-았/었/였: Past Tense Marker

Example Sentences#

“아, 이럴 수가,” 쥐가 말했다.¹
“Ah, how could this be,” the mouse said.
- 말하다 means ‘to say’ or ‘to speak’.
- 였 is a past tense marker.
- -다 is the plain declarative ending used to state facts or describe events in an impersonal, neutral tone without addressing a specific listener, found in objective narration (stories, articles, diaries), self-directed speech, announcements, and emphatic exclamations.
돌아보면 차이가 있었을까?²
When I look back, was there ever a difference?
- 있다 means ‘to exist’.
- 었 is a past tense marker.
- 을까 is a question ending indicating curiosity, wonder, or uncertainty, often used when the speaker is asking themselves a question.
체셔 고양이: “그건 네가 어디로 가고 싶은지에 달려 있어,” 고양이가 말했다.³
Cheshire Cat: “That depends on where you want to go,” said the cat.
- 말하다 means ‘to say’.
- 였 is a past tense marker.
- -다 is the plain declarative ending used to state facts or describe events in an impersonal, neutral tone without addressing a specific listener, found in objective narration (stories, articles, diaries), self-directed speech, announcements, and emphatic exclamations.
옛날에 한 노인이 있었습니다.⁴
Once upon a time, there was an old man.
- 있다 means ‘to exist’ or ‘to be’.
- 었 is a past tense marker.
- 습니다 is a formal polite ending used in declarative sentences.
나연: 야, 너 인스타 보니까 최근에 콘서트 갔다 왔더라?⁵
Nayeon: Hey, I saw on your Instagram that you went to a concert recently?
- 가다 means ‘to go’.
- -았- is a past tense marker.
- -다 is a shortened form of -다가, a connective ending indicating the interruption, shift, or progression from one action or state to another.
태민: 나는 나의 아저씨가 진짜 좋았어.⁶
Taemin: I really liked ‘My Mister’.
- 좋다 means ‘to be good’.
- 았 is the past tense marker.
- 어 is a casual ending used in informal speech.
하지만 특정 사람을 미워할수록 인류 전체를 더욱 사랑하게 되는 것은 언제나 그래왔습니다.⁷
But the more I hate any particular person, the more I come to love humanity as a whole, and it has always been so.
- 그렇다 means ‘to be so’ or ‘to be like that’.
- -어 오다 is a grammatical construction where 오다 (to come) is used as an auxiliary verb to indicate that an action or state has been continuing up to the present.
- 았 is a past tense marker.
- 습니다 is a formal polite ending used in declarative sentences.
어느 날, 라사로와 맹인은 알모록스라는 마을에 도착했다.⁸
One day, Lazaro and the blind man arrived in a village called Almorox.
- 도착하다 means ‘to arrive’.
- 였 is a past tense marker.
- -다 is the plain declarative ending used to state facts or describe events in an impersonal, neutral tone without addressing a specific listener, found in objective narration (stories, articles, diaries), self-directed speech, announcements, and emphatic exclamations.
우리는 끝없는 검은 바다 한가운데 있는 고요한 무지의 섬에 살고 있으며, 멀리 나가는 것은 우리에게 맞지 않았습니다.⁹
We live on a quiet island of ignorance in the middle of an endless black sea, and it was not meant for us to venture far.
- 않다 is an auxiliary verb that makes the clause negative.
- 았 is a past tense marker.
- 습니다 is a formal polite ending used in declarative sentences.
두 명의 스님, 한 명은 나이 든 스님이고 다른 한 명은 젊은 스님이 함께 여행하고 있었다.¹⁰
Two monks, one old and one young, were traveling together.
- 있다 means ‘to exist’ or ‘to be’.
- -고 있다 is a grammar pattern used to indicate a continuous or ongoing action.
- 었 is a past tense marker.
- -다 is the plain declarative ending used to state facts or describe events in an impersonal, neutral tone without addressing a specific listener, found in objective narration (stories, articles, diaries), self-directed speech, announcements, and emphatic exclamations.
난 태어날 때부터 자유 원했어¹¹
I wanted freedom since the day I was born.
- 원하다 means ‘to want’ or ‘to wish’.
- 였 is a past tense marker.
- 어 is a casual ending used in informal speech.
고요한 마을에는 타로라는 성실한 돌을 다듬는 사람이 살고 있었습니다.¹²
In a quiet village, there lived a diligent stone carver named Taro.
- 있다 means ‘to exist’ or ‘to be’.
- -고 있다 is a grammar pattern used to indicate a continuous or ongoing action.
- 었 is a past tense marker.
- 습니다 is a formal polite ending used in declarative sentences.
옛날에 산 아래 작은 마을이 있었습니다.¹³
Once upon a time, there was a small village at the foot of a mountain.
- 있다 means ‘to exist’ or ‘to be’.
- 었 is a past tense marker.
- 습니다 is a formal polite ending used in declarative sentences.
서준: 알았어.¹⁴
Seojun: Got it.
- 알다 means ‘to know’ or ‘to understand’.
- -았- is a past tense marker.
- -어 is a casual ending used in informal speech.
처음에는 너무 넓어서 두려웠고, 계속 달리기만 했어.¹
At the beginning it was so big that I was afraid, and I kept running and running.
- 두렵다 means ‘to be afraid’.
- 었 is a past tense marker.
- -고 is a connective ending used to link two actions or states, meaning ‘and’, or to join the main verb to auxiliary verbs.
앨리스: “어디든 상관없어요—” 앨리스가 말했다.³
Alice: “I don’t care where—” said Alice.
- 말하다 means ‘to say’.
- 였 is a past tense marker.
- -다 is the plain declarative ending used to state facts or describe events in an impersonal, neutral tone without addressing a specific listener, found in objective narration (stories, articles, diaries), self-directed speech, announcements, and emphatic exclamations.
어느 날 그의 말이 도망갔습니다.⁴
One day, his horse ran away.
- 도망가다 means ‘to run away’ or ‘to escape’, formed from 도망 (escape) and 가다 (to go), conveying a neutral and descriptive sense of escape, focusing on the movement or direction away from something.
- 았 is a past tense marker.
- 습니다 is a formal polite ending used in declarative sentences.
최근에 고척스카이돔에서 블랙핑크 공연 봤어.⁵
I recently saw the BLACKPINK concert at the Gocheok Sky Dome.
- 보다 means ‘to see’ or ‘to watch’.
- -았- is a past tense marker.
- -어 is a casual ending used in informal speech.
큰 사건도 없는데, 사람들 이야기가 너무 진짜 같고, 그래서 더 감동적이었어.⁶
Even though there’s no big event, the people’s stories seem so real, so it was more touching.
- 감동적 means ‘touching’ or ‘moving’. It’s composed of 감동 (strong feelings or deep emotion) and the suffix -적, which turns a noun into a descriptive term meaning ‘relating to’ or ‘having the properties of’.
- 이다 is the copula meaning ‘to be’.
- 었 is the past tense marker.
- 어 is a casual ending used in informal speech.
그곳에서 한 농부가 맹인에게 포도 한 송이를 건네주었다.⁸
There, a farmer handed a bunch of grapes to the blind man.
- 건네주다 means ‘to hand over’ or ‘to pass’. It is formed by combining 건네다 (to hand over) with the pattern -어 주다, where 주다 (to give) is used as an auxiliary verb to indicate that the action is done for someone else’s benefit.
- 었 is a past tense marker.
- -다 is the plain declarative ending used to state facts or describe events in an impersonal, neutral tone without addressing a specific listener, found in objective narration (stories, articles, diaries), self-directed speech, announcements, and emphatic exclamations.

Sentence from A Little Fable Story. ↩ ↩²
Sentence from A New Beginning. ↩
Sentence from Alice And The Cheshire Cat Story. ↩ ↩²
Sentence from Bad Luck Good Luck Story. ↩ ↩²
Sentence from Concert Tales Across Borders. ↩ ↩²
Sentence from Exploring K Drama Favorites. ↩ ↩²
Sentence from Father Zossima Counsel Story. ↩
Sentence from Lazaro And The Blind Man. ↩ ↩²
Sentence from The Call Of Cthulhu Opening Story. ↩
Sentence from The Girl At The River Story. ↩
Sentence from The Red Ribbon. ↩
Sentence from The Stonecutter Journey Story. ↩
Sentence from The Tiger And The Dried Persimmon. ↩
Sentence from What Is On The Menu Tonight. ↩

Example Sentences#

Footnotes#