✅Day 10: Past Tense in Korean – How to Say What You Did

 

Day 10: Past Tense in Korean – How to Say What You Did

Hi Korean learners! πŸ‘‹

In this lesson, we’ll learn how to say what you did yesterday in Korean. It’s easier than you think – and super useful!

Let’s go from “I eat” → to “I ate” “I go” → to “I went” You got this!


πŸ“š Korean Past Tense – Quick Summary

Korean past tense uses special endings:

  • -μ•˜μ–΄μš” (a-sseo-yo) → after ㅏ or γ…— vowels
  • -μ—ˆμ–΄μš” (eo-sseo-yo) → after other vowels
  • ν–ˆμ–΄μš” (hae-sseo-yo) → for ν•˜λ‹€ verbs (to do)


πŸ—‚️ Past Tense Verbs – Easy Chart

Verb Present Tense Past Tense Romanization Meaning
κ°€λ‹€ κ°€μš” κ°”μ–΄μš” ga-da → ga-yo → gat-sseo-yo I go → I went
λ¨Ήλ‹€ λ¨Ήμ–΄μš” λ¨Ήμ—ˆμ–΄μš” meok-da → meo-geo-yo → meo-geot-sseo-yo I eat → I ate
μžλ‹€ μžμš” μž€μ–΄μš” ja-da → ja-yo → jat-sseo-yo I sleep → I slept
λ§ˆμ‹œλ‹€ λ§ˆμ…”μš” λ§ˆμ…¨μ–΄μš” ma-si-da → ma-syeo-yo → ma-syeot-sseo-yo I drink → I drank
κ³΅λΆ€ν•˜λ‹€ κ³΅λΆ€ν•΄μš” κ³΅λΆ€ν–ˆμ–΄μš” gong-bu-ha-da → gong-bu-hae-yo → gong-bu-haet-sseo-yo I study → I studied
ν•˜λ‹€ ν•΄μš” ν–ˆμ–΄μš” ha-da → hae-yo → haet-sseo-yo I do → I did


πŸ—£️ Example Sentences

  • μ–΄μ œ λ°₯을 λ¨Ήμ—ˆμ–΄μš” → eo-je bap-eul meo-geot-sseo-yo → I ate a meal yesterday
  • μ–΄μ œ 학ꡐ에 κ°”μ–΄μš” → eo-je hak-gyo-e gat-sseo-yo → I went to school yesterday
  • μ–΄μ œ κ³΅λΆ€ν–ˆμ–΄μš” → eo-je gong-bu-haet-sseo-yo → I studied yesterday

πŸ’‘ “μ–΄μ œ” (eo-je) means “yesterday” — try using it at the start of your sentences!


πŸ“ Practice – Fill in the Blanks

  1. μ–΄μ œ 컀피λ₯Ό __________. → I drank coffee yesterday.
  2. μ–΄μ œ 친ꡬλ₯Ό __________. → I met a friend yesterday.
  3. μ–΄μ œ 일찍 __________. → I slept early yesterday.
✅ Show Answers
  1. λ§ˆμ…¨μ–΄μš” → ma-syeot-sseo-yo
  2. λ§Œλ‚¬μ–΄μš” → man-nat-sseo-yo
  3. μž€μ–΄μš” → jat-sseo-yo


πŸ’¬ Conversation Practice

Q: μ–΄μ œ 뭐 ν–ˆμ–΄μš”? → eo-je mwo hae-sseo-yo? → What did you do yesterday?

A: μ €λŠ” μ˜ν™”λ₯Ό λ΄€μ–΄μš”. → jeo-neun yeong-hwa-reul bwat-sseo-yo → I watched a movie.

Try answering with your own sentence!


🎯 Speak These Aloud

  • μ €λŠ” λ°₯을 λ¨Ήμ—ˆμ–΄μš” → I ate
  • μ €λŠ” κ³΅λΆ€ν–ˆμ–΄μš” → I studied
  • μ €λŠ” μž€μ–΄μš” → I slept

Repeat 2–3 times and listen to yourself. The more you say it, the more natural it gets!


✅ Conclusion

Past tense is a big step toward real conversations. You did amazing today!

Now try making 3 new past tense sentences about your day. Remember: short and simple is great!