Breakdown of gwajereul wanryohaesseoyo.
~를~reul
object particle
과제gwaje
assignment
완료하다wanryohada
to complete
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Questions & Answers about gwajereul wanryohaesseoyo.
What does 과제 mean?
과제 (課題) literally means “task” or “assignment.” In a school context it usually refers to homework or a project you have to complete.
What role does the particle -을/를 play in 과제를?
The particle -을/를 marks 과제 as the direct object of the verb. So 과제를 tells us “the assignment” is what’s being completed.
What is the verb stem here and what does it mean?
The verb stem is 완료하- (完了하-), which means “to complete” or “to finish.”
Why is -었어요 attached to 완료하-?
-었어요 is the past-tense ending in the informal polite style. Attaching it to 완료하- makes 완료했어요, meaning “(I) completed (it).”
What’s the difference between 완료하다 and 끝내다?
Both can mean “to finish,” but 완료하다 is more formal or technical, whereas 끝내다 is more conversational. You could say 과제를 끝냈어요 in everyday speech instead of 완료했어요.
Can I say 완료했습니다 instead of 완료했어요?
Yes. 완료했습니다 is the formal (deferential) style. 완료했어요 is polite (informal polite). Use 했습니다 with superiors or in formal announcements.
There’s no subject in this sentence. Who is doing the action?
Korean often omits the subject when it’s understood. Here the implied subject is 저 (I), so it means “I completed the assignment.”
Is 과제를 완료했어요 more like “I have completed” or “I completed” in English?
The Korean past tense -었어요 covers both simple past and present perfect. It could be translated as either “I completed” or “I have completed,” depending on context.
Can I drop the particle and just say 과제 완료했어요?
In casual spoken Korean, yes—you might hear 과제 완료했어요. But in standard grammar, including 과제를 with -를 makes the object clearer.
Does 과제 only refer to schoolwork?
No. 과제 can mean any task, problem, or project you need to solve or finish—schoolwork, work assignments, research tasks, etc.