Korean adjectives work differently from English adjectives. Understanding the types and how they function is essential for proper Korean grammar.
What Are Korean Adjectives?
In Korean, what we call "adjectives" are actually descriptive verbs (형용사 - hyeongyongsa). Unlike English adjectives, Korean adjectives:
- Conjugate like verbs
- Can stand alone as predicates
- Change form based on tense and formality
- End in -다 in dictionary form
Main Types of Adjectives
Type 1: Descriptive Verbs (형용사)
These are the main type of adjectives in Korean. They describe qualities, states, or characteristics and conjugate like verbs.
Dictionary form ends in -다:
- 크다 (keuda) - to be big
- 작다 (jakda) - to be small
- 좋다 (jota) - to be good
- 나쁘다 (nappeuda) - to be bad
Conjugate like verbs:
- 크다 → 커요 (is big)
- 좋다 → 좋아요 (is good)
- 예쁘다 → 예뻐요 (is pretty)
Can be predicates:
- 집이 커요. (The house is big.)
- 날씨가 좋아요. (The weather is good.)
Type 2: Noun Modifiers (관형사)
These are true adjectives that directly modify nouns without conjugation. They don't change form and always appear before nouns.
Common noun modifiers:
- 새 (sae) - new
- 헌 (heon) - old (used)
- 옛 (yet) - old (ancient)
- 온 (on) - all/whole
- 딱 (ttak) - exactly
- 각 (gak) - each
Usage:
- 새 차 (new car)
- 헌 책 (old book)
- 옛 친구 (old friend)
- 온 세상 (the whole world)
Cannot stand alone as predicates:
- ❌ 차가 새요 (incorrect)
- ✓ 차가 새로워요 (The car is new) - uses descriptive verb 새롭다
Type 3: Demonstrative Adjectives (지시 관형사)
These point to or specify nouns and come from demonstrative roots.
Basic demonstratives:
- 이 (i) - this
- 그 (geu) - that
- 저 (jeo) - that (over there)
Usage:
- 이 책 (this book)
- 그 사람 (that person)
- 저 집 (that house over there)
Extended forms:
- 이런 (ireon) - this kind of (from 이렇다)
- 그런 (geureon) - that kind of (from 그렇다)
- 저런 (jeoreon) - that kind of (from 저렇다)
- 어떤 (eotteon) - what kind of (from 어떻다)
Type 4: Numeral Adjectives (수 관형사)
These indicate number or quantity and modify nouns.
Native Korean numbers (before counters):
- 한 (han) - one
- 두 (du) - two
- 세 (se) - three
- 네 (ne) - four
Sino-Korean numbers (before nouns):
- 일 (il) - one/first
- 이 (i) - two/second
- 삼 (sam) - three/third
Usage:
- 한 명 (one person)
- 두 개 (two items)
- 삼 일 (three days)
- 제일 (number one/first)
Descriptive Verbs: The Main Type
Since descriptive verbs are the primary type of Korean adjectives, understanding their characteristics is crucial.
Characteristics of Descriptive Verbs
1. Always end in -다 in dictionary form:
- 크다 (to be big)
- 작다 (to be small)
- 높다 (to be high)
- 낮다 (to be low)
2. Conjugate for tense:
- Present: 크다 → 커요 (is big)
- Past: 크다 → 컸어요 (was big)
- Future: 크다 → 클 거예요 (will be big)
3. Conjugate for formality:
- Informal polite: 커요
- Formal polite: 큽니다
- Informal: 커
4. Can modify nouns:
- 큰 집 (big house)
- 작은 차 (small car)
- 높은 산 (high mountain)
5. Can stand alone as predicates:
- 집이 커요. (The house is big.)
- 산이 높아요. (The mountain is high.)
Descriptive Verbs vs Action Verbs
Descriptive Verbs (Adjectives):
- Describe states or qualities
- Cannot take progressive -고 있다
- Use descriptive modifiers
Action Verbs:
- Describe actions
- Can take progressive -고 있다
- Use active modifiers
Example:
Descriptive verb (adjective):
- 크다 (to be big)
- ✓ 집이 커요. (The house is big.)
- ❌ 집이 크고 있어요. (incorrect - states don't progress)
Action verb:
- 크다 (to grow - different word, same spelling)
- ✓ 나무가 자라고 있어요. (The tree is growing.)
Modifying Nouns
Both descriptive verbs and noun modifiers can modify nouns, but in different ways.
Descriptive Verbs → Need Conjugation
Must add modifier endings:
Present descriptive -(으)ㄴ:
- 크다 → 큰 집 (big house)
- 좋다 → 좋은 날 (good day)
- 예쁘다 → 예쁜 꽃 (pretty flower)
Past descriptive -았/었던:
- 컸던 집 (house that was big)
- 좋았던 날 (day that was good)
Pure Noun Modifiers → No Change
Used directly before nouns:
- 새 책 (new book)
- 헌 신발 (old shoes)
- 온 가족 (whole family)
Position in Sentences
As Predicates (Sentence-Final)
Descriptive verbs conjugate and end sentences:
Pattern: [Subject] + [Adjective]
- 날씨가 좋아요. (The weather is good.)
- 집이 커요. (The house is big.)
- 음식이 맛있어요. (The food is delicious.)
As Modifiers (Before Nouns)
Both types appear before the nouns they modify:
Pattern: [Adjective] + [Noun]
- 좋은 날씨 (good weather)
- 큰 집 (big house)
- 맛있는 음식 (delicious food)
- 새 차 (new car)
Stative vs Dynamic
Korean adjectives (descriptive verbs) are stative, meaning they describe unchanging states rather than actions.
Stative Characteristics
Cannot use progressive:
- ❌ 예쁘고 있어요 (incorrect)
- ✓ 예뻐요 (is pretty)
Describe inherent qualities:
- 산이 높아요. (The mountain is high.) - permanent state
- 물이 차가워요. (The water is cold.) - current state
Special Cases: State Changes
Some adjectives can describe changes when context implies transition:
- 날씨가 더워요. (The weather is hot/getting hot.)
- 키가 커요. (Height is tall/growing tall.)
But these still don't use progressive forms.
Common Patterns
Pattern 1: Simple Description
[Noun]이/가 + [Adjective]
- 꽃이 예뻐요. (The flower is pretty.)
- 방이 커요. (The room is big.)
- 하늘이 파래요. (The sky is blue.)
Pattern 2: Multiple Adjectives
[Adj1]고 + [Adj2]
- 크고 예뻐요. (is big and pretty)
- 싸고 좋아요. (is cheap and good)
- 높고 멀어요. (is high and far)
Pattern 3: Adjective + Noun
[Descriptive modifier] + [Noun]
- 큰 집 (big house)
- 예쁜 꽃 (pretty flower)
- 파란 하늘 (blue sky)
Pattern 4: Comparison
[Noun]이/가 + [Noun]보다 + [Adjective]
- 이것이 저것보다 커요. (This is bigger than that.)
- 여름이 봄보다 더워요. (Summer is hotter than spring.)
Regular vs Irregular Adjectives
Like verbs, adjectives can be regular or irregular:
Regular Adjectives
Follow standard conjugation rules:
- 작다 (to be small) → 작아요, 작았어요, 작을 거예요
- 높다 (to be high) → 높아요, 높았어요, 높을 거예요
Irregular Adjectives
Change stem before certain endings:
ㅂ irregular:
- 춥다 → 추워요 (is cold)
- 아름답다 → 아름다워요 (is beautiful)
ㅎ irregular:
- 빨갛다 → 빨개요 (is red)
- 하얗다 → 하애요 (is white)
으 irregular:
- 크다 → 커요 (is big)
- 예쁘다 → 예뻐요 (is pretty)
Using Adjectives with 있다/없다
Some qualities use 있다/없다 (to have/not have) instead of direct adjectives:
Pattern: [Quality]이/가 있다/없다
- 재미가 있어요. (is interesting - has fun)
- 의미가 있어요. (is meaningful - has meaning)
- 문제가 없어요. (is problem-free - has no problem)
This is different from direct adjectives:
- 재미있다 → 재미있어요 (is fun/interesting)
- 의미있다 → 의미있어요 (is meaningful)
Common Adjective Categories
Size and Dimension
- 크다 (big), 작다 (small)
- 길다 (long), 짧다 (short)
- 넓다 (wide), 좁다 (narrow)
- 높다 (high), 낮다 (low)
Color
- 빨갛다 (red), 파랗다 (blue)
- 노랗다 (yellow), 하얗다 (white)
- 까맣다 (black), 초록색이다 (green)
Quality
- 좋다 (good), 나쁘다 (bad)
- 예쁘다 (pretty), 못생기다 (ugly)
- 맛있다 (delicious), 맛없다 (tasteless)
State/Condition
- 춥다 (cold), 덥다 (hot)
- 아프다 (sick), 건강하다 (healthy)
- 행복하다 (happy), 슬프다 (sad)
Difficulty
- 쉽다 (easy), 어렵다 (difficult)
- 간단하다 (simple), 복잡하다 (complex)
Key Points
- ✅ Korean adjectives are descriptive verbs that conjugate
- ✅ Dictionary form ends in -다
- ✅ Main types: descriptive verbs, noun modifiers, demonstratives
- ✅ Descriptive verbs need modifier endings before nouns
- ✅ Pure noun modifiers don't change form
- ✅ Adjectives are stative, not progressive
- ✅ Can be regular or irregular in conjugation
Understanding that Korean adjectives function as verbs is fundamental to mastering Korean grammar and sentence construction.