#보다 과거

anon asked: I just finished reading your most recent blog and im just confused about something. you give us the translation for boda and bo-eda but why do I sometimes see a different verb beside boda? like meokeoboda? Sorry about the romanization, i dont have a korean keyboard on my phone

Hey! It’s not a problem! If you need help figuring out how to add a keyboard to your phone, it’s simpler than you think! Just go the “keyboard” function in your settings then press “add new keyboard” you should see “Korean” or 한국어. 

As for your question, I’m going to assume you’re talking about 어/아/여 보다! If I’m not assuming correctly, then please send me another pm or comment on this blog! Hopefully my assumption is correct though!

V ~ 어/아 /여 보다; try, suggest/order (imperative / attempt; 시도)

Conjugate the stem, then add 보다. Not much else to it!

If we attach ~(으)시다 to the grammar point, then we make it a more formal imperative. But if you use intimate style (반말) with your friends, then conjugating 보다 regularly is fine. Here are some formal examples:

• 치마를 입어 보세요 - Try the skirt on
• 잘 생각해 보세요 - think about it well
• 식혜를 마셔 보세요 - try sikhye (Korean rice drink)

Intimate Style:

Sometimes my Korean friends have a hard time saying something in English, and I have a hard time understanding. Usually when this happens, I say, “한국말로 해 봐” which literally just means, “say it in Korean”. If you’re someone who finds it a bit easier to speak informally (like most learners, lol), then here are some other sentences you can use:

When NCT drops another bop and you’re desperate to share it with your friend, say: 잘 들어 봐 - listen well

When your friend is talking too fast in Korean and you can’t keep up, say: 야. 천천히 말해 봐 - yo, speak slower

When your friend has a big test coming up and you wanna support them, say: 공부 열심히 해 봐! 파이팅 - study hard! fighting

V ~ 어/아/여 보다 + 과거 = 어/아/여 봤어요; have tried (experience; 경험)

Here’s where it get’s interesting! If you conjugate 보다 in the past tense when attached to a verb, it talks about past experience. However, this is a very specific example that has happened in the past (usually a distant past, not one that happened recently). Here are some examples:

• 한국에 가 봤어요 - I’ve been to Korea
• 감자탕 먹어 봤어요 - I’ve tried gamjatang (Pork Bone Stew)
• 어렸을 때 미국에 살아 봤어요 - I lived in the US when I was young

If you want to ask someone if they’ve ever done something, or tried something, then just add a question mark!

• 감자탕 먹어 봤어요? - have you ever tried gamjatang?
• 노래방에 가 봤어요? - have you ever been to karaoke?
• 스키 타 봤어요? - have you ever been skiing?

If you want to say that you haven’t done the thing that they’re asking, then add 안 before the main verb. EX. 아니요. 감자탕 “안” 먹어 봤어요 - No. I haven’t tried gamjatang. You can also use “못” instead of “안”. I have used both in the same context and it means the same thing!

V ~ (보다) + (으)ㄴ 적(이) 있다/없다 = have done V / haven’t done V (experience; 경험)

Another way to express experience in the past with / without 보다 is (으)ㄴ 적(이) 있다/없다. 적 is a dependent noun related to time! Here are some examples:

• 떡볶이 먹은 적이 있어요 - I’ve eaten tteokbokki (Korean spicy rice cake)
• 서울에 산* 적이 없어요 - I have never lived in Seoul!

With 보다: 

• 소주 마셔 본 적이 있어요 - I’ve tried soju
• 한복 입어 본 적이 없어요 - I haven’t tried wearing a Hanbok!

*살다 (to live) is an irregular ㄹ verb, therefore ㄹ acts as a vowel/is omitted in most grammatical instances. Other irregular ㄹ verbs you may know: 만들다 (to make), 알다 (to know), 울다 (to cry), 열다 (to open), 팔다 (to sell), many more!

When saying that you’ve watched something, or haven’t while using 보다 in the sense of “to see”, you wouldn’t say 봐 봤어요 or 봐 본 적–, it’s just grammatically incorrect and honestly, unnatural sounding. You would just say 본 적 or 봤어요. The Korean person you’re talking to will understand the context instantly. Here are some examples to illustrate this:

• 영화 기생충 봤어요(?) - Have you seen/I have seen “Parasite”(?)
• 드라마 알랑말랑 본 적이 있어요 - I’ve watched the drama “알랑말랑”

Hope that answers your question! I would say this grammar point is maybe A2-B1! Pretty easy and once you get it, you’ll start to understand some more intermediate sentences a lot better! If you’re still confused, or, again, I assumed wrong, then don’t hesitate to send me another message/pm! I’ll help you right away!

Happy Learning :)

~ SK101