The Korean Writing SystemSyllablesNounsPredicatesFormal and Informal SpeechPre-Final and Final EndingsSpeech LevelAdding ㅓ or ㅏ to a predicate stemWords with 받침Adding 으 to predicates stemsThe Deferential Speech LevelThe Intimate Speech LevelThe Polite Speech LevelThe Plain Speech LevelThe Honorific Ending 시Irregular PredicatesParticlesThe Subject Particle 가 and 이The object particle 를 and 을The Topic Particle 는 and 은Forming a Sentence이다 and 아니다있다 and 없다NegationPast TensePredicates as ModifiersDeterminersBound NounsExpressing desire with 고 싶다NumbersCountersQuestionsThe Particle 에The Plural Particle 들The Possessive Particle 의The Particle 에서The Particle 도The Particle 부터The Particle 까지The Particle 만

Past Tense

To conjugate a predicate in the past tense, a pre-final ending ending is added to a predicate's stem. There are 2 steps to conjugate a predicate in the past tense.
• Add ㅓ or ㅏ  to the predicate stem.
• Then add ㅆ as a  to the final syllable.
For example, in order to conjugate the verb ㄷ-irregular verb  in the past tense:
걷다 + (ㅓ or ㅏ) + ㅆ = 걸어 + ㅆ = 걸었
    
I am extremely tired from having walked all day.
If the predicate is conjugated in the intimate speech level then 어 is added as the final syllable. If the predicate is conjugated in the polite speech level then 어요 is added as the final syllable.
   ?
As for the movie you saw yesterday, was it interesting?
The past tense may also be used to describe a recently completed action. For example, if an office worker is already inside the office after arriving, this office worker can say the following phrase.
 
I came to the office.
When an additional 었 is added to the first past tense ending, the predicate's meaning is more remote than the recent past. For example,  or  This can be used when recounting events which are in the distant past and no longer immediately relevant.
유민이    
유민이 was tall when (she) was in middle school.
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