Chapter Ten

What are the tenses in Korean grammar?

In this chapter, we are gonna study the tenses in Korean grammar. How many tenses are there in the Korean language? What are the basic tenses in Korean? When and how the verbs are conjugated? These will be the basic doubts you have regarding the chapter. And most probably you're reading this chapter to get a complete understanding of Korean grammar. 

Don't worry. I say you're at the right place. By the end of this chapter, I'm gonna teach you the tenses in Korean grammar. Make sure that you read the complete chapter to get a complete idea about the tenses. So, let's go!!

So, first of all, there are only three tenses in Korean. See, it's very easy to learn these three tenses. Also, we've got an ample amount of examples for them. So, all you have to do is read, write, speak, practice, and repeat.

I can assure you that if you follow the above steps continuously, you can easily learn and master Korean. 

Now you must be thinking what is the importance of studying the tenses in Korean. But you should know the fact that, without tenses, a language is incomplete. English also has tenses, to express the past, the present, the future, etc. Likewise in Korean also, we use these tenses to express the past, present, and future. So, at least you should know the basics. Well, I'm here to teach you that. Rest assured!

In this chapter, we'll talk about:

•  Past Tense in Korean
•  Present Tense in Korean
•  Future Tense in Korean

Korean Past Tense

As you all know, the past tense represents something which is already happened in the past, or which is already over. So how will it be like?

In Korean, if you want to make the verb into past tense form, firstly you have to look at whether the verb stem ends with the vowels, ㅏ or ㅗ. If it ends with either of these vowels, you have to add 았어요. 

And if the verb stem ends with anything else, other than ㅏand ㅗ, you have to add 었어요. Also, one more thing to keep in mind, if the verb stem is 하다, then the stem 하, is attached with 였어요. 

Let's look at an example

먹다 means 'to eat'. We are taking 먹다 as an example. Let's see the past tense of 먹다.

먹다 will change into 먹었어요. Yes, 먹다 -to eat, in its past form, will become 먹었어요, (meog-eoss-eo-yo)

먹었어요 can be used in an informal way of conversation. But when you're wanted to use the formal structure, you'll say, 먹었습니다. (meog-eots-seub-ni-da)

Let's look at another example,

We are taking 보다 (po-da) which means to see. So, what is its past tense?

It is, 보았어요. (po-ass-eo-yo) means saw. 보았어요 is shortened as 봤어요. (pwass-eo-yo)

Let's practice

Q: 같이 영화 볼까요? Shall we watch a movie together? (gat-chi yeong-hwa pol-kka-yo?)

A: 미안 해요. 나는 그 영화를 두 번 봤어요. I'm sorry. I've watched that movie twice. (Mi-an hae-yo. na-neun geu yeong-hwa-reul doo peon pwass-eo-yo)

Korean Present Tense

To get the present tense form, we have to remove the '다' from the verb stem and add 고 있어요.(go iss-eo-yo)

Let's take the same words, 먹다, and 하다.

먹다 - to eat. In the present tense, it'll become - 먹고 있어요.(meog-go iss-eo-yo) -Is eating

하다.- to do. In the present tense, it'll become - 하고 있어요.(ha-go iss-eo-yo) Is doing

Let's practice

Q: 넌 지금 뭐하고 있어? (neon ji-geum mwo-ha-go iss-eo?) What are you doing now?

A: 나는 밥을 먹고 있어요. (na-neun pap-eul meog-go iss-eo-yo)) I'm eating rice.

 Korean Future Tense

There are many ways to change a verb to future tense. But we are sticking with the most common way. So to get the future tense of the verb, all you have to do is, first remove the 다 from the verb stem, and add, ㄹ / 을 + 거예요. (geo-ye-yo)

You've to remember one thing here,

If the verb stem after removing 다, ends with a vowel, then you have to add 'ㄹ'. And if the verb stem after removing 다 ends with a consonant, you have to add '을'. 

Let's take an example.

먹다 - to eat. In future tense, it'll become, 먹을 거예요. - will eat. 

See, here, after removing 다 it ended with a consonant, and we used 을. 

Let's practice

Q: 무엇을 할 거예요? (moo-eos-eul hal-geo-ye-yo?) What are you going to do?

A: 나는 국수를 먹을 거예요.(na-neun gook-soo-reul meog-eul geo-ye-yo) I am going to eat noodles. 

That's all!!

I hope you all got an idea about the tenses in Korean. I believe I explained it well. But if you still have any doubts regarding the chapter, feel free to leave a comment in the comment section below. I'll answer you for sure. 

Keep in mind the four things I told you to do. Read, write, speak, practice and repeat. 

See you in the next class.