TL;DR
- -았던/었던 is used to recall completed past actions or states that are no longer true 🔙
- It means "used to" or "once was/did" and emphasizes that the situation has ended or changed 🔄
- Attach it to verb/adjective stems: if the stem's last vowel is ㅏ or ㅗ, use -았던; otherwise use -었던 📝
What does -았던/었던 mean? 🤔
-았던/었던 helps you reminisce about things that happened in the past but are no longer happening 💭 Think of it as the "used to" or "once was" grammar form!
It's perfect for talking about:
- Things you used to do but don't anymore 🚫
- Places you used to go but don't visit now 🗺️
- Feelings or states that were true but have changed 💔➡️💚
The key difference? Whatever you're describing is over and done with ✅
How to form it 🔨
Super simple! Just follow the vowel harmony rule you already know 🎵
Step 1: Take the verb or adjective stem 🌱
Step 2: Check the last vowel of the stem 👀
- If it's ㅏ or ㅗ → use -았던
- If it's anything else → use -었던
Let's see some examples! ✨
가다 (to go) → stem: 가 (last vowel: ㅏ)
→ 갔던 (used to go)
먹다 (to eat) → stem: 먹 (last vowel: ㅓ)
→ 먹었던 (used to eat)
좋다 (to be good) → stem: 좋 (last vowel: ㅗ)
→ 좋았던 (used to be good)
예쁘다 (to be pretty) → stem: 예쁘 (last vowel: ㅡ)
→ 예뻤던 (used to be pretty)
Example sentences in action 💬
Let's see how this works in real conversations! 🗣️
→ 내가 살았던 집이 여기예요.
(This is the house I used to live in.) 🏠
→ 어렸을 때 좋아했던 음식을 다시 먹어 봤어요.
(I tried eating the food I used to like when I was young again.) 🍜
→ 그 사람은 제가 다녔던 학교 선생님이에요.
(That person is a teacher from the school I used to attend.) 👨🏫
→ 우리가 자주 갔던 카페가 문을 닫았어요.
(The cafe we used to go to often has closed.) ☕😢
→ 예전에 입었던 옷이 이제 안 맞아요.
(The clothes I used to wear don't fit anymore.) 👕
When NOT to use it ⚠️
Don't use -았던/었던 if the action or state is still ongoing or still relevant! 🚨
For things that are still true, just use regular past tense -았어요/었어요 instead 👍
Compare these two:
→ 어제 먹었던 음식 ❌
(The food I ate yesterday... but implies it's somehow no longer relevant or there's a change)
→ 어제 먹은 음식 ✅
(The food I ate yesterday — neutral, just stating a fact)
Use -았던/었던 when you want to emphasize that things have changed since then! 🔄
Exceptions 🌟
하다 (to do) is irregular as always! 😅
하다 → stem: 하 (last vowel: ㅏ)
→ 했던 (used to do) ✔️
Also remember that 이다 (to be) can use this form too! 🎭
→ 학생이었던 사람
(A person who used to be a student) 🎓
Quick recap! 🎯
Think of -았던/었던 as your nostalgia grammar 🌅 It's all about looking back at completed experiences that are no longer your current reality!
Use it to share memories, talk about changes in your life, or describe things that once were but aren't anymore 💫
Happy reminiscing! 🥰
Try the following exercise.
Fill in the blanks using -았던/었던 to express a completed past experience you're recalling. 📝
- 작년에 카페가 지금은 문을 닫았어요.
Answer
갔던
- 어제 영화가 정말 재미있었어요.
Answer
봤던
- 고등학교 때 친구를 우연히 만났어요.
Answer
사귀었던
- 할머니가 이야기를 다시 해 주셨어요.
Answer
해 주셨던
- 예전에 노래가 다시 유행하고 있어요.
Answer
불렀던
- 어렸을 때 장난감을 다락방에서 찾았어요.
Answer
가지고 놀았던
- 3년 전에 회사에 다시 지원했어요.
Answer
일했던
- 대학교 때 교수님을 길에서 뵈었어요.
Answer
수업을 들었던
- 지난달에 식당이 맛이 변했어요.
Answer
먹었던
- 5년 전에 동네가 많이 발전했어요.
Answer
살았던
Vocabulary
문을 닫다 - to close (a business)
재미있다 - to be fun/interesting
사귀다 - to date, be in a relationship
우연히 - by chance, accidentally
유행하다 - to be trendy, popular
다락방 - attic
지원하다 - to apply
뵙다 - to see (honorific)
맛이 변하다 - taste changed
발전하다 - to develop, progress
Common mistakes
- ⚠️ Don't confuse -았던/었던 with -았었/었었. Use -았던/었던 when you're recalling or mentioning a completed past event that connects to the present context.
- 🔄 Remember to use the correct vowel harmony: -았던 after stems ending in ㅏ or ㅗ, and -었던 for all other vowels.
- 🎯 -았던/었던 often appears with time expressions like "예전에" (before), "작년에" (last year), or "어렸을 때" (when I was young) to emphasize you're looking back.