Korean From Zero!

– Lesson 10 – Future, Past, and Present Tenses 165

Lesson 10:

10
Future, Past, and
Present Tenses
Before This Lesson
1. Understand how to convert verbs into the BASIC
form. Lesson Highlights

2. Understand what it means to be a ㅂ (비읍) 10-1.

Past tense
irregular verb.

10-3.
Lesson Goals Future tense for most
1. Learn how to make any verb into the future and verbs
past tense.
10-5.
Future tense and
present tense without
From The Teachers any conjugation
1. Don’t worry if you haven’t learned everything
perfectly from past lessons. A lot of sentences are 10-8.
designed to review prior concepts. If you have The months

some extra time you can always go back and scan

prior lessons.

CALENDAR
 KoreanFromZero.com 166

10 New Words 새로운 단어

무슨 요일 what day of the week?

언제 when?
지금 now, right now

어제 yesterday
오늘 today
내일 tomorrow
매일 every day
매주 every week
매달 every month
매년 every year
시험 test, exam

10 New Action Verbs 새로운 동사

Verb Basic English Type

가다 가 to go regular
오다 와 to come regular

10 Grammar 문법

In this lesson we introduce “action” verbs. Up until now we have learned mostly “descriptive”
verbs. The good news is that the conjugation methods, such as BASIC form, taught in section
6-4 work for both types.

 10-1. Past tense

Up until this point, we have only used the present tense of verbs to say things like “There
are 2 cats” and “It is cold”. If we want to say “There WERE 2 cats” and “It WAS cold” we
need to create the past tense form of the verbs.

To make verbs past tense you add ㅆ to the bottom of the BASIC form then add 어.
 Korean From Zero! – Lesson 10 – Future, Past, and Present Tenses 167

Example sentences
1. 어제는 추웠어요. 5. 집에 있었어요. Without 요 this
It was cold yesterday. I was at home. is a casual
sentence. Use
2. 금요일은 더웠어요. 6. 고양이가 없었어요. with friends
Friday was hot. There wasn’t a cat. only!

3. 그 김밥은 매웠어요. 7. 그 주스는 달았어!

That gimbap was spicy. That juice was sweet!

4. 이 책이 어려웠어요. 8. 영화는 재미있었어요.

This book was difficult. The movie was interesting.

NOTE: Sentence #5, #6, and #8 can be tricky. The present tense of verbs like 있다 and
없다 sound similar to the past tense of other verbs. These verbs need a DOUBLE ㅆ어
sound for past tense.

 10-2. 가다 (to go), 오다 (to come)

The location is marked with the location marker 에.

(place) 에 가다 / (place) 에 오다
go to (place) / come to a (place)
 KoreanFromZero.com 168

The past tense for 가다 and 오다 follows the pattern taught in the prior grammar point.

Example sentences (using locations)

1. 저는 학교에 갔어요. 3. 제가 친구의 집에 갔어요.
I went to school. I went to a friend’s house.

2. 아버지는 서울에 갔어요. 4. 개가 여기에 왔어요.

My father went to Seoul. The dog came here.

Time is marked with the time marker 에. The time marker is exactly the same as the
location marker in sound.

(time) 에 가다 / (time) 에 오다
go at (time) / come at (time)

Example sentences (using times)

1. 저는 화요일에 갔어요. 3. 어머니가 목요일에 갔어요.
I went on Tuesday. My mother went on Thursday.

2. 친구가 금요일에 왔어요. 4. 토요일에 왔어요.

My friend came on Friday. I came on Saturday.

You can use the time and location markers in the same sentence.

Example sentences (using times and locations)

1. 남동생이 화요일에 서울에 왔어요.
My younger brother came to Seoul on Tuesday.

2. 목요일에 여동생의 집에 갔어요.

I went to my younger sister’s house on Thursday.

3. 제 여자친구가 토요일에 편의점에 갔어요.

My girlfriend went to the convenience store on Saturday.

4. 저는 금요일에 태국에 왔어요.

I came to Thailand on Friday.
 Korean From Zero! – Lesson 10 – Future, Past, and Present Tenses 169

 10-3. BASIC future tense and present tense

Depending on the context of the sentence BASIC form can be future and present tense.
You can force context by adding appropriate time words such as 내일 (tomorrow),
매일 (every day), and 지금 (now). Pay attention to how by changing just ONE word the
tense of the sentence changes.

Example sentences
1. 매일 가요. This is PRESENT tense
I go everyday. because 매일 is used.

2. 내일 가요. This is FUTURE tense

I will go tomorrow. because 내일 is used.

3. 언제 가요? This is FUTURE tense

When will you go? because 언제 is used.

4. 내일 집에 있어요?
Will you be at home tomorrow?

5. 지금 집에 있어요.
I am at home now.

In spoken Korean using the BASIC form is very common.

Example conversation
1. A: 언제 한국에 와요? The BASIC form of
B: 금요일에 가요. 오다 (to come) is 와

A: When are you coming to Korea?

B: I’m going on Friday.

2. A: 수요일에 어디에 가요?

B: 학교에 가요.

A: Where are you going on Wednesday?

B: I will go to school.

BASIC form can only be future and present tense. The BASIC form is NEVER past
tense. To make past tense you must use the pattern taught in section 10-1. Also,
without the proper context BASIC form defaults to present tense.
 KoreanFromZero.com 170

 10-4. Future tense (will do, going to do)

Another way to make future tense verbs is ㄹ/을 거예요 form. This form has benefits over
the BASIC future tense since it doesn’t require context to make it future tense. ㄹ/을 거예요
for regular, and also 르 irregular verbs, is made using the pattern below.

Example sentences
1. 서울에 갈 거예요. I will go to Seoul.
2. 수요일에 친구가 올 거예요. My friend is coming on Wednesday.
3. 내일 사람이 많을 거예요. There will be many people tomorrow.
4. 오늘은 집에 있을 거예요. I will be at home today.
 Korean From Zero! – Lesson 10 – Future, Past, and Present Tenses 171

 10-5. Future tense for ㅂ (비읍) irregular verbs

ㅂ irregular verbs conjugate into the future tense by removing ㅂ from the stem and then
adding 울 거예요. NOTE!!! This is 울 not 을.

Example sentences
1. 내일은 추울 거예요? Will it be cold tomorrow?
2. 금요일은 더울 거예요. Friday will be hot.
3. 시험이 어려울 거예요. The test will be hard.
4. 시험이 쉬울 거예요. The test will be easy.

 10-6. ㄹ/을 거예요 for probable future outcomes

While it’s true that ㄹ/을 거예요 means, “I will~”, or “I am going to~”, it is also used to
assume probable future outcomes. For example with any descriptive verb, it is more natural
to translate ㄹ/을 거예요 to “It will probably be~” or “It might be~”, instead of, “It will be~”.

Example sentences
1. 내일은 추울 거예요. Tomorrow will probably be cold.
2. 이 김밥은 매울 거예요. This gimbap might be hot.
3. 시험이 어려울 거예요. The test might hard.
4. 시험이 쉬울 거예요. The test will probably be easy.
 KoreanFromZero.com 172

SUMMARY: To verb “to rain” or “to snow” uses the verb 오다 (to come).
When 비 (rain) and 눈 (snow) fall, Koreans say “it’s coming” using 오다 (to come).
Example sentences
1. 내일 비가 올 거예요. It will rain tomorrow.
2. 지금 눈이 와요. It’s snowing now.
3. 화요일에 비가 왔어요. It rained on Tuesday.
4. 어제 눈이 왔어요. It snowed yesterday.

 10-7. A note about the time marker 에

The time marker 에 translates to “in”, “on”, or “at” in relation to times.
You should not use time marker 에 with 오늘 (today), 어제 (yesterday), and 내일
(tomorrow). You should use 에 after named times like “Sunday”, “March”, or “3pm”.
NOTE: 에 is often dropped in spoken Korean.

Example sentences
1. 내일 한국에 가요. I will go to Korea tomorrow.
2. 일요일에 친구가 와요. On Sunday a friend will come.
3. 어제 선생님은 여기에 있었어요. The teacher was here yesterday.
4. 월요일에 시험이 없을 거예요. There won’t be a test on Monday.

 10-8. The months

Korean months are just Chinese number + 월. For practice, the number part will be hangul.

the months (Jan – Dec)

What month? 몇월
January 일월 1월 July 칠월 7월
February 이월 2월 August 팔월 8월
March 삼월 3월 September 구월 9월
April 사월 4월 October 시월 (not 십) 10 월
May 오월 5월 November 십일월 11 월
June 유월 (not 육) 6월 December 십이월 12 월
 Korean From Zero! – Lesson 10 – Future, Past, and Present Tenses 173

Example sentences
1. 이월에 중국에 갔어요. 3. 팔월에 비가 많이 왔어요.
I went to China in February. It rained a lot in August.

2. 유월에 여기에 없을 거예요. 4. 십이월에 눈이 왔어요.

I won’t be here in June. It snowed in December.

 10-9. Every Monday, every January etc.

You can add 매주 (every week) in front of any week day, or 매년 (every year) in front of any
month, to say things like “every Monday”, and “every January”.

Example sentences
1. 매주 금요일에 서울에 가요. I go to Seoul every Friday.
2. 매주 일요일에 교회에 가요. I go to church every Sunday.
3. 매년 삼월에 병원에 가요. I go to the hospital every March.
4. 매년 오월이 더워요. It’s hot every May.

 10-10. Past tense for 이다 and 아니다

In section 10-1 we introduce past tense. 이다 (it is, I am, he is, she is etc) and 아니다 (it
isn’t, I am not, he isn’t, she isn’t etc) can be conjugated into the past tense as shown:

Verb Past tense (with 받침) Past tense (without 받침)

이다 이었어요 였어요

아니다 아니었어요 아니었어요

Example Q&A
1. 알마였어요. How much was it?
전 원이었어요. It was 1000 won.
삼만 원이었어요. It was 30,000 won.

2. 언제 였어요? When was it?

토요일이었어요. It was Saturday.
어제가 아니었어요. It wasn’t yesterday.
 KoreanFromZero.com 174

10 Question and Answer 질문과 대답

1. 매일 학교에 가요?
Do you go to school everyday?

네, 매일 학교에 가요.
Yes, I go to school everyday.

아니요, 매주 월요일에 가요.

No, I go to school every Monday.

2. 언제 서울에 와요?
When do you come to Seoul?

내일 가요.
I’ll go tomorrow.

저는 매일 화요일에 서울에 가요.

I go to Seoul every Tuesday.
저는 매달 서울에 갈 거예요.
I will go to Seoul every month.

3. 어제 날씨가 추웠어요?
Was the weather cold yesterday?

네, 추웠어요.
Yes, it was cold.

아니요, 더웠어요.
No, it was hot.
 Korean From Zero! – Lesson 10 – Future, Past, and Present Tenses 175

10 Conversation 대화 K-E

1. Polite conversation between schoolmates.

A: 내일 학교에 갈 거예요?
B: 아니요, 집에 있을 거예요.
A: 숙제 있어요?
B: 아니요, 없어요.
A: Will you go to school tomorrow?
B: No, I will be at home.
A: Do you have homework?
B: No, I don’t.

2. Polite conversation between penpals.

A: 오늘 미국에 가요?
B: 아니요, 내일 갈 거예요.
A: 언제 한국에 올 거예요?
B: 삼월에 올 거예요.

A: Are you going to America today?

B: No, I will go tomorrow.
A: When will you come to Korea?
B: I will come in March.

3. Polite conversation between two people living in different parts of Korea.

A: 오늘 추워요?
B: 네, 진짜 추워요.
A: 목요일은 추워요?
B: 아니요, 금요일이 추울 거예요.

A: Is today cold?
B: Yes, it’s really cold.
A: Will it be cold on Thursday?
B: No, it will be cold on Friday.
 KoreanFromZero.com 176

10 Conversation 대화 E-K

1. Polite conversation between friends.

A: What day of the week is it today?
B: It’s Sunday.
A: Are you going to go to church? (Will you go to church?)
B: Yes, I go every Sunday.

A: 오늘은 무슨 요일이에요?
B: 일요일이에요.
A: 교회에 갈 거예요?
B: 네, 매주 일요일에 가요.

2. Polite conversation between friends.

A: Was there a rice cake on the desk?
B: No, there wasn’t.
A: Well then, what was there?
B: There were books.

A: 책상 위에 떡이 있었어요?
B: 아니요, 없었어요.
A: 그럼, 뭐가 있었어요?
B: 책이 있었어요.

3. Polite conversation between a wife and her husband.

A: Did you go to the bank yesterday?
B: No, I went on Wednesday.
A: When will you go to bookstore?
B: I will go tomorrow.

A: 어제 은행에 갔어요?
B: 아니요, 수요일에 갔어요.
A: 언제 서점에 갈 거예요?
B: 내일 갈 거예요.
 Korean From Zero! – Lesson 10 – Future, Past, and Present Tenses 177

10 Sentence Building 문장 만들기

In each lesson we will build on a previous sentence. Watch it grow and transform each time
new concepts are introduced.

내일 콜라 두 병을 살 거예요.
I will buy 2 bottles of cola tomorrow.

Compare how the sentence has changed from the prior lessons:

Lesson 7: 제 어머니의 피자는 차가워요.

My mother’s pizza is cold.

Lesson 8: 제 어머니는 가방이 없어요.

My mother doesn’t have a bag.

Lesson 9: 콜라 한 병과 물 세 잔을 주세요.
2 bottles of cola and 3 cups of water please.
 KoreanFromZero.com 178

10 Workbook Area

 A10-1. Reading comprehension

At your current level, you should understand all of the grammar and words in the following
sections. If you are struggling to understand them, review this and prior lessons.

New words in this comprehension: 리키 (Ricky), 가족 (family)

① 리키는 매년 칠월에 멕시코에 가요.

② 멕시코에 친구와 가족이 많아요.
③ 리키의 아버지는 멕시코 사람이에요.
④ 멕시코는 아주 예뻐요.

Dialogue
A: 준호 씨 언제 멕시코에 가요?
B: 칠월에 갈 거예요.
A: 무슨 요일에 갈 거예요?
B: 월요일에 갈 거예요.

 A10-2. Reading comprehension questions

Answer the following questions about the reading comprehension in the prior section.

1. 준호는 언제 멕시코에 갈 거예요?

2. 리키의 아버지는 어느 나라 사람이에요?

3. 멕시코에 누가 많아요?
 Korean From Zero! – Lesson 10 – Workbook Area 179

 A10-3. Sentence Jumble

Using ONLY the words and particles provided, create Korean sentences that match the
English translation. Conjugate verbs and reuse items as needed.

1. 제, 이, 오늘, 오다, 서울, 어제, 절, 가다, 이다, 금요일, 는, 가, 친구, 에, 토요일, 저

My friend will come to Seoul on Friday.

I am going to go to a Buddhist temple tomorrow.

On Friday and Saturday I went to Seoul.

2. 덥다, 에, 집, 은, 는, 가다, 너무, 이, 가, 십이월, 십일월, 국, 저, 뜨겁다, 제, 의

Will November be hot? (casual)

This soup is too hot.

I went to my friend’s house.

3. 매년, 어머니, 약국, 는, 이, 어렵다, 여기, 제, 가다, 어제, 가, 오다, 숙제, 에, 삼월, 정말

I went to a pharmacy yesterday.

My mother comes here every March.

This homework was really difficult.

 KoreanFromZero.com 180

 A10-4. Korean translation

Translate the following conversation into English.

1.
A: 시험은 언제예요?

B: 수요일이에요.

A: 지금 성적이 좋아요?

B: 아니요… 나빠요.

A:

B:

A:

B:

 A10-5. English translation

Translate the following conversation into Korean.

1.
A: What month did your younger brother go to Australia?
B: He went in December.
A: Does he go every December?
B: Yes, he goes every December and May.
A:

B:

A:

B:
 Korean From Zero! – Lesson 11 – Dates and Time 181

10 Vocabulary Builder

Keep learning new words. As you learn more grammar you will realize that grammar isn’t the
hard part. You won’t get stuck on grammar, but you will easily get stuck on a word you don’t
know.

 Group J: things around the house 집안에 있는 것

침대 bed
거울 mirror
문 door
창문 windows
텔레비전 television
티브이 TV
약 medicine
가구 furniture
컴퓨터 computer
에어컨 air conditioning

 Group K: events 이벤트

생일 day of birth
파티 party
생일 파티 birthday party
선물 present
여행 trip, travel
결혼식 wedding
크리스마스 Christmas
설날 (설랄) New Year’s Day
 KoreanFromZero.com 182

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