Present tense adjectives in Korean describe current states, qualities, or characteristics. They conjugate like verbs but describe how things are right now.
Present Tense Forms
Korean adjectives have multiple present tense forms depending on the formality level and sentence type.
Informal Polite (-아/어요)
The most common form in everyday conversation.
Formal Polite (-습니다/ㅂ니다)
Used in formal situations, business, news, presentations.
Informal (-아/어)
Used with close friends and younger people.
Informal Polite: -아/어요
Rule: Vowel Harmony
After ㅏ or ㅗ vowels → -아요:
- Stem has bright vowels (ㅏ, ㅗ)
After other vowels → -어요:
- Stem has dark vowels (ㅓ, ㅜ, ㅡ, ㅣ, etc.)
Formation Pattern
[Stem] + -아요 / -어요
Remove -다 and add the appropriate ending.
Examples with -아요
좋다 (to be good):
- 좋 + 아요 → 좋아요
작다 (to be small):
- 작 + 아요 → 작아요
많다 (to be many):
- 많 + 아요 → 많아요
높다 (to be high):
- 높 + 아요 → 높아요
Examples with -어요
크다 (to be big):
- 크 + 어요 → 커요
- 으 drops before 어
작다 (to be small):
- 작 + 어요 → 작아요
- ㅏ present, so uses 아요
없다 (to not exist):
- 없 + 어요 → 없어요
적다 (to be few):
- 적 + 어요 → 적어요
Contraction with 하다 Adjectives
Adjectives ending in 하다 contract:
-하 + 어요 → -해요
- 행복하다 → 행복해요 (is happy)
- 깨끗하다 → 깨끗해요 (is clean)
- 편하다 → 편해요 (is comfortable)
- 친절하다 → 친절해요 (is kind)
- 조용하다 → 조용해요 (is quiet)
- 안전하다 → 안전해요 (is safe)
Common Contractions
오 + 아 → 와:
- 좋다 → 조 + 아요 → 좋아요 (standard, no contraction needed)
우 + 어 → 워:
- 춥다 → 춥 + 어요 → 추워요 (ㅂ irregular)
Formal Polite: -습니다/ㅂ니다
After Consonants: -습니다
When stem ends in a consonant:
작다 (to be small):
- 작 + 습니다 → 작습니다
좋다 (to be good):
- 좋 + 습니다 → 좋습니다
높다 (to be high):
- 높 + 습니다 → 높습니다
많다 (to be many):
- 많 + 습니다 → 많습니다
After Vowels: -ㅂ니다
When stem ends in a vowel:
크다 (to be big):
- 크 + ㅂ니다 → 큽니다
예쁘다 (to be pretty):
- 예쁘 + ㅂ니다 → 예쁩니다
나쁘다 (to be bad):
- 나쁘 + ㅂ니다 → 나쁩니다
After ㄹ: -ㅂ니다
When stem ends in ㄹ, it's treated as a vowel:
멀다 (to be far):
- 멀 + ㅂ니다 → 멉니다
길다 (to be long):
- 길 + ㅂ니다 → 깁니다
Informal: -아/어
Used with close friends, younger siblings, children.
Formation
Same as -아/어요 but drop the 요:
좋다 → 좋아 (is good) 크다 → 커 (is big) 예쁘다 → 예뻐 (is pretty) 행복하다 → 행복해 (is happy)
Usage Context
- Close friends of same age
- Speaking to younger people
- Casual diary or notes
- Inner thoughts
Common Adjectives - All Forms
크다 (to be big)
- Informal polite: 커요
- Formal polite: 큽니다
- Informal: 커
작다 (to be small)
- Informal polite: 작아요
- Formal polite: 작습니다
- Informal: 작아
좋다 (to be good)
- Informal polite: 좋아요
- Formal polite: 좋습니다
- Informal: 좋아
나쁘다 (to be bad)
- Informal polite: 나빠요
- Formal polite: 나쁩니다
- Informal: 나빠
예쁘다 (to be pretty)
- Informal polite: 예뻐요
- Formal polite: 예쁩니다
- Informal: 예뻐
맛있다 (to be delicious)
- Informal polite: 맛있어요
- Formal polite: 맛있습니다
- Informal: 맛있어
재미있다 (to be fun)
- Informal polite: 재미있어요
- Formal polite: 재미있습니다
- Informal: 재미있어
춥다 (to be cold)
- Informal polite: 추워요
- Formal polite: 춥습니다
- Informal: 추워
덥다 (to be hot)
- Informal polite: 더워요
- Formal polite: 덥습니다
- Informal: 더워
행복하다 (to be happy)
- Informal polite: 행복해요
- Formal polite: 행복합니다
- Informal: 행복해
In Simple Sentences
Pattern: [Subject]이/가 + [Adjective]
Informal polite:
- 집이 커요. (The house is big.)
- 날씨가 좋아요. (The weather is good.)
- 음식이 맛있어요. (The food is delicious.)
- 꽃이 예뻐요. (The flower is pretty.)
Formal polite:
- 집이 큽니다. (The house is big.)
- 날씨가 좋습니다. (The weather is good.)
- 음식이 맛있습니다. (The food is delicious.)
- 꽃이 예쁩니다. (The flower is pretty.)
Questions in Present Tense
With Rising Intonation
Simply use rising intonation with statement forms:
Informal polite:
- 커요? (Is it big?)
- 좋아요? (Is it good?)
- 맛있어요? (Is it delicious?)
- 예뻐요? (Is it pretty?)
Formal polite:
- 큽니까? (Is it big?)
- 좋습니까? (Is it good?)
- 맛있습니까? (Is it delicious?)
In Context
Q: 날씨가 좋아요? (Is the weather good?)
A: 네, 좋아요. (Yes, it's good.)
Q: 음식이 맛있어요? (Is the food delicious?)
A: 네, 정말 맛있어요. (Yes, it's really delicious.)
Negative Present Forms
Using 안 (not)
Place 안 before the adjective:
Pattern: 안 + [Adjective]
- 안 커요. (is not big)
- 안 좋아요. (is not good)
- 안 예뻐요. (is not pretty)
- 안 맛있어요. (is not delicious)
Using -지 않다
More formal negative:
Pattern: [Stem]지 않아요 / 않습니다
- 크지 않아요. (is not big)
- 좋지 않아요. (is not good)
- 예쁘지 않아요. (is not pretty)
- 맛있지 않습니다. (is not delicious)
With Intensifiers
아주 (very)
- 아주 커요. (is very big)
- 아주 좋아요. (is very good)
- 아주 예뻐요. (is very pretty)
정말/진짜 (really)
- 정말 맛있어요. (is really delicious)
- 진짜 좋아요. (is really good)
너무 (too/very)
- 너무 커요. (is too big / very big)
- 너무 좋아요. (is so good)
- 너무 예뻐요. (is so pretty)
조금 (a little)
- 조금 작아요. (is a little small)
- 조금 비싸요. (is a little expensive)
매우 (very - formal)
- 매우 중요합니다. (is very important)
- 매우 아름답습니다. (is very beautiful)
Irregular Adjectives in Present
ㅂ Irregular
ㅂ → 우 before vowels:
- 춥다 → 추워요 (is cold)
- 덥다 → 더워요 (is hot)
- 아름답다 → 아름다워요 (is beautiful)
- 무섭다 → 무서워요 (is scary)
- 쉽다 → 쉬워요 (is easy)
ㅎ Irregular
ㅎ drops, vowel changes:
- 빨갛다 → 빨개요 (is red)
- 노랗다 → 노래요 (is yellow)
- 하얗다 → 하애요 (is white)
- 그렇다 → 그래요 (is so)
- 어떻다 → 어때요 (is how)
으 Irregular
으 drops before vowels:
- 크다 → 커요 (is big)
- 예쁘다 → 예뻐요 (is pretty)
- 바쁘다 → 바빠요 (is busy)
- 쓰다 → 써요 (is bitter)
- 아프다 → 아파요 (hurts)
ㄹ Irregular
ㄹ drops before ㄴ, ㅂ, ㅅ:
- 멀다 → 멀어요 (is far) - but 먼 (far - modifier)
- 길다 → 길어요 (is long) - but 긴 (long - modifier)
Common Sentence Patterns
Simple Description
[Noun]이/가 [Adjective]
- 방이 커요. (The room is big.)
- 꽃이 예뻐요. (The flower is pretty.)
- 커피가 맛있어요. (The coffee is delicious.)
Multiple Adjectives
[Adj1]고 [Adj2]
- 크고 예뻐요. (is big and pretty)
- 싸고 좋아요. (is cheap and good)
- 맛있고 건강해요. (is delicious and healthy)
Contrast
[Adj1]지만 [Adj2]
- 작지만 예뻐요. (is small but pretty)
- 비싸지만 좋아요. (is expensive but good)
Emphasis
정말/진짜 + [Adjective]
- 정말 좋아요! (is really good!)
- 진짜 예뻐요! (is really pretty!)
Describing People
키가 크다 - to be tall (height is big)
- 키가 커요. (is tall)
키가 작다 - to be short (height is small)
- 키가 작아요. (is short)
머리가 좋다 - to be smart (head is good)
- 머리가 좋아요. (is smart)
마음이 예쁘다 - to be kind-hearted (heart is pretty)
- 마음이 예뻐요. (is kind-hearted)
Describing Weather
- 날씨가 좋아요. (The weather is good.)
- 날씨가 나빠요. (The weather is bad.)
- 추워요. (It's cold.)
- 더워요. (It's hot.)
- 시원해요. (It's cool/refreshing.)
- 따뜻해요. (It's warm.)
Describing Food
- 맛있어요. (is delicious)
- 맛없어요. (is not delicious)
- 달아요. (is sweet)
- 짜요. (is salty)
- 매워요. (is spicy)
- 싱거워요. (is bland)
Describing Emotions
- 행복해요. (is happy)
- 슬퍼요. (is sad)
- 기뻐요. (is joyful)
- 화나요. (is angry)
- 외로워요. (is lonely)
- 무서워요. (is scared)
Key Points
✅ Present tense describes current states ✅ -아/어요 for informal polite (most common) ✅ -습니다/ㅂ니다 for formal polite ✅ Vowel harmony determines -아 or -어 ✅ 하다 adjectives contract to -해요 ✅ Irregular adjectives change stems ✅ Questions use rising intonation ✅ Can add intensifiers for emphasis
Understanding present tense adjective conjugation is essential for describing current situations, states, and qualities in Korean.