-었었-
-eotsseot-
used to; had (discontinued past)
A pre-final ending marking a past event or state that is now over or unconnected to the present—emphasizing a gap between then and now, unlike the plain past -었-, which can still carry present relevance.
Form
- Attaches to
- Verb, Adjective, Auxiliary
- Other shapes
- -았었- · -였었-
Meanings
- 1
An ending of a word referring to a past event that is different from the present or does not continue to the present.
현재와 비교하여 다르거나 현재로 이어지지 않는 과거의 사건을 나타내는 어미.
※ 끝음절의 모음이 ‘ㅏ, ㅗ’가 아닌 동사와 형용사 뒤에, 다른 어미 앞에 붙여 쓴다.
Examples
유민이는 중학교 때 키가 컸었다.
Yumin used to be tall in middle school.
우리 딸은 어릴 때 인형처럼 예뻤었어.
Our daughter used to be as pretty as a doll when she was little.
그 식당은 개업 초기에 손님이 적었었다.
That restaurant used to have few customers when it first opened.
집 열쇠가 어디로 갔지? 제가 탁자 위에 놓아 두었었는데요.
Where did the house key go? I had put it on the table.
집 열쇠가 어디로 갔지?
Where did the house key go?
제가 탁자 위에 놓아 두었었는데요.
I had put it on the table.
Examples: 한국어기초사전, CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.
Don’t confuse with
Forms with a close meaning — a favourite source of wrong answers on TOPIK.
Quick check
1. What does ‘-었었-’ mean?
2. Which form means “used to; had (discontinued past)”?