Korean For All 1 Chapter 13: V/A+았/었어요, V+(으)세요 Past Tense and Please in Korean

March 05, 2025
Posted by Suhyun KIM

Talking About the Past & Making Requests in Korean – Mastering Past Tense & (으)세요!

Today's lesson includes:

✅ How to talk about past experiences using past tense
✅ How to say “please do something” with (으)세요
✅ Useful verbs & expressions for everyday conversations
✅ A glimpse into Korean dating culture

1. Essential Vocabulary – Talking About the Past & Daily Life

Before we dive into grammar, let’s learn some important words!

English	Korean	Pronunciation
Yesterday	어제	eoje
Concert	콘서트	konseoteu
Wow!	우와	uwa
Fun/Interesting	재밌다	jaemitta
Very/A lot	엄청	eomcheong
Next	다음	daeum
For sure	꼭	kkok
Later	이따	itta
Cold (illness)	감기	gamgi
To rest	쉬다	swida

📌 Useful Expressions:

“어제 뭐 했어요?” (What did you do yesterday?)
“우와! 너무 멋있어요!” (Wow! That’s so cool!)
“푹 쉬세요.” (Get plenty of rest.)

2. Grammar Spotlight: Talking About the Past (았어요/었어요)

To describe past events, you just need to attach 았어요 or 었어요 to the verb stem!

✔ If the verb stem contains ㅏ or ㅗ, add 았어요
✔ If the verb stem contains other vowels, add 었어요
✔ If the verb ends in 하다, change it to 했어요

Examples:

팔다 → 팔았어요 (I sold it.)
보다 → 봤어요 (I saw it.)
먹다 → 먹었어요 (I ate.)
주다 → 줬어요 (I gave it.)
공부하다 → 공부했어요 (I studied.)

📌 Irregular Verbs:
Some verbs don’t follow the normal pattern.

걸리다 → 걸렸어요 (I caught [a cold].)
마시다 → 마셨어요 (I drank.)
쓰다 → 썼어요 (I wrote.)
예쁘다 → 예뻤어요 (It was pretty.)

🎯 Practice: Try making sentences about what you did yesterday!

3. Grammar Spotlight: Making Requests with (으)세요

The expression (으)세요 is used to politely ask someone to do something.

✔ If the verb stem ends in a consonant, add -으세요
✔ If the verb stem ends in a vowel, just add -세요

Examples:

입다 → 입으세요 (Please wear it.)
웃다 → 웃으세요 (Please smile.)
오다 → 오세요 (Please come.)
운동하다 → 운동하세요 (Please exercise.)

📌 Honorific Verbs:
Some verbs have special forms when speaking politely.

먹다 → 드세요 (Please eat.)
자다 → 주무세요 (Please sleep.)
듣다 → 들으세요 (Please listen.)
걷다 → 걸으세요 (Please walk.)

🎯 Practice: Try giving polite instructions using (으)세요!

4. K-Culture Corner – How People Meet & Date in Korea

Dating in Korea is a whole adventure! Here are some popular ways couples meet:

✔ 소개팅 (Blind Dates) – Friends set you up and exchange KakaoTalk IDs first! 45% of Korean couples say they met this way.
✔ 헌팅포차 (Hunting Bars) – A lively bar scene where people mix, mingle, and meet new friends.
✔ Dating Apps – Over 30% of couples meet through apps like Tinder and Amanda!
✔ 미팅 (Group Blind Dates) – Two friend groups meet, eat, and play games together—sometimes leading to romance!

💡 TIP: If you’re in Korea, KakaoTalk is the most common way to stay in touch with someone new!

5. Your Homework!

1️⃣ Write three sentences using 았어요/었어요 to describe past events.
2️⃣ Practice using (으)세요 to give polite instructions.
3️⃣ Complete exercises on pages 126-128 in your textbook.
4️⃣ Watch a K-drama and listen for past tense verbs in conversations!