Your goal
Talk about yesterday’s completed actions. Compare present and past forms, then describe three events in time order.
Before you start
- 어제
- yesterday
- 오늘
- today
You added 에 to a clock time, but do not add it to 어제 or 오늘 here: 어제 공부했어요. Past negatives are not required yet.
Explore the situation
집에서 밥을 먹어요.
어제 집에서 밥을 먹었어요.
학교에 가요.
어제 학교에 갔어요.
한국어를 공부해요.
어제 한국어를 공부했어요.
Distinguish a present form for a routine or today’s plan from a completed action yesterday. The task uses different times from the model.
Learn the expressions
Learn in small steps
가요 → 갔어요
Compare present and past for two familiar actions. Use the past form for yesterday.
| Written cue / context | Korean expression |
|---|---|
| 가요 | 갔어요 |
| 자요 | 잤어요 |
Complete: 어제 도서관에 ___.
- 가요
- 갔어요
- 자요
먹어요 → 먹었어요
Compare a few examples. Do not apply a single transformation to every verb.
| Written cue / context | Korean expression |
|---|---|
| 먹어요 | 먹었어요 |
| 읽어요 | 읽었어요 |
| 마셔요 | 마셨어요 |
Complete: 어제 아침을 ___.
- 먹어요
- 먹었어요
- 읽었어요
해요 → 했어요
Compare 하다 actions with 했어요. Then write yesterday’s events in time order.
| Written cue / context | Korean expression |
|---|---|
| 일해요 | 일했어요 |
| 공부해요 | 공부했어요 |
Complete: 어제 한국어를 ___.
- 공부해요
- 공부했어요
- 공부해요 어제
See the complete reference
| Dictionary form | Usual action | Yesterday’s action |
|---|---|---|
| 가다 | 가요 | 갔어요 |
| 먹다 | 먹어요 | 먹었어요 |
| 자다 | 자요 | 잤어요 |
| 일하다 | 일해요 | 일했어요 |
| 공부하다 | 공부해요 | 공부했어요 |
| 읽다 | 읽어요 | 읽었어요 |
| 마시다 | 마셔요 | 마셨어요 |
A stem whose last vowel is ㅏ or ㅗ normally takes -았어요; others normally take -었어요. 하다 becomes 했어요. 가+았어요 contracts to 갔어요 and 자+았어요 to 잤어요. Practice the table first instead of trying every irregular form.
Read the conversation
Yesterday’s place
어제 어디에 갔어요?
Show meaning
Where did you go yesterday?
도서관에 갔어요.
Show meaning
I went to the library.
Yesterday’s action
도서관에서 공부했어요?
Show meaning
Did you study at the library?
네. 한국어를 공부했어요.
Show meaning
Yes, I studied Korean.
Build a sentence
Compare the present and past side by side. Hide the past form, try yesterday’s sentence, then check.
Examples by condition
1
가요
Example and explanation
어제 갔어요.
2
먹어요
Example and explanation
어제 먹었어요.
3
자요
Example and explanation
어제 잤어요.
4
일해요
Example and explanation
어제 일했어요.
5
공부해요
Example and explanation
어제 공부했어요.
6
읽어요
Example and explanation
어제 읽었어요.
7
마셔요
Example and explanation
어제 마셨어요.
Sentence-piece practice
1. Say that you went to school yesterday.
Sentence pieces
- 학교
- 갔어요.
- 어제
- 에
2. Say that you ate a meal yesterday.
Sentence pieces
- 밥
- 어제
- 먹었어요.
- 을
Practice
Check the situation and the expressions learned in this lesson before answering.
1. Choose the past form for yesterday’s completed action 가다.
- 갔어요.
- 가요.
- 가었어요.
2. Choose the past form for yesterday’s completed action 먹다.
- 먹어요.
- 먹았어요.
- 먹었어요.
3. Choose the past form for yesterday’s completed action 공부하다.
- 공부하었어요.
- 공부했어요.
- 공부해요.
4. Choose the past form for yesterday’s completed action 자다.
- 잤어요.
- 자요.
- 자었어요.
Try a new situation
Describe Mina’s yesterday from earliest to latest. You may include 어제 in each sentence. Times may use digits or Hangul.
Daily schedule 미나 · 어제
- 아침Place: 집먹었어요
- 공부Place: 도서관공부했어요
- 잠Place: 집잤어요
Tasks
Try the tasks first, then compare with the answers and examples in step 10.
1. First event: describe yesterday’s breakfast with time and place.
Daily schedule 미나 · 어제
- 아침Place: 집먹었어요
- 공부Place: 도서관공부했어요
- 잠Place: 집잤어요
Show a hint
Use 어제, a time with 에, a place with 에서 and a past form: 먹었어요, 공부했어요 or 잤어요.
2. Second event: describe yesterday’s study with time and place.
Daily schedule 미나 · 어제
- 아침Place: 집먹었어요
- 공부Place: 도서관공부했어요
- 잠Place: 집잤어요
Show a hint
Use 어제, a time with 에, a place with 에서 and a past form: 먹었어요, 공부했어요 or 잤어요.
3. Third event: give the time you slept yesterday.
Daily schedule 미나 · 어제
- 아침Place: 집먹었어요
- 공부Place: 도서관공부했어요
- 잠Place: 집잤어요
Show a hint
Use 어제, a time with 에, a place with 에서 and a past form: 먹었어요, 공부했어요 or 잤어요.
Check your learning
Hide the model and choose an expression for the new details.
1. Use 어제 to say you studied.
- 어제에 공부했어요.
- 어제 공부해요.
- 어제 공부했어요.
2. Yesterday you went to the library. Choose the sentence.
- 오늘 도서관에 가요.
- 어제 도서관에 갔어요.
- 어제 도서관에서 공부했어요.
3. Yesterday:08:00 breakfast,10:00 study,22:00 sleep. Choose the order.
- 먹었어요 → 공부했어요 → 잤어요
- 잤어요 → 먹었어요 → 공부했어요
- 공부했어요 → 잤어요 → 먹었어요
4. Yesterday,10 a.m.,library,study. Choose the sentence.
- 어제 오전 열 시에서 도서관에 공부했어요.
- 어제 오후 열 시에 도서관에서 공부했어요.
- 어제 오전 열 시에 도서관에서 공부했어요.
5. Choose the learned past form of 마시다.
- 마셨해요.
- 마셨어요.
- 마셔요.
6. You slept at10 p.m. yesterday. Choose the sentence.
- 어제 오후 열 시에 잤어요.
- 오늘 오후 열 시에 자요.
- 어제 오전 열 시에 잤어요.
Reflect on your reading
Tick only what you actually checked. Feedback from another person is optional and is not required to finish the lesson.
Answers and explanations
Show answers and explanations
Practice questions
1. Choose the past form for yesterday’s completed action 가다.
Answer: 갔어요.
The practiced past form is 갔어요.
- 가요. — This is the present form.
- 가었어요. — This does not follow the learned past-form combination.
2. Choose the past form for yesterday’s completed action 먹다.
Answer: 먹었어요.
The practiced past form is 먹었어요.
- 먹어요. — This is the present form.
- 먹았어요. — This does not follow the learned past-form combination.
3. Choose the past form for yesterday’s completed action 공부하다.
Answer: 공부했어요.
The practiced past form is 공부했어요.
- 공부하었어요. — This does not follow the learned past-form combination.
- 공부해요. — This is the present form.
4. Choose the past form for yesterday’s completed action 자다.
Answer: 잤어요.
The practiced past form is 잤어요.
- 자요. — This is the present form.
- 자었어요. — This does not follow the learned past-form combination.
Learning check
1. Use 어제 to say you studied.
Answer: 어제 공부했어요.
Do not add에 to어제;use the past form.
- 어제에 공부했어요. — 어제 does not take에 in this expression.
- 어제 공부해요. — For this completed event,use공부했어요.
2. Yesterday you went to the library. Choose the sentence.
Answer: 어제 도서관에 갔어요.
Use destination에 and past갔어요.
- 오늘 도서관에 가요. — This changes both the day and tense.
- 어제 도서관에서 공부했어요. — This describes studying,not going.
3. Yesterday:08:00 breakfast,10:00 study,22:00 sleep. Choose the order.
Answer: 먹었어요 → 공부했어요 → 잤어요
The times ascend:8,10,22.
- 잤어요 → 먹었어요 → 공부했어요 — The latest event is placed first.
- 공부했어요 → 잤어요 → 먹었어요 — The earliest event is placed last.
4. Yesterday,10 a.m.,library,study. Choose the sentence.
Answer: 어제 오전 열 시에 도서관에서 공부했어요.
Past,time and action location all match.
- 어제 오전 열 시에서 도서관에 공부했어요. — Time and action-location particles are swapped.
- 어제 오후 열 시에 도서관에서 공부했어요. — This changes a.m. to p.m.
5. Choose the learned past form of 마시다.
Answer: 마셨어요.
This contracts마시었어요.
- 마셨해요. — Do not add해요 after a past ending.
- 마셔요. — This is present,not past.
6. You slept at10 p.m. yesterday. Choose the sentence.
Answer: 어제 오후 열 시에 잤어요.
Yesterday,10 p.m.and past tense match.
- 오늘 오후 열 시에 자요. — This changes to today and present.
- 어제 오전 열 시에 잤어요. — 10 p.m.is22:00,not10 a.m.
Practise in small groups
Complete: 어제 도서관에 ___.
갔어요
For going yesterday, use 갔어요.
Complete: 어제 아침을 ___.
먹었어요
Having breakfast in the past is 먹었어요.
Complete: 어제 한국어를 ___.
공부했어요
어제 한국어를 공부했어요. Add a time at the start to show the order of events.
Example answers
Written responses are examples. Other wording can also meet the same conditions.
1. First event: describe yesterday’s breakfast with time and place.
어제 오전 여덟 시에 집에서 아침을 먹었어요.
어제 오전 8시에 집에서 아침을 먹었어요.
Yesterday’s eating is 먹었어요; the first time is 8 a.m.
2. Second event: describe yesterday’s study with time and place.
어제 오전 열 시에 도서관에서 공부했어요.
어제 오전 10시에 도서관에서 공부했어요.
The past of 공부하다 is 공부했어요. The location is the library.
3. Third event: give the time you slept yesterday.
어제 오후 열 시에 잤어요.
어제 오후 10시에 잤어요.
The past of 자다 is 잤어요. 22:00 is 10 p.m.
Sentence-piece practice
1. Say that you went to school yesterday.
어제 학교에 갔어요.
Use 어제, a time with 에, a place with 에서 and a past form: 먹었어요, 공부했어요 or 잤어요.
2. Say that you ate a meal yesterday.
어제 밥을 먹었어요.
Use 어제, a time with 에, a place with 에서 and a past form: 먹었어요, 공부했어요 or 잤어요.
Review and continue
Come back to these
Rebuild without an example
Change 가요, 먹어요 and 공부해요 into three sentences about yesterday.
Change one detail
Change a time, place or action and make the sentence again. Revisit expressions you marked as difficult.
Review what felt difficult
Review expressions and examplesReview a model and rewrite it with one change. →Written checks and your attempt to speak are recorded separately.