Korean adjectives, also known as descriptive verbs, are used to describe the qualities, characteristics, or states of nouns. Here are some key points about Korean adjectives and how to use them:
Korean adjectives are derived from verbs by conjugation. To form an adjective, you typically remove the verb ending (-다) and add an adjectival ending.
Adjectives can be placed before or after the noun they modify:
- Before the noun: Remove the verb ending and add -ᄂ/-은 or other endings based on the final sound.
For example, 작다 (small) becomes 작은 before a noun, as in 작은 집 (small house).
- After the noun: Conjugate the adjective with appropriate verb endings.
For example, 집이 작아요 (The house is small).
Adjectives are conjugated based on tense, formality level, and other factors, similar to verbs:
- Past tense: 작았어요 (was small)
- Future tense: 작을 거예요 (will be small)
Common Korean adjectives describe colors, shapes, sizes, tastes, qualities, and people’s characteristics.
Some examples: 큰 (big), 작은 (small), 빨간 (red), 좋은 (good), 예쁜 (pretty).
Certain adjective stems have irregular conjugations, like아름답다(beautiful) becoming아름다운.
Adjectives cannot be used in the present tense, requests, or commands. Instead, use the verb form or a descriptive clause.
To sum up, Korean adjectives originate from verbs and require correct conjugation depending on their placement relative to the noun, along with considerations like tense and formality. They enrich sentences with vivid descriptions.
Example Sentences
* In Korean, ‘우리’ meaning ‘our’ is used instead of ‘my’ meaning ‘나의, 내’.
My brother is tall. 우리 오빠는 키가 커요.
That tall man is my brother. 저 키 큰 남자는 우리 오빠예요.
The cake is sweet. 그 케이크는 달아요.
This sweet cake is made by mom. 이 단 케이크는 엄마가 만든거예요.
The movie is famous. 그 영화는 유명해요.
The famous movie is playing right now. 그 유명한 영화는 상영 중이예요.
The singer is amazing. 그 가수는 놀라워요.
The amazing singer is loved by many. 그 놀라운 가수는 많은 사람들에게 사랑받고 있어요.
The actor is old. 그 배우는 나이가 많아요.
The old actor is in the movie. 그 나이가 많은 배우는 그 영화에 나와요.
