Korean adjectives can be used in two ways. In this post, I'll talk about these two ways and also teach you how to directly describe a noun using an adjective!
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1. Korean Adjectives
Korean adjectives can be used in two ways. One is to come at the end of the sentence and the other is directly to describe a noun.
맛있다 to be delicious
① Adjectives at the end: 이 사과는 맛있어요. This apple is delicious.
② Describe a noun: 맛있는 사과가 있어요. I have a delicious apple.
As you see, 맛있다 came at the of the sentence in example ①. It shows "is delicious." For example ②, 맛있다 directly describes 사과 as a delicious apple. And the forms of one and two are different!
Today, you'll learn about the second use of adjectives! If you want to know more about adjectives at the end, please use the links below!
2. (으)ㄴ Grammar
When attached to an adjective, (으)ㄴ turns it into a noun modifier! This allows you to describe a noun (person or thing) more specifically! You put this conjugated adjective in front of the noun that you are describing.
This conjugated adjective and noun will be a part of a sentence.
저는 작은 집에 살아요. I live in a small house.
저는 작은 집을 샀어요. I bought a small house.
Does it make sense? Here is one more example.
민수는 큰 집에서 살아요. Minsu lives in a big house.
This time, we have the adjective 크다(to be big). To say a "big house," we must change 크다 into the noun modifier! You use (으)ㄴ grammar to do so! So, 크다 becomes 큰 and comes in front of the house(집).
3. Conjugation Information
(으)ㄴ has two forms: 은 and ㄴ. To decide you have to take a look at the stem's last syllable. Check if it has the final consonant or not!
Regular Adjectives
받침 Final Consonants | (으)ㄴ | 예시 example |
받침 O | 은 | 작다 (to be small) → 작은 |
받침 X | ㄴ | 크다 (to be big) → 큰 |
ㄹ 받침 | Erase ㄹ + ㄴ | 멀다 (to be far) → 먼 |
When there is no final consonant, you attach ㄴ under the last syllable and make one for it! Even if it has the final consonant, if it is ㄹ, you must erase it first. Then, add ㄴ as the new final consonant! I'll show you more examples here.
많다 (to be a lot) → 많은
짧다 (to be short) → 짧은
좋다 (to be good) → 좋은
높다 (to be high) → 높은
낮다 (to be low) → 낮은
예쁘다 (to be pretty) → 예쁜
행복하다 (to be happy) → 행복한
건강하다 (to be healthy) → 건강한
싸다 (to be cheap) → 싼
비싸다 (to be expensive) → 비싼
길다 (to be long) → 긴
달다 (to be sweet) → 단
둥글다 (to be round) → 둥근
힘들다 (to be hard/difficult) → 힘든
Irregular Adjectives
받침 Final Consonants | (으)ㄴ | 예시 example |
불규칙 ㅅ | Erase ㅅ + 은 | 낫다 (to be better) → 나은 |
불규칙 ㅂ | Erase ㅂ + 운 | 두껍다 (to be thick) → 두꺼운 |
불규칙 ㅎ | Erase ㅎ + ㄴ | 파랗다 (to be blue) → 파란 |
낫다 is the only irregular ㅅ adjective. There are many irregular ㅂ adjectives in Korean. For these words, you have to drop the final consonant ㅂ first and then attach "운". It is not "은" like others, so please be careful!
For irregular ㅎ words, drop ㅎ first. Then you add ㄴ where ㅎ was before! In other words, replace ㅎ with ㄴ.
⚐ If you want to know more about irregular ㅂ and ㅎ, please click here.
⚐ If you want to learn more color adjectives, please click here.
Here are more examples for you.
춥다 (to be cold) → 추운
덥다 (to be hot) → 더운
어렵다 (to be difficult) → 어려운
쉽다 (to be easy) → 쉬운
빨갛다 (to be red) → 빨간
동그랗다 (to be round) → 동그란
하얗다 (to be white) → 하얀
뿌옇다 (to be foggy) → 뿌연
You have to use (으)ㄴ grammar for 이다 and 아니다 as well! The stems for each are 이 and 아니 which doesn't have the final consonant. So, you just need to attach ㄴ under them!
이다 | 인 | 학생이다(to be a student) → 학생인 |
아니다 | 아닌 | 학생이 아니다 (to not be a student) → 학생이 아닌 |
있다 can be both a verb and an adjective. 없다 is an adjective. Still, no matter what, for these words, you have to attach "는" not "은." Also, compound words that end with 있다 or 없다 will follow the same rules.
있다 | 있는 | 재미있다 (to have fun) → 재미있는 |
없다 | 없는 | 재미없다 (to not have fun) → 재미없는 |
4. Sentence Information
If you describe a noun with more than two adjectives, you have to attach (으)ㄴ only the last adjectives. To connect adjectives, you can use the 고 grammar. The order of adjectives in this case doesn't matter.
크다 (to be big) + 깨끗하다 (to be clean)
저는 크고 깨끗한 집이 좋아요. I like a big new house.
저는 깨끗하고 큰 집이 좋아요. I like a new big house.
5. Examples
Now, let's take a look at the examples using this (으)ㄴ grammar! Make sure that you always have a noun after this grammar!
1
저는 매운 음식을 좋아해요.
I like spicy food.
맵다 (to be spicy) is used in this example. It is used to describe 음식(food). Since 맵다 is an irregular ㅂ word, we need to erase that ㅂ first.
2
더운 날씨가 계속되고 있어요.
The hot weather is continuing.
덥다 (to be hot) describes 날씨 (weather). Again, it is an irregular ㅂ word! 계속되다 means to continue. It is attached by the progressive ending 고 있어요.
3
저는 더 싼 옷을 사고 싶어요.
I want to buy cheaper clothes.
더 means more. 싼 came from 싸다 which means to be cheap. 옷 means clothes. 사고 싶어요 came from 사다(to buy) and the expression 고 싶다(want to).
4
파란 신발이 있어요?
Do you have blue shoes?
파랗다(to be blue) is conjugated to 파란 to describe 신발(shoes). You can also say 파란색 신발이 있어요? as well. 파란색 is blue color.
5
좀 더 작은 신발이 있어요?
Do you have a little bit smaller shoes?
This time 작다(to be small) is describing 신발(shoes). 좀 더 adds meaning "a little bit more."
6. Wrap-up & Worksheet
To describe a noun directly using an adjective you must conjugate it with (으)ㄴ grammar. You use it in front of a noun that you are describing. Depending on the final consonant, you have to attach either 은 or ㄴ.
Here, I prepared the free and printable worksheet. Change adjectives into the noun modifying form! Check your answers once you are finished.
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