Regular verbs

Let's start by a simple step-by-step guide to teach you how to conjugate regular verbs in past tense:

• Identify the Stem: Remove the '다' ending from the dictionary form to get the stem.
  • 가다 (to go) → 가
  • 먹다 (to eat) → 먹
  • 예쁘다 (to be pretty) → 예쁘
• Use the Appropriate Suffix: The suffix depends on the final vowel of the stem.
  • Stem Ends with a Vowel:
    • Just add -ㅆ (ex: 가다 - 가 - 갔).
  • Stem Ends with a Consonant:
    • If the last vowel is 아 or 오, add -았.
    • For all other vowels, add -었.
  • Stem Ends with 하:
    • replace it by -했 (also rarely changed to -하였)
• Attach the Polite Ending: For polite informal speech, commonly used endings are:
  • -어 for casual speech
  • -어요 for polite speech
  • -습니다 for formal speech

• 갔어
  가다 (반말)
• 봤어
  보다 (반말)
• 느렸어요
  느리다 (존뎃말)
• 먹었어요
  먹다 (존뎃말)
• 했습니다
  하다 (높임말)

Irregular Verbs

The conjugation of irregular verbs follows the pattern of the present tense.

• ㅂ Irregular Verbs: When the stem ends with ㅂ, the ㅂ changes to 우 before adding the suffix.
  • 돕다 (to help)
  • Stem: 돕 → 도우
  • Combined: 도우 + 았어요 = 도왔어요 (helped)
• ㄷ Irregular Verbs: When the stem ends with ㄷ, the ㄷ changes to ㄹ before a vowel.
  • 듣다 (to listen)
  • Stem: 듣 → 들
  • Combined: 들 + 었어요 = 들었어요 (listened)
• 르 Irregular Verbs: When the stem ends with 르, an extra ㄹ is added, and ㅡ is dropped.
  • 모르다 (to not know)
  • Stem: 모르 → 몰라
  • Combined: 몰라 + 았어요 = 몰랐어요 (didn't know)

• 몰랐어
  모르다
• 들었어요
  들다
• 추웠어요
  춥다
• 나았습니다
  낫다 (to get better)

Sentence examples

• 지난 주에 날씨가 추웠어요
  Last week the weather was cold
• 어제는 친구랑 영화를 봤어요
  Yestderday I saw a movie with a friend
• 아침에 학교에 갔습니다
  I went to school this morning
• 어제 아주 바빴습니다
  I was very busy yesterday
• 그 강아지는 너무 귀여웠다
  That puppy was so cute