I've been V-ing until now: 아/어/해 왔다

V + 아/어/해 왔어요 is an auxiliary verb pattern that shows that you have been doing something continuously up until the present. Note that there is usually a space between the main verb and 왔어요:

저의 가장 좋은 친구가 서울에서 자라 왔어요.

My best friend was born and bred in Seoul.

저는 테크노를 들으며 자라 왔어요.

I've grown up listening to techno.

이 일을 해 왔어요.

I've been doing this job until now.

이제까지 한국어를 열심히 공부해 왔어요.

I have been studying Korean diligently until now.

어릴 때부터 피아노를 쳐 왔어요.

I've been playing the piano since I was young.

지난 2년 동안 봉사 활동을 해 왔어요.

I've been doing volunteer work for the past two years.

그 학생은 늘 지각해 와요.

That student is always late for school (he has been up until now).

외국 친구들 중 일부는 한국에서 오랫동안 살아왔어요.

Some of my foreign friends have been living in Korea for a long time.

미국은 한국의 역사에 중요한 역할을 해 왔어요.

The United States has played an important role in Korean history.

힘든 생활을 해 왔어요.

I'm having a hard time (I have had a hard time until now).

항상 일등석을 타고 여행을 해 왔어요.

I've always traveled first class.

직원들이 여러 주 동안 과로를 해 왔어요.

The staff have been overworked for weeks.

교통사고를 당했을 때부터 어깨가 아파 왔어요.

My shoulder has been hurting since I was in a car accident.

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