Putting Verbs in PAST tense! (Informal, and formal!)
by Leeana Lee
1. To put a verb in past tense, the first step is to get the verb STEM.
1.1. Removing 다
2. Before you learn this, you need to know something important. Korean grammar is based on adding things directly to verbs or adjectives to have a specific meaning.
3. Place it into BASIC Form
3.1. 아/어/여
4. Add ㅆ to the bottom of the BASIC form then add 어. To make it formal, add 요.
5. For sentences containing 이다, (to be) it's a little more complicated!
6. If the word before 이다 HAS an ending consonant, then you'd use 이었어요 Remove 요 to make it informal.
6.1. EX: 학생 (student) Ends in a consonant So you use 이었어요.
6.2. 학생이었어요. I was a student.
7. If the word before 이다 has an ending VOWEL, then you'd use 였어요 Remove 요 to make it informal.
7.1. EX: 언제 (When) Ends in a vowel So you use 였어요?
7.2. 언제였어요? When was it?
