Lesson 17 · Daily Routines, Appearance & Personality

Hyeju’s Beginner Korean Vocabulary · Lesson 17

Daily Routines, Appearance & Personality

Learn 12 Korean words for routines, size, height, and personality, then build short descriptions with examples and practice answers.

Beginner · Level 2Learn · Practice · Review

Introduction

Daily actions and personal descriptions often appear together in a conversation. Review 먹다 and 마시다, add 출근하다 and 퇴근하다, and learn how 키가 커요 describes a tall person. Today’s vocabulary prepares you to connect two facts with -고 in the grammar lesson.

Romanization is a reading aid, not a complete pronunciation guide. Read Hangul first. Notes marked “Review” revisit earlier themes; other words extend today’s topic.

Today’s Vocabulary

일어나다

ireonada · to get up

Review of the daily-routine theme. It also means rise or happen in other contexts.

일곱 시에 일어나요.ilgop si-e ireonayoI get up at seven.

씻다

ssitda · to wash

손 = hand. 씻다 keeps its ㅅ in 씻어요; compare 짓다 → 지어요.

손을 씻어요.soneul ssiseoyoI wash my hands.

먹다

meokda · to eat

Review: 아침 can name breakfast as well as morning.

아침을 먹어요.achimeul meogeoyoI eat breakfast.

마시다

masida · to drink

Review. Pair 먹다 with food and 마시다 with drinks.

물을 마셔요.mureul masyeoyoI drink water.

출근하다

chulgeunhada · to go to work

출근 is the trip to work, not all the work you do.

아홉 시에 출근해요.ahop si-e chulgeunhaeyoI go to work at nine.

퇴근하다

toegeunhada · to leave work

퇴근하다 means finishing the workday and leaving the workplace.

여섯 시에 퇴근해요.yeoseot si-e toegeunhaeyoI leave work at six.

키

ki · height; stature

Today means body height, not an English-style key. Use 키가 크다.

친구는 키가 커요.chinguneun kiga keoyoMy friend is tall.

크다

keuda · to be big; to be tall

Review of ㅡ dropping: 크다 → 커요. With 키 it describes height.

이 가방이 커요.i gabangi keoyoThis bag is big.

작다

jakda · to be small

방 = room. For a short person, 키가 작아요 is natural.

이 방이 작아요.i bangi jagayoThis room is small.

친절하다

chinjeolhada · to be kind; to be helpful

A descriptive 하다 word. It becomes 친절해요, but 친절하고 before 고.

선생님이 친절해요.seonsaengnimi chinjeolhaeyoThe teacher is kind.

조용하다

joyonghada · to be quiet

Can describe a place or a quiet person. Context supplies the meaning.

도서관이 조용해요.doseogwani joyonghaeyoThe library is quiet.

재미있다

jaemiitda · to be interesting; to be fun

Use for something engaging or fun. Do not assume it always means funny.

이 책이 재미있어요.i chaegi jaemiisseoyoThis book is interesting.

Useful Phrases

키가 커요.kiga keoyoHe/She is tall.

선생님이 친절해요.seonsaengnimi chinjeolhaeyoThe teacher is kind.

아침을 먹어요. 물도 마셔요.achimeul meogeoyo. muldo masyeoyoI eat breakfast. I also drink water.

Make Your Own Sentences

Describe your morning in two short sentences. Then describe a place or person: 일곱 시에 일어나요. 아침을 먹어요. 선생님이 친절해요. Use only a few words, and focus on a complete sentence.

Hyeju’s Note

Say a sentence you can use in your own life. Change just one noun or one action at a time, then read the full sentence aloud.

Mini Practice

1. Go to work: ___. Leave work: ___.

2. Wash hands: 손을 ___.

3. For height, complete: 친구는 ___가 커요.

4. Choose: The library is quiet → 도서관이 (조용해요 / 마셔요).

5. Write the polite form of 크다: ___.

6. Write two separate sentences about your routine or a person.

Check the answers

1. 출근하다; 퇴근하다. In conversation: 출근해요; 퇴근해요.

2. 씻어요.

3. 키.

4. 조용해요.

5. 커요.

6. Sample: 아침을 먹어요. 물을 마셔요. Or: 친구는 키가 커요. 친구는 친절해요.

Today’s Key Point

출근해요 = go to work; 퇴근해요 = leave work.

키가 커요 / 키가 작아요 describe body height.

Learn actions and descriptions before connecting them with -고.

Hyeju Word Match

KOREAN VOCABULARY · BEGINNER

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