Key Facts
- Hangul: 과거; Revised Romanization: gwageo
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 過去 (過 pass + 去 go)
- Register: Neutral and common.
Past in Korean: What Does 과거 Mean?
과거 is the past, as a period of time. It is neutral and common. It appears in 과거와 현재, past and present, in 과거를 잊다, to forget the past, and in 과거형, the past tense in grammar.
Its opposite is 미래, the future. For "long ago", Koreans often reach for 옛날 instead. Also note that 과거 has a homophone written 科擧, the old state civil service exam of the Goryeo and Joseon eras. Context makes the meaning clear.
How Do You Pronounce It?
과거 has two syllables, gwa-geo. The first begins with the glide gw, one smooth sound. The second, ㄱ plus ㅓ, is a soft g between vowels, then the open "uh" vowel.
The romanization gwageo repeats the g, but the sounds differ slightly: a firmer one at the start and a softer one in the middle.
Listen to the headword here.
Example Sentences with 과거
과거는 바꿀 수 없어요.
Gwageoneun bakkul su eopseoyo.
You cannot change the past.
바꿀 수 없어요 is "cannot change". The sentence states that the past is fixed.
과거에는 이곳이 시장이었어요.
Gwageoeneun igosi sijangieosseoyo.
In the past this was a market.
에는 marks the time "in". 시장이었어요 is the past of "was a market".
그는 과거를 잊고 싶어 해요.
Geuneun gwageoreul itgo sipeo haeyo.
He wants to forget his past.
잊고 싶어 해요 is "wants to forget", with 그는 as the topic. It is a third-person sentence.
Common Phrases and Collocations
The collocations pair 과거 with present, forgetting and grammar.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 과거와 현재 | past and present |
| 과거를 잊다 | to forget the past |
| 과거형 | past tense |
The Mistake to Avoid
- Wrong: Using 과거 for "last" in phrases like "last week".
- Correct: Use 지난, as in 지난주. 과거 names the past as a period, not a position in a calendar.
Think of 과거 as a place in history and 지난 as a pointer to the one just before now.
과거 Compared with 옛날 and 지난
Three words handle the past, the nearby past and the future.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 과거 | past | The past as a period. |
| 옛날 | olden days | Casual "long ago". |
| 지난 | last, past | Used before a time word: 지난주 means last week. |
| 미래 | future | The opposite. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
과거 is Sino-Korean, written 過去 in hanja: 過 (pass) plus 去 (go). Something that has passed and gone is the past.
Looking at an Old Neighborhood Photo
Two friends compare a photograph with the street in front of them. 과거에는 sets up an earlier state, and 지금은 introduces the contrast with now.
Mina
과거에는 여기가 시장이었어요?
Gwageoeneun yeogiga sijangieosseoyo?
Was this place a market in the past?
Jisu
네, 지금은 공원이지만요.
Ne, jigeumeun gongwonijimanyo.
Yes, though it is a park now.
Mina
그럼 이 사진은 언제 찍었어요?
Geureom i sajineun eonje jjigeosseoyo?
Then when was this photo taken?
Jisu
십 년 전에 찍었어요.
Sip nyeon jeone jjigeosseoyo.
It was taken ten years ago.
과거에는 gives a broad time frame; 십 년 전에 supplies a specific distance from now. The friends can start with the general past and then narrow it down. Neither expression requires a possessive such as “my”, because they are discussing the history of a place.
Which Phrases Describe Someone's Past?
과거를 돌아보다 means “to look back on the past”. 돌아보다 literally involves looking back, but with 과거 it means reflecting on earlier events or experiences. It can introduce memories, decisions, or lessons learned; the speaker is not physically turning around.
과거에 비해 means “compared with the past”. The phrase needs a comparison: a neighborhood may be quieter, a service faster, or a school larger. 과거의 사진 means “a photograph from the past”; 의 connects the time period to the noun. In contrast, 과거에 places an event in the past. The small particle changes the job of the phrase.
과거가 있다 literally means “to have a past”. In a drama or a personal discussion, it can hint at a hidden or complicated history. It does not simply mean that someone has lived for several years. Avoid using this expression as a neutral introduction to someone's childhood; it can sound suggestive.
Where Will You See 과거?
Photo exhibitions and articles use 과거와 현재 to compare earlier and present-day scenes. News reports may refer to 과거의 사건, “past events”. The noun does not tell you how long ago something happened: a date or another time expression supplies that information.
In grammar lessons, 과거형 labels a past-tense form. Saying the noun 과거 does not turn another verb into the past tense. The verb ending carries that information. For example, the existing market sentence ends in 시장이었어요, “was a market”; 과거에는 simply makes the earlier time explicit.
In everyday memories, 예전 often means “before” or “in earlier days” without the historical feel of a broad comparison. 옛날 is familiar in stories and childhood recollections. 과거 suits discussion of a period, a person's history, or a contrast across time; the choice depends on what you want to describe.
Time Words to Keep beside 과거
| Korean | Meaning | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|
| 현재 | present | Pairs with 과거 in comparisons across time. |
| 미래 | future | Names the time still to come. |
| 예전 | earlier days; before | Useful for remembering how things used to be. |
| 어제 | yesterday | Gives a specific day rather than an unspecified past. |
The core words 501 to 600 lesson includes the past–present–future set. When a conversation needs a date, add that date rather than expecting 과거 to identify it.
Quick Self-Test
- Which expression means “last week”: 과거 or 지난주?
- Does 과거 specify how many years ago something happened?
- In 과거를 돌아보다, is the looking back normally physical?
Show answers
- 지난주. 과거 names the past more generally.
- No. A date or an expression such as 십 년 전에 gives that detail.
- No. The phrase means reflecting on earlier events or experiences.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say past in Korean?
Say 과거 (gwageo).
What is past tense called?
The past tense is 과거형.
What is the opposite of 과거?
미래, the future.
How do you say "last week"?
Say 지난주, using 지난 rather than 과거.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: core words 501 to 600. 과거 is on the core words 501 to 600 list.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add 과거 to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next: the word for present. Next in the list comes the word for present.
- Compare: 미래. See 미래 for its opposite.