Lesson 14 · Beginner 2 · A2

Talking About the Past

과거 이야기

What did you do yesterday? How was your weekend? In this lesson you will learn the Korean past tense, one of the most useful patterns for real conversation, and practice telling short stories about your day.

🎯 Learning goals

After this lesson you will be able to:

  • Talk about what you did yesterday or last weekend
  • Ask others about their past experiences

💬 Key phrases

  • 어제 뭐 했어요?

    eoje mwo haesseoyo?

    What did you do yesterday?

  • 친구를 만났어요

    chingureul mannasseoyo

    I met a friend

  • 영화를 봤어요

    yeonghwareul bwasseoyo

    I watched a movie

  • 집에서 쉬었어요

    jibeseo swieosseoyo

    I rested at home

  • 아침 먹었어요?

    achim meogeosseoyo?

    Did you have breakfast?

  • 지난주에 부산에 갔어요

    jinanjue busane gasseoyo

    I went to Busan last week

  • 정말 재미있었어요

    jeongmal jaemiisseosseoyo

    It was really fun

  • 많이 피곤했어요

    mani pigonhaesseoyo

    I was very tired

  • 작년에 한국어를 배우기 시작했어요

    jangnyeone hangugeoreul baeugi sijakaesseoyo

    I started learning Korean last year

  • 언제 한국에 왔어요?

    eonje hanguge wasseoyo?

    When did you come to Korea?

📐 Grammar

-았어요 / -었어요 / -했어요

past tense, polite style

Start from the present form and change -아요 → -았어요, -어요 → -었어요, 해요 → 했어요. Vowels often merge: 가 + 았어요 → 갔어요, 보 + 았어요 → 봤어요, 마시 + 었어요 → 마셨어요. Korean uses the same form for "I went" and "I have gone".

Base form-았어요 / -었어요 / -했어요
가다갔어요
먹다먹었어요
하다했어요
보다봤어요
마시다마셨어요

Example

  • 어제 친구를 만났어요.

    eoje chingureul mannasseoyo.

    I met a friend yesterday.

  • 주말에 숙제를 했어요.

    jumare sukjereul haesseoyo.

    I did my homework on the weekend.

  • 아침에 커피를 마셨어요.

    achime keopireul masyeosseoyo.

    I drank coffee in the morning.

🗣 Dialogue

A

수진 씨, 주말에 뭐 했어요?

sujin ssi, jumare mwo haesseoyo?

Sujin, what did you do on the weekend?

B

친구하고 홍대에 갔어요.

chinguhago hongdaee gasseoyo.

I went to Hongdae with a friend.

A

와, 거기에서 뭐 했어요?

wa, geogieseo mwo haesseoyo?

Wow, what did you do there?

B

쇼핑하고 떡볶이를 먹었어요.

syopinghago tteokbokkireul meogeosseoyo.

We went shopping and ate tteokbokki.

A

재미있었어요?

jaemiisseosseoyo?

Was it fun?

B

네, 정말 재미있었어요! 마크 씨는요?

ne, jeongmal jaemiisseosseoyo! makeu ssineunyo?

Yes, it was really fun! How about you, Mark?

A

저는 집에서 한국 드라마를 봤어요.

jeoneun jibeseo hanguk deuramareul bwasseoyo.

I watched a Korean drama at home.

✏️ Grammar practice

Choose the word that completes each sentence.

✅ Quick quiz

Choose the correct meaning.

Practice these with flashcards

Updated: November 2026