 일했어요

피곤하다(to be tired) -> 피곤하 + 였어요 => 피곤했어요

 

You can also listen to the pronunciation here.