Lesson 48 · Appearance, Personality & Color

Introduction

Keep dictionary and polite forms together. The grammar lesson turns these descriptions into noun modifiers.

The romanization under each word is just a hint — try reading the Hangul first. Words tagged Focus are new today, and Review words come from earlier lessons.

Today’s Vocabulary

크다 · Review

keuda · to be big; to be tall

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

이 가방이 커요.

i gabangi keoyo

This bag is big.

작다 · Review

jakda · to be small

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

이 방이 작아요.

i bangi jagayo

This room is small.

길다 · Review

gilda · to be long

바지 = trousers. Use for length, not height in 키가 커요.

이 바지는 길어요.

i bajineun gireoyo

These trousers are long.

짧다 · Review

jjalda · to be short

치마 = skirt. Here short concerns length.

이 치마는 짧아요.

i chimaneun jjalbayo

This skirt is short.

예쁘다 · Review

yeppeuda · be pretty

A · ㅡ deletion: 예뻐요.

꽃이 예뻐요.

kkochi yeppeoyo

The flower is pretty.

귀엽다 · Focus

gwiyeopda · be cute

A · ㅂ irregular: 귀여워요.

강아지가 귀여워요.

gangajiga gwiyeowoyo

The puppy is cute.

친절하다 · Review

chinjeolhada · to be kind; to be helpful

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

선생님이 친절해요.

seonsaengnimi chinjeolhaeyo

The teacher is kind.

조용하다 · Review

joyonghada · to be quiet

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

도서관이 조용해요.

doseogwani joyonghaeyo

The library is quiet.

빨갛다 · Focus

ppalgata · be red

A · ㅎ irregular: 빨개요.

꽃이 빨개요.

kkochi ppalgaeyo

The flower is red.

파랗다 · Focus

parata · be blue

A · ㅎ irregular: 파래요.

하늘이 파래요.

haneuri paraeyo

The sky is blue.

하얗다 · Review

hayata · to be white

눈 means snow here, not eye. Learn the pair 하얗다 → 하얘요.

눈이 하얘요.

nuni hayaeyo

The snow is white.

까맣다 · Focus

kkamata · be black

A · ㅎ irregular: 까매요.

가방이 까매요.

gabangi kkamaeyo

The bag is black.

Useful Phrases / Make Sentences

Here are a few sentences you can use right away. Read them aloud, then try changing one word to make your own sentence!

제 동생은 키가 커요.

je dongsaengeun kiga keoyo

My younger sibling is tall.

이 강아지는 정말 귀여워요.

i gangajineun jeongmal gwiyeowoyo

This puppy is so cute.

우리 선생님은 친절하고 조용해요.

uri seonsaengnimeun chinjeolhago joyonghaeyo

Our teacher is kind and quiet.

오늘은 하늘이 파래요.

oneureun haneuri paraeyo

The sky is blue today.

Mini Practice

1. Choose the meaning of 크다: A. to be small / B. to be big; to be tall.
2. Which word means “to be long”: 길다 / 짧다?
3. Match 1. 예쁘다, 2. 귀엽다, 3. 친절하다 with A. to be kind; to be helpful, B. be pretty, C. be cute.
4. Write the Korean dictionary word or phrase for “to be quiet.”
5. Put these chunks in a natural order: 파래요. / 하늘이.
6. Write one short sentence using 까맣다.

Today’s Key Point

Today’s new words: 귀엽다, 빨갛다, 파랗다, 까맣다. Try a few of them in one sentence, like 제 동생은 키가 커요. — then make one about your own day!