Korean Past Tense Questions: Using -았/었- with the Past Question Form
Learn to ask 'Did you...?' in Korean by adding the past tense marker -았/었- to verb stems and using the polite question ending -어요/아요. Includes 하다 verbs and the special case of 있다.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In Korean, there is no separate word for 'did' as in English. Instead, past tense questions are formed by attaching the past tense marker -았- or -었- to the verb stem, then adding a polite ending such as -어요 or -아요. This lesson teaches you how to ask simple past tense questions like 'Did you call him?' using the informal polite style, which is appropriate for everyday conversation with people you know well or who are younger than you. You will learn the rule for choosing between -았- and -었-, how to apply it to 하다 verbs, and how to form questions with the verb 있다 (to have/exist). By the end, you will be able to ask and answer basic past tense questions confidently.
By the end, you can…
- form past tense questions in Korean using -았/었- and the polite ending -어요/아요.
- ask 'Did you...?' questions with common verbs like 하다, 가다, 먹다, and 보다.
- distinguish between past tense statements and past tense questions in Korean intonation and context.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
전화했어요?
Did you call?
jeon-hwa-hae-sseo-yo?
From the verb 전화하다 (to call). The past tense of 하다 verbs is 했어요. Use this to ask if someone made a phone call.
밥 먹었어요?
Did you eat?
bap meo-geo-sseo-yo?
From 먹다 (to eat). The stem ends in a consonant, so add -었어요. Commonly used to ask if someone has eaten.
어제 뭐 했어요?
What did you do yesterday?
eo-je mwo hae-sseo-yo?
From 하다 (to do). Use this to ask about past activities. 어제 means 'yesterday'.
영화 봤어요?
Did you watch a movie?
yeong-hwa bwa-sseo-yo?
From 보다 (to see/watch). The stem ends in a vowel (ㅗ), so add -았어요. Use for asking about watching movies or shows.
시간 있었어요?
Did you have time?
si-gan i-sseo-sseo-yo?
From 있다 (to have/exist). This verb takes -었어요 in the past tense: 있었어요, not 있았어요. Use to ask if someone had time.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To form a past tense question in Korean, take the verb stem and add the past tense marker -았- or -었-, followed by the polite ending -어요 or -아요. The choice between -았- and -었- depends on the last vowel of the verb stem: if the stem ends in ㅏ or ㅗ, use -았어요; otherwise, use -었어요. For example, 가다 (to go) becomes 갔어요? (Did you go?), and 먹다 (to eat) becomes 먹었어요? (Did you eat?). For 하다 verbs, the past tense is always 했어요, regardless of the stem. So 공부하다 (to study) becomes 공부했어요? (Did you study?). Note that the question mark in Korean is not always required in writing, but intonation rises at the end in speech.
When to use it
Use these past tense questions when you want to ask about a completed action or event in the past. They are appropriate in informal polite conversation with people you know well, such as friends, family, or colleagues you are close to. For example, if you want to ask a friend if they watched a movie, you can say 영화 봤어요? If you want to ask if they had time yesterday, you can say 어제 시간 있었어요? Avoid using these forms with strangers or in very formal situations; instead, use the formal polite style with -ㅂ니다/습니다, such as 전화하셨습니까? However, for elementary learners, the informal polite style is the most practical starting point.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
어제 뭐 했어요?
What did you do yesterday?eo-je mwo hae-sseo-yo?친구하고 영화 봤어요.
I watched a movie with a friend.chin-gu-ha-go yeong-hwa bwa-sseo-yo.재미있었어요?
Was it fun?jae-mi-i-sseo-sseo-yo?네, 아주 재미있었어요.
Yes, it was very fun.ne, a-ju jae-mi-i-sseo-sseo-yo.A little context goes a long way
In Korean, the past tense question form -았/었어요? is used in informal polite speech, which is common among people of similar age or when a younger person speaks to an older person in a friendly context. However, if you are speaking to someone much older or in a formal setting, it is safer to use the formal polite style, such as -았/었습니까? or -았/었어요? with a more respectful tone. Also, Korean questions often rely on rising intonation rather than a question mark in casual writing. Learning to use the appropriate level of politeness is key to sounding natural.
One thing to watch for
Using -았어요 with verbs whose stem ends in a vowel other than ㅏ or ㅗ, such as 먹다 becoming 먹았어요 instead of 먹었어요.
Try this instead: The correct past tense of 먹다 is 먹었어요. Remember the vowel harmony rule: if the stem's last vowel is ㅏ or ㅗ, use -았어요; otherwise, use -었어요. For example, 보다 becomes 봤어요 (not 보았어요 in colloquial speech, though 보았어요 is grammatically correct but less common).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'Did you study?' using the verb 공부하다?
Show a sample answer
공부했어요?
공부하다 is a 하다 verb, so its past tense is 공부했어요. The question form is the same with a rising intonation. Alternative: 공부하셨어요? is more polite.
2Fill in the blank: 어제 친구를 ____? (Did you meet a friend yesterday?) Use the verb 만나다.
Show a sample answer
만났어요?
만나다 ends in a vowel (ㅏ), so add -았어요: 만나 + 았어요 = 만났어요. The question form is 만났어요? with rising intonation.
3What is the past tense question form of 있다 (to have)?
Show a sample answer
있었어요?
있어요 is the present tense; the past tense is 있었어요. It does not follow the regular -았/었- rule. The question form is 있었어요? with rising intonation.
To ask 'Did you...?' in Korean, attach -았/었- to the verb stem and add -어요/아요, using -았- after ㅏ or ㅗ and -었- otherwise. Remember that 하다 verbs become 했어요, and 있다 becomes 있었어요. Practice with common verbs to build confidence.
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