안녕하세요! In this post, I'll show you the words that are related to feelings(기분) and emotions(감정) in Korean! You'll see the basic forms and examples. Make sure to add these new adjectives to your adjective organizer worksheet!
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0. Before You Begin...
To proceed with this lesson, you better know how to say present and past-tense adjectives. You can also check out the "because" lesson to explain your feelings. If you want to learn, please use the link below.
Each lesson consists of a quick chart, walk-through, and worksheet. In the quick chart section, you can see the basic form and listen and repeat the words. In the walk-through section, I'll show you detailed explanations with examples. Don't forget to download the free, printable PDF worksheet to practice on your own!
1. Positive Feelings
Let's talk about positive(긍정적인) feelings and emotions first. First, you can check out my quick chart and then read the details for each word.
Quick Chart
to feel good | |
to be happy | |
to be pleasant | |
to have fun | |
to be excited | |
to be joyful | |
to be glad | |
to feel flutter | |
to be proud of | |
to feel refreshed |
Walk-Through
기분이 좋다 to feel good
기분 means a feeling. 좋다 is an adjective meaning "to be good". Using these words you can express you feel good. The subject marker "이" can be omitted.
날씨가 좋아서 기분이 좋아요. I feel good because the weather is good.
아, 기분 좋다! (Talk to oneself) Ah, it feels good!
행복하다 to be happy
행복 is a noun, meaning "happiness". 행복하다 becomes an adjective.
시험에 합격해서 행복해요. I feel happy because I passed the test.
즐겁다 to be pleasant
It is an irregular ㅂ word. So, when you conjugate it'll become 즐거워요 for present tense and 즐거웠어요 for past tense.
소풍은 정말 즐거워요. The picnic is really fun.
오늘 즐거웠어요! It was fun today. / I had a good time today. - You can use it when you say goodbye to someone you dated or hung out with.
재미있다 to have fun, to be funny/entertaining/amusing/interesting
재미 is a noun that means "fun" or "interest." By using 있다 (to exist), you can express having fun. This term can be used to characterize someone or something as interesting or amusing. While in English "fun" and "funny" have distinct meanings, in Korean, you can use 재미있다 for both. This aspect sometimes causes difficulties for Korean learners of English.
민수 씨는 재미있어요. Minsu is funny.
한국어 공부는 정말 재미있어요! Studying Korean is really fun!
신나다 to be excited/exciting
It is actually considered as a verb in Korean. It means getting excited and feeling very good. It is often used in an adverb form, 신나게 (excitedly, with joy).
신난다! Hurray!
어제 파티는 정말 신났어요. The party yesterday was really exciting.
신나게 노래를 불렀어요. I sang with joy.
흥겹다 to be cheerful/exciting/joyous/marry
It shows "feeling good and joyful out of excitement." It is not commonly used in daily life. However, it is sometimes used to describe a song or dance with an exciting, cheerful, bright vibe. In daily life, people will use 즐겁다 or 재미있다 more.
이 노래는 정말 흥겨워요. This song is really joyous.
기쁘다 to be glad/pleased
You can use this word when you feel happy and satisfied because your desires are met. It is an irregular ㅡ word.
도움이 될 수 있어서 기뻐요. I'm glad I can help.
시험에 합격해서 정말 기뻤어요. I was very glad to pass the test.
설레다 to be excited / to feel a flutter
It's actually a verb. In the Naver Dictionary, it is described as "For one's heart not to be calm but to flutter because one is excited." When something or someone gives you butterflies, say 설레게 하다.
그의 고백 때문에 설렜어요. I was fluttered because of his confession of love.
그의 고백은 나를 설레게 했어요. His confession of love made me flutter.
뿌듯하다 to be proud of
뿌듯 is a noun. With 하다, it became an adjective.
이번 프로젝트가 성공해서 뿌듯해요. I am proud that this project was successful.
⚐ My Language Tips!
This word is meant to show why you are proud of something related to you. In English, you can just add a noun and say "I'm proud of you." But in the Korean language, you can't do that. When you are proud of someone else, you can use "자랑스럽다."
(X) 네가 뿌듯하다. - It's the wrong sentence. You should talk about something related to you, not other people.
(O) 네가 자랑스럽다. - I'm proud of you.
상쾌하다 to feel refreshed / refreshing
It's an adjective to describe "feeling cool and fresh."
오늘 공기가 상쾌하네요. The air is fresh today.
오늘 아침 기분이 정말 상쾌해요. I feel so good this morning.
Worksheet
Let's review these words! Please download the free, printable PDF worksheet and practice the new words you learned!
2. Negative Feelings A: Anger
There are many words related to negative(부정적인) feelings, so I divided the sections. Here, I'll focus on the words that can show your anger or frustration.
Quick Chart
to feel bad | |
to be angry | |
to be angry | |
to be irritated | |
to feel stressed out | |
to be upset |
Walk-Through
기분이 나쁘다 to feel bad
The antonym of 좋다 is 나쁘다. When your feeling(기분) is bad, you can use this word. You can also say 기분이 안 좋다 (to feel not good). The subject marker "이" can be omitted.
아, 기분 나빠! Ah, it feels bad!
시험을 망쳐서 기분이 나빠요. I feel bad because I ruined my test.
화나다 to be angry
It is actually a verb. 화 is a noun, meaning "anger". 나다 means "to emerge." So, 화나다 can be divided into a noun and a verb by adding the subject marker; 화가 나다.
It's a bit of a special word, so you have to watch out. To say "I'm angry", you have to use the past tense "화났어요." To say "I was angry", you'll say "화났었어요."
친구 때문에 화났어요. I'm angry because of my friend.
열받다 to be angry
열 actually means "heat". When you are angry, you feel hot. It's a word that came from that. It's more commonly used in daily life than 화나다, especially in casual situations. So, it is not appropriate to use it in front of your parents or teacher.
아, 열받아! (often talk to oneself - showing frustration) I'm pissed off!
때문에 완전 열받았어! I'm completely mad because of you!
⚐ Buzzword: 킹받다
These days, people say 킹받다. It is used to express not quite make you angry like 열받다 level, but something that scratches your nerves. It started being used in 2018 on the internet. 킹 (king) is often used online to mean to emphasize things.
짜증나다 to be frustrated/irritated
It's a verb in Korean. 짜증 is a noun, so you can separate this word as well; 짜증이 나다.
너 때문에 짜증나! I'm frustrated because of you.
너 짜증나! =You are annoying.
스트레스 받다 to feel stressed out
It's an easy one to remember! Korean people use 스트레스 from the English word "stress." 받다 is a verb, meaning "receive." So, if something annoys you and you receive stress from it, use this word.
공부 때문에 스트레스 받아요. I'm stressed because of studying.
속상하다 to feel upset
This one is not as strong as "angry." It shows feeling discomfort and anguish because things do not go one's way. It implies disappointment.
시험에 떨어져서 속상해요. I feel upset because I failed my test.
Worksheet
There are only 6 words. So, I combined the words that come next here. You can download and practice these words first and move on or continue studying and practicing altogether.
3. Negative Feelings B: Board/Tired
Quick Chart
to feel tired | |
to feel sleepy | |
to be bored | |
to be bored | |
to not have fun |
Walk-Through
피곤하다 to feel tired
너무 피곤해요. I'm too tired.
졸리다 to feel sleepy/drowsy
너무 졸려요. I'm too sleepy.
지겹다 to be boring/bored
지겹다 is close to "boring". But you can use it to express being bored because of something or someone boring.
그 파티는 지겨웠어요. That party was boring.
아, 지겨워! Ah, boring!
심심하다 to be bored
심심하다 can be used to express being bored because nothing is (interesting) to do. That's the difference between 지겹다 and 심심하다.
할 게 아무것도 없어요. 심심해요. There is nothing to do! I'm bored.
재미없다 to not have fun / to be bored/boring
It's an antonym of 재미있다 (to have fun). You can separate it with the subject marker and say 재미가 없다. You can also use it to describe someone or something is boring.
그 파티는 완전 재미없었어요. That party was totally no fun.
영수 씨는 재미가 없어요. Youngsu is boring person.
Worksheet
This worksheet is the same as section 2; Negative Feeling A. If you didn't get it then, please download this one.
4. Negative Feelings C: Sorrow & Worry
Some words here can't be translated 1:1 to English. So, please make sure to read the "Walk Through" section, to grasp the meanings!
Quick Chart
to feel sad | |
to be disappointed | |
to feel gloomy | |
to feel a pressure on one's chest | |
to feel lonely | |
to be worried | |
to be concerned | |
to be nervous |
Walk-Through
슬프다 to be sad
It's an irregular ㅡ adjective. Use 슬퍼요 for the present tense. 슬펐어요 is for the past tense.
친구가 이사를 가서 슬퍼요. I feel sad because my friend has moved away.
섭섭하다 to be disappointed/regrettable
This word means sad, sorry, and disappointed. It's more complicated than 슬프다.
It can be used to express sorry and feel a lack of someone or something. It can also be used to express sadness about someone or something disappearing or not meeting expectations. It'll be close to feeling bitterness. Look at the examples below to grasp the meaning.
친구가 이사를 가서 섭섭해요. I feel sad because my friend has moved away.
초대를 못 받았어요. 섭섭해요. I didn't get an invitation. I'm disappointed.
살을 뺐는데 아무도 몰라. 섭섭해! I lost my weight but no one noticed! Sad!
말을 왜 그렇게 해? 정말 섭섭하다! Why do you talk to me like that? I'm really sad!
우울하다 to feel depressed
This adjective is used to describe depressed feelings. Depression is 우울증.
요즘 좀 우울해요. I'm somewhat depressed these days.
답답하다 to feel a pressure on one's chest
답답하다 has really many meanings! It is used to describe feeling heave by nervous and uncomfortable worry or anxiety. It's also commonly used to describe suffocating or cramped feelings. It's also used to show frustration and upset.
아이고, 답답해! Oh my, it’s frustrating!
가슴이 답답해요. I feel pressure on my chest. - It can be physically or mentally.
방이 좁아서 답답해요. I feel cramped because the room is small.
준은 너무 느려서 답답해. I am irritated because June is too slow!
외롭다 to feel lonely
It's an irregular ㅂ adjective. The present tense is 워로워요. The past tense is 외로웠어요.
크리스마스를 혼자 보내요. 외로워요. I am alone on Christmas. I feel lonely.
걱정되다 to be worried (with a tone of fear/afraid)
걱정 is a noun, meaning "worry, concern." 걱정되다 is a verb. You can say 걱정이 되다 as well.
According to the Naver dictionary, it means "to become fearful and anxious that something bad might happen."
열한시가 넘었어요. 아들이 안 왔어요. 걱정이 돼요. It's past eleven o'clock. My son didn't come yet. I'm worried.
군대에 간 남자친구가 걱정돼요. I worry about my boyfriend who went to the military.
As you see the examples, 걱정되다 has a tone of afraid that something may go wrong.
고민되다 to be concerned /to think thoroughly
고민되다 is also a verb. You can separate it into 고민이 되다.
This word is often translated the same as 걱정되다. However, they are actually not quite the same. It doesn't much have a-being-afraid tone, unlike 걱정되다. This one also can be used when you think thoroughly.
뱃살 때문에 고민이 돼요. I'm concerned about my belly fat. (-It doesn't have a "afraid" tone.)
무슨 옷을 살지 고민이 돼요. I'm having a hard time deciding which clothes to buy. -Think thoroughly.
If you use 고민되다 in the example of 걱정되다, it won't make sense. Because 고민되다 doesn't have a tone of "afraid".
(X) 군대에 간 남자친구가 고민돼요. -wrong sentence.
긴장되다 to be nervous
It is a verb, so you can separate it to 긴장이 되다.
내일 중요한 오디션이 있어요. 긴장이 돼요. I have an important audition tomorrow. I'm nervous.
Worksheet
It's practice time! Please download the free worksheet and practice writing and trying to memorize the words!
5. Negative Feelings D: Others
Here are more various feelings we can use. Make sure to read through the walk-through section!
Quick Chart
to pity | |
to be ashamed | |
to be ashamed | |
to be surprised | |
to be embarrassed | |
to feel uncomfortable | |
to feel wronged | |
to be scared | |
to be scared |
Walk-Through
불쌍하다 to be pitiful / to pity
It can be used to describe something being pitiful or your feelings to see that pitiful someone or something.
버림받은 강아지가 불쌍해요. I pity the abandoned puppy.
부끄럽다 to be shy/embarrassed, to feel ashamed
부끄럽다 is used in two situations. First, you can use it to say bashful or shy. Second, you can use it to say feeling shame with an uneasy conscience.
사람들 앞에서 넘어졌어요. 부끄러웠어요. I fell down in front of people. I was so embarrassed.
거짓말을 해서 부끄러웠어요. I felt ashamed because I lied.
창피하다 to be shameful
It is similar to the first meaning of 부끄럽다. You can use this word very often when you are ashamed due to a disgraceful event or fact.
사람들 앞에서 넘어졌어요. 창피했어요. I fell down in front of people. I was so embarrassed.
놀라다 to be surprised
It's actually a verb in Korean.
너 때문에 놀랐잖아! I was surprised because of you!
으악! 놀래라! (Talk to oneself) Yikes! I'm surprised!
당황하다 do not know what to do
It is often translated as "to be embarrassed" as well. 당황하다 is closer to describing your feeling of not knowing what to do because you are a bit surprised.
나는 그 아이의 고백에 당황했다. I didn't know what to do with his confession.
불편하다 to feel uncomfortable
It's often used with the word 마음 which means a "mind", "feeling", or "heart". The antonym is 편하다(to feel comfortable). In Chinese letters, 불 can mean "not" or "un".
마음이 조금 불편해요. I feel uneasy.
그 사람을 보기가 좀 불편해요. I don't feel comfortable to see him.
This 불편하다 can be used other than feelings as well. You can describe a thing with this word.
이 의자는 불편해요. This chair is not comfortable.
억울하다 to feel being treated unfairly / to feel wronged
억울하다 means feeling distressed by being accused of wrong. So, you feel it is not fair.
제가 안 했어요! 억울해요! It wasn't me! It's unfair!
무섭다 to be afraid/scared, to be fearful
It's an adjective. In Korean, 무섭다 can show both "scary" and "being scared." It describes the feeling scared of something or feeling afraid of something that might happen.
귀신의 집에 갔어요. 무서웠어요. I went to a haunted house in the amusement park. It was scary. (= I was scared.)
그 영화는 무서웠어요. That movie was scary.
겁나다 to have fear/to feel scared
It's a verb. 겁 is a noun, meaning "fear." 나다 is a verb, meaning "to come out." You can say 겁이 나다 as well. It means to feel afraid or scared of something. It has a similar meaning of 무섭다 but 겁나다 is mostly used in the written language.
나는 겁이 났다. (Written style) I was scared.
Worksheet
Now, let's review these words with a practice worksheet. As you write, make sure to read aloud each word!
Wrap-up: Emotions in Korean
There are more than what I cover in Korean, of course, but we covered a lot of words today. When I have a chance I'll post other feeling-related words; probably more advanced-level words. If you want to learn how to study vocabulary more efficiently, check out my post; How to Study Vocabulary.