The Korean Writing SystemSyllablesNounsPredicatesFormal and Informal SpeechPre-Final and Final EndingsSpeech LevelAdding ㅓ or ㅏ to a predicate stemAdding 으 to predicates stemsThe Deferential Speech LevelThe Intimate Speech LevelThe Polite Speech LevelThe Plain Speech LevelIrregular PredicatesThe Subject Particle 가 and 이The object particle 를 and 을The Topic Particle 는 and 은Forming a Sentence이다 and 아니다있다 and 없다NegationPast TensePredicates as ModifiersDeterminersBound NounsDesireNumbersCountersQuestionsThe Particle 에

Past Tense

To conjugate a predicate in the past tense, a pre-final ending past tense ending is added to a predicate.
Conjugating the predicate in the past tense follows these steps
• Add ㅓ or ㅏ  to the predicate stem.
• Then add ㅆ as a 받침 to the final syllable.
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.
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.
 
When an additional 었 is added to the first past tense marker, the predicate's meaning is becomes 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.

Examples

PredicatePast Tense먹었어이뻤습니까갔다왔어요
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