Korean Tenses Made Simple: Past, Present, and Future in 해요체

Korean tense is marked on the verb, at the end of the sentence. Unlike English, it does not need helper words like "did" or "will" before the verb. Once you learn a few patterns in the polite 해요체 (haeyo-che) style, you can talk about yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Present tense: -아요 / -어요 / -해요

The polite present ending depends on the last vowel of the verb stem (the part before 다).

• If the last vowel is ㅏ or ㅗ, add -아요: 가다 → 가요, 보다 → 봐요.
• Otherwise, add -어요: 먹다 → 먹어요, 마시다 → 마셔요.
• Verbs ending in 하다 become 해요: 공부하다 → 공부해요.

• 학교에 가요.

  [hakgyoe gayo]

  I go to school. / I'm going to school.

• 물을 마셔요.

  [mureul masyeoyo]

  I drink water.

• 한국어를 공부해요.

  [hangugeoreul gongbuhaeyo]

  I study Korean.

Korean present tense also covers the English present progressive and even near future, so 가요 can mean "I go," "I'm going," or "I'll go (soon)."

Past tense: -았어요 / -었어요 / -했어요

The past tense uses the same vowel logic, adding 았 or 었 before -어요.

• 어제 친구를 만났어요.

  [eoje chingureul mannasseoyo]

  I met a friend yesterday.

• 점심을 먹었어요.

  [jeomsimeul meogeosseoyo]

  I ate lunch.

• 주말에 청소했어요.

  [jumare cheongsohaesseoyo]

  I cleaned on the weekend.

When the stem ends in a vowel, contractions happen: 보다 → 봤어요, 마시다 → 마셨어요, 오다 → 왔어요.

Future tense: -(으)ㄹ 거예요

For plans and predictions, use -(으)ㄹ 거예요. Add -ㄹ 거예요 after a vowel stem and -을 거예요 after a consonant stem.

• 내일 부산에 갈 거예요.

  [naeil busane gal kkeoeyo]

  I'm going to go to Busan tomorrow.

• 저녁에 비빔밥을 먹을 거예요.

  [jeonyeoge bibimppabeul meogeul kkeoeyo]

  I'm going to eat bibimbap for dinner.

• 아마 비가 올 거예요.

  [ama biga ol kkeoeyo]

  It will probably rain.

This ending feels like "going to" in English. It works for your own plans and for predictions about the weather or other people.

The promise-style future: -(으)ㄹ게요

When you are offering or promising to do something for the listener, Korean uses -(으)ㄹ게요 instead. It only works for your own actions.

• 제가 할게요.

  [jega halkkeyo]

  I'll do it.

• 이따 전화할게요.

  [itta jeonhwahalkkeyo]

  I'll call you later.

Compare 갈 거예요 (I plan to go) with 갈게요 (I'll go, as a response or promise to you). The second sounds warmer in conversation because it responds to the listener.

Progressive: -고 있어요

If you want to emphasize that something is happening right now, use -고 있어요.

• 지금 밥 먹고 있어요.

  [jigeum bap meokgo isseoyo]

  I'm eating right now.

• 요즘 한국어를 배우고 있어요.

  [yojeum hangugeoreul baeugo isseoyo]

  I'm learning Korean these days.

Time words help

Korean often pairs tense with time words, which usually come early in the sentence.

• 어제 (yesterday), 지난주 (last week) with the past
• 오늘 (today), 요즘 (these days), 지금 (now) with the present
• 내일 (tomorrow), 다음 주 (next week) with the future

• 다음 주에 여행 갈 거예요.

  [daeum jue yeohaeng gal kkeoeyo]

  I'm going on a trip next week.

With these patterns you can already hold simple conversations about your life. Irregular verbs follow the same tense rules once their stems change, so the effort you put in here pays off everywhere.