Adjective conjugation
Adjectives take different endings depending on how you use them.
How It Works
Think of a Korean adjective as having two parts: a stem and an ending. The dictionary form always ends in -다, like 예쁘다. On its own, that plain form is what you see in writing, and it is also what Koreans call out as an exclamation or say to themselves, like 좋다! ('so nice!') or 맛있다! ('so good!').
When you talk to someone, though, you usually swap that -다 for a different ending.
Why is this important?
The ending you choose gives an adjective its meaning and function in a sentence. Different endings do different jobs:
- Ending a sentence: To say "It is pretty" to someone, you use a sentence-ending form like -아/어요 (informal polite) or -ㅂ/습니다 (formal polite).
- Modifying a noun: To say "a pretty flower," you need a noun-modifying form like -ㄴ/은.
- Connecting clauses: To say "it's pretty, but..." you need a connecting form like -지만.
You don't need to memorize all the endings right now. Just remember that adjectives take different endings depending on the job they are doing. This concept is very similar to basic verb conjugation.
Examples (4)
- 예쁘다 (dictionary form) → 예뻐요 (conjugated form)
To be pretty → It's pretty.
예쁘다 is the plain dictionary form. When you speak to someone, it changes to 예뻐요 to make a polite, complete statement.
- 크다 (dictionary form) → 커요 (conjugated form)
To be big → It's big.
The adjective 크다 (to be big) is conjugated to 커요 to end a sentence politely.
- 크다 (dictionary form) → 큰 가방 (noun-modifying form)
To be big → a big bag
Here, the same adjective 크다 is conjugated differently (큰) to describe the noun 가방 (bag). This shows that the ending changes based on the adjective's role.
- 작다 (dictionary form) → 작아요 (conjugated form)
To be small → It's small.
The adjective 작다 (to be small) is conjugated to 작아요 to make a statement.
Common Mistakes
Using the dictionary form (-다) to end a polite conversational sentence.
Different Meaning날씨가 좋다.Better날씨가 좋아요.The plain form 좋다 is perfectly natural in writing, and you will hear it called out or said to yourself as an exclamation, like 좋다! ('so nice!'). But when you are speaking politely to another person, ending your sentence with 좋다 sounds abrupt. There, use a polite ending like 좋아요 or 좋습니다 instead.
Learn This First
Korean adjectives change form like verbs, so you need to understand stems first.
Related Patterns
- Basic verb conjugation
This is the verb equivalent of adjective conjugation. The principles are nearly identical, making them essential to learn together.
- -아/어Informal Ending
This is the most common informal polite sentence ending for both adjectives and verbs. It's one of the first conjugations you'll learn to apply.
- -ㅂ/습니다Formal Polite Ending
This is the standard formal polite sentence ending. Learning this shows how politeness level affects which ending you choose.
- -ㄴ/은Adjective Noun Modifier
This is the primary way adjectives are conjugated to modify nouns (e.g., 'a big house'). It demonstrates a different function of conjugation beyond just ending a sentence.
- 이다To Be
The copula 'to be' (이다) also conjugates. While it attaches to nouns, its conjugation patterns are very similar to those for adjectives.
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.