Top 100 Korean Adjectives and How to Use them in Sentences
Adjectives are words that show the quality or state of a person or thing. In Korean, adjectives are also known as “descriptive verbs”.
Unlike English adjectives, Korean adjectives can be conjugated just like Korean verbs. And its dictionary form ends with -다 [da], just like the verbs.
Due to this characteristic, sometimes Korean adjectives are considered as part of the ‘verb’ category. According to their different usages – one is to describe the ‘quality or state’, and the other to describe the ‘action’ – the bigger ‘verb’ category can be divided into: action verb (verb) and descriptive verb (adjective). So don’t feel strange when you see the other set of grammar terms. Just remember they are exchangeable!
In this article, we will use the below terms:
Action verb = Verb
Descriptive verb = Adjective
To give you some examples, here are some Korean adjectives and verbs ending with 다 [da]:
| Korean Verbs
가다[gada] (go) 달리다[dallida] (run) 자다[jada] (sleep) 앉다[anda] (sit) 먹다[meokda] (eat) 읽다[ikda] (read) |
Korean Adjectives
크다[keuda] (big) 작다[jakda] (small) 많다[manta] (many) 아름답다[areumdapda] (beautiful) 행복하다[haengbokada] (happy) 빠르다[ppareuda] (fast) |
Like verbs, Korean adjectives also need to be conjugated in order to be used in sentences. We’ll show you how to conjugate Korean adjectives in this article.
First, remember all adjectives end with the syllable ‘다’[da] in their dictionary form. We’ll also use this form as the standard form throughout this article.
Generally, when you use adjectives in sentences, you are going to conjugate them by adding a suffix to the stem. Every adjective has a ‘stem’. It’s the part before 다[da] from the adjective. For example:
크다[keuda] = 크[keu] (stem) + 다[da]
작다[jakda] = 작[jak] (stem) + 다[da]
많다[manta] = 많[man] (stem) + 다[da]
So how do we use Korean adjectives in a sentence? There are two places to use adjectives in Korean: before a noun, or after a noun. We also have an article that addresses Korean sentence structures in detail if you wish to know more! Next, we’ll talk about how to use and conjugate Korean adjectives in these two situations respectively.
Table of Contents
Korean adjectives that come before a noun
When Korean adjectives come before a noun in order to describe more about the noun, ‘-ㄴ/은’ should be attached to the stem of the adjective. Let’s look at the conjugation rules.
Adjective stem that ends with vowel: Add -ㄴ
크다[keuda] (big) → 큰[keun]
e.g.) 큰 강아지 [keun gangaji]: a big dog
행복하다[haengbokada] (happy) → 행복한[haengbokan]
e.g.) 행복한 아이 [haengbokan ai]: a happy child
빠르다[ppareuda] (fast) → 빠른[ppareun]
e.g.) 빠른 물고기 [ppareun mulgogi]: a fast fish
느리다[neurida] (slow) → 느린[neurin]
e.g.) 느린 거북이 [neurin geobugi]: a slow turtle
Adjective stem that ends with a consonant: Add -은
작다[jakda] (small) → 작은[jageun]
e.g.) 작은 고양이 [jageun goyangi]: a little cat
많다[manta] (many) → 많은[maneun]
e.g.) 많은 옷 [maneun ot]: a lot of clothes
짧다[jjalda] (short) → 짧은[jjalbeun]
e.g.) 짧은 치마 [jjalbeun chima]: a short skirt
Above are the 2 basic rules of using Korean adjectives before a noun. But there are also some exceptions：
Adjective stem that ends with ㅂ: Remove ㅂ and add -운
아름답다[areumdapda] (beautiful) → 아름다운[areumdaun]
e.g.) 아름다운 꽃 [areumdaun kkot]: a beautiful flower
귀엽다[gwiyeopda] (cute) → 귀여운[gwiyeoun]
e.g.) 귀여운 고양이 [gwiyeoun goyangi]: a cute cat
Adjective stem that ends with ㄹ: Remove ㄹ and add -ㄴ
길다[gilda] (long) → 긴[gin]
e.g.) 긴 다리 [gin dari]: long legs
멀다[meolda] (far) → 먼[meon]
e.g.) 먼 나라 [meon nara]: a faraway country
Korean adjectives that come after a noun
In our previous article Korean verb conjugation, we talked about how Korean verbs are conjugated based on tense and politeness. Korean adjectives also work this way. In the below examples, I will only use -아/어요 speech level.
Let’s see some examples of how to conjugate Korean adjectives in the past and future tense (Please note that Korean adjectives cannot be used in present tense). Of course, you can use adjectives with other types of sentence endings as well.
Past Tense
- Adjective stems that ends with vowel ㅗ or ㅏ: Add -았어요
작다[jakda] (small) → 작았어요
e.g.) 그 옷은 나에게 작았어요. That shirt was small for me.
- Adjective stems that ends with vowels other than ㅗ or ㅏ: Add -었어요
크다[keuda] (big) → 컸어요
e.g.) 그녀는 눈이 컸어요. She had big eyes.
Future Tense
- Adjective stems that end with a vowel: add -ㄹ 거예요
행복하다[haengbokada] (happy) → 행복할 거예요
e.g.) 크리스마스에 선물을 받는다면 정말 행복할 거예요. I would be so happy to get a present on Christmas.
- Adjective stems that end with a consonant: add -을 거예요
많다[manta] (many) → 많을 거예요
e.g.) 내일은 사람이 많을 거예요. There will be a lot of people tomorrow.
Note:
Unlike verbs that can be used in most sentences, adjectives have limitations. It cannot be used in the present tense, request, and imperative sentences. Compare the two types of words below.
| Verb
앉다 (sit) |
Adjective
작다 (small) |
|
| Present tense | 유진이가 앉는다 (✓) – Yujin is sitting. | 그 고양이가 작는다. (X) |
| Request sentence | 유진아, 앉아라. (✓) – Yujin, please sit down. | 그 고양이가 작아라. (X) |
| Imperative sentence | 유진아, 앉자. (✓) – Yujin, let’s sit down. | 그 고양이가 작자. (X) |
100 Most Common Korean Adjectives
Korean adjectives to describe people and qualities
| English | Korean |
| good | 좋은(joeun) |
| bad | 나쁜(nahpoon) |
| polite | 공손한 (gongsonhan) |
| rude | 무례한(mulyehan) |
| quiet | 조용한 (joyonghan) |
| loud | 시끄러운(sikkeuleoun) |
| outgoing | 사교적인(sagyojeog-in) |
| shy | 수줍은(sujub-eun) |
| funny | 우스운 (useuun) |
| serious | 심각한(simgaghan) |
| beautiful | 아름다운(aleumdaun) |
| happy | 행복한(haengboghan) |
| sad | 슬픈 (seulpeun) |
| healthy | 거강한(geonganghan) |
| sick | 병든(byeongdeun) |
| stupid | 멍청한(meongcheonghan) |
| intelligent | 지적인(jijeog-in) |
| fat | 뚱뚱한(ttungttunghan) |
| slim | 날씬한 (nalssinhan) |
| poor | 가난한(gananhan) |
| rich | 돈이 많은(don-i manheun) |
| powerful | 강한(ganghan) |
| weak | 약한(yaghan) |
| old(people) | 늙은(neulg-eun) |
| young | 젊은(jeolm-eun) |
Korean adjectives to describe colors
| English | Korean |
| black | 까맣다 (kkamata) |
| blue | 파랗다 (parata) |
| red | 빨갛다 (ppalgata) |
| white | 하얗다 (hayata) |
| yellow | 노랗다 (norata) |
Korean adjectives to describe tastes
| English | Korean |
| sweet | 달다 (dalda) |
| salty | 짜다 (jjada) |
| bland/tasteless | 싱겁다 (singgeopda) |
| spicy | 맵다 (maepda) |
| fishy | 비리다 (birida) |
| greasy | 느끼하다 (neukkihada) |
| crispy | 바삭바삭하다 (basakbasakada) |
| disgusting | 역겹다 (yeokgyeopda) |
| chewy | 쫄깃쫄깃하다 (jjolgitjjolgitada) |
| flat | 납작하다 (napjakada) |
| delicious | 맛있다 (masitda) |
| unsavory | 맛없다 (maseopda) |
Korean adjectives to describe weather
| English | Korean |
| hot | 덥다 (deopda) |
| cold | 춥다 (chupda) |
| dry | 건조하다 (geonjohada) |
| warm | 따뜻하다 (ttatteutada) |
| humid | 습하다 (seupada) |
| clear | 맑다 (makda) |
| chilly | 쌀쌀하다 (ssalssalhada) |
| cool | 서늘하다 (seoneulhada) |
Korean adjectives to describe shapes and sizes
| English | Adjective form |
| big | 크다 (keuda) |
| small | 작다 (jakda) |
| wide | 넓다 (neolda) |
| narrow | 좁다 (jopda) |
| heave | 무겁다 (mugeopda) |
| light | 가볍다 (gabyeopda) |
| high | 높다 (nopda) |
| low | 낮다 (natda) |
| close | 가깝다 (gakkapda) |
| far | 멀다 (meolda) |
| thick | 굵다 (gukda) |
| thin | 얇다 (yalda) |
| long | 길다 (gilda) |
| round | 동그랗다 (donggeurata) |
| pointed, sharp | 뾰족하다 (ppyojokada) |
| square | 네모나다 (nemonada) |
Korean adjectives to describe quantities
| English | Korean |
| few/little | 적다 (jeokda) |
| many/much | 많다 (manta) |
Korean adjectives to describe places and things
| clean | 깨끗한(kkaekkeuthan) |
| dirty | 더러운(deoleoun) |
| easy | 숴운(swiun) |
| hard | 어려운(eolyeoun) |
| expensive | 비싼(bissan) |
| cheap | 싼(ssan) |
| fast | 빠른(ppaleun) |
| slow | 느린(neulin) |
| new | 새로운(saeloun) |
| old(things) | 오래된(olaedoen) |
| wrong/incorrect | 들린(deullin) |
| right/correct | 맞는(majneun) |
| empty | 빈(bin) |
| full | 찬(chan) |
