V/A+ 었었다/았었다/였었다

명절에 고향 가지? 기차표는 예매했어?
Going to your hometown during the holidays? Did you book your train ticket?
응, 표가 빨리 매진될 것 같아서 급히 예매했어.
Yeah, I thought the tickets might be sold out fast, so I booked it quickly.
나도 기차표 예매하러 갔었는데 이미 매진됐던데.
I also went to book a train ticket but it was all sold out.
진작 얘기하지. 내가 네 것까지 예매하면 되는데.
You should’ve told me beforehand. I could have booked yours too.
괜찮아. 버스 타고 가면 돼.
It’s okay. I can just take the bus.
그래, 그럼 고향에 잘 다녀오고 부모님께 안부 전해 드려.
Okay, have a good trip to your hometown and tell your parents I sent my greetings.

V/A+ 었었다/았었다/였었다
It is used with an action verb stem or descriptive verb stem. It is used when the present content of the story is different from an expression in the past. In other words, even though it happened in past, due to some circumstances, it has changed the situation although it may not be currently happening.

‘-았었-’ is used if the last syllable of an active verb or descriptive verb stem is ‘ㅏ,ㅗ’. ‘-었었-’ is used if the rest of other vowels is ‘ ㅓ,ㅜ,ㅡ,ㅣ’. ‘-였었(했었)-’ is used if ‘하-’ is used.

어렸을 때는 파를 안 먹었었어요.
I’ve never eaten green onion when I was young.

10년 전까지는 외국에 살았었어요.
I used to live overseas until ten years ago.

결혼 전에는 날씬했었는데 지금은 뚱뚱해졌어요.
Before marriage, I was skinny, however, I am fat now.

Related words
매진 sold out
급히 quickly
진작 beforehand
안부를 전하다 to ask how someone is doing

Source: Yonsei University. Korean Language Institute

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