215 Super Common Korean Adjectives

*NOTE: Below you will see two columns of adjectives, one that is adjectives in their true adjective form (right-hand column),
and one that is actually adjectives in verb form (left-hand column).

The 'true' adjectives work very similar to the way they do in English, directly describing a noun, but the 'adjectives in verb
form' represent one major difference between Korean and English. Watch this video for a more in-depth explanation.

ADJECTIVES IN VERB-FORM ADJECTIVES IN THEIR 'TRUE' FORM

아니다 To not be 아닌
같다 To be similar, to be like 같은
그렇다 That is right or yes; to be correct or a certain way 그런 (“that kind of ~ “)
크다 To be big, large 큰
많다 to be many or much 많은
좋다 To be good 좋은
어떻다 **this one is best learned through context as the base 어떤 (“What kind of ~ “ / “Which ~ “)
form doesn't really make a lot of sense, but can often
be used to ask, “How is...” or “How about...?”
이렇다 to be like this, to be this way 이런 (“this kind of ~ ”)
중요하다 To be important 조용한
어렵다 To be hard, difficult 어려운
쉽다 To be easy 쉬운
필요하다 To need 필요한
작다 To be small (in stature) 작은
높다 to be high (as in elevation) 높은
아름답다 To be beautiful 아름다운
길다 To be long 긴
힘들다 To be hard, difficult, tiring, draining 힘든
아프다 To be hurt, in pain, sick 아픈
적다 To be small (in volume), few in number 적은
빠르다 To be fast, quick 빠른
넓다 to be wide or broad 넓은
가깝다 to be close by 가까운
재미있다 to be fun or interesting 재미있는
멀다  To be far 먼
비슷하다 To be similar to 비슷한
싫다 to be disliked or hated 싫은
괜찮다 To be okay 괜찮은
어떠하다  **another form of 어떻다 (above) 어떤 (“What kind of ~ “ / “Which ~ “)
짧다 to be short, brief 짧은
고맙다 To be thankful, grateful 고마운
바쁘다 to be busy 바쁜
나쁘다 To be bad 나쁜
늦다 to be late, to be overdue 늦은
낮다 to be low 낮은
즐겁다 To be pleasant, enjoyable 즐거운
예쁘다 to be pretty, lovely 예쁜
맛있다 to be delicious 맛있는
맑다 to be clean, pure (i.e. Clean, pure water) 맑은
가볍다 to be light 가벼운
건강하다 To be healthy 건강한
밝다 to be bright; to be promising 밝은
복잡하다 to be complicated or complex 복잡한
깨끗하다 to be clean 깨끗한
미안하다 To be sorry 미안한
유명하다 To be famous 유명한
춥다 To be cold 추운

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 215 Super Common Korean Adjectives
무겁다 to be heavy 무거운
비싸다 to be expensive 비싼
시원하다 to be cool, refreshing 시원한
반갑다 to be glad or delighted 반가운
위험하다 to be dangerous 위험한
싸다 to be inexpensive (cheap) 싼
슬프다 to be sad or sorrowful 슬픈
조용하다 to be quiet, still 조용한
피곤하다 to be very tired 피곤한
덥다 to be hot (the weather; one's temperature) 더운
죄송하다 to be sorry for, to be regretful (In context, often 죄송한
used to say “Forgive/Excuse me”)
친절하다 to be kind, to be nice 친절한
달다 to be sweet (tasting) 단
재미없다 to be not fun, uninteresting, or boring 재미없는
고프다 to be hungry or famished (배) 고픈
(Most common use: 배고파요, meaning “I'm hungry”)
맵다 to be spicy or hot (most often referring to food) 매운
배부르다 to be full (after having eaten) (배) 부른
짜다 to be salty 짠
맛없다 to taste bad, to be not delicious 맛없는
깊다 to be deep (opposite of shallow) 깊은
어리다 to be very young, juvenile 어린
젊다 To be young, youthful 젊은
강하다 To be strong or powerful 강한
다양하다 To be various, diverse 다양한
이상하다 to be strange, queer 이상한
심하다 to be extreme, intense 심한
자연스럽다 to be natural 자연스러운
훌륭하다 to be excellent, to be infallible/that good 훌륭한
정확하다 to be exact 정확한
무섭다 to be scary 무서운
부드럽다 to be soft, tender 부드러운
심각하다 to be serious 심각한
바르다 to be straight; to be honest 바른
옳다 to be right, correct 옳은
단순하다 to be simple-minded, rather undeveloped 단순한
부족하다 to be short of, lack of 부족한
자유롭다 to be free 자유로운
당연하다 to be natural, to be of no wonder or obvious 당연한
곱다 to be beautiful 고운
간단하다 to be simple 간단한
알맞다 to fit, be fitting, be suitable 알맞은
희다 to be white, fair 흰
수많다 to be many and many 수많은
편하다 to be comfortable 편한
어둡다 to be dark, dim, gloomy 어두운
하얗다 to be white 하얀
확실하다 To be sure, certain 확실한
착하다 To be nice 착한
검다 to be black or dark 검은
불가능하다 to be impossible 불가능한
충분하다 to be of sufficient or ample amount 충분한
기쁘다 To be happy or glad 기쁜

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특별하다 to be special, extraordinary 특별한
낫다 to be superior to or better than 나은
가난하다 to be poor 가난한
좁다 to be narrow 좁은
틀림없다 to be with no mistakes 틀림없는
불편하다 to be uncomfortable or unpleasant 불편한
놀랍다 to be surprising 놀라운
궁금하다 to be curious about something 궁금한
약하다 To be weak 약한
행복하다 to be happy 행복한
굵다 to be thick or fat 굵은
낡다 to be clear 낡은
붉다 to be red, scarlet 볽은
차갑다 to be cold (to the touch) 차가운
화려하다 to be magnificent; splendor 화려한
불안하다 to be uneasy, anxious 불안한
낯설다 to be unfamiliar with, to be a stranger to ( a person) 낯선
순수하다 to be pure 순수한
대단하다 to be grand, of considerable measure 대단한
편리하다 to be convenient, handy 편리한
활발하다 to be lively, sprightly 활발한
조그맣다 to be tiny, small 조그마한
부끄럽다 to be shameful, disgraceful 부끄러운
빨갛다 to be deep-red, crimson 빨간
편안하다 to be peaceful 편안한
부럽다 to be enviable 부러운
급하다 to be urgent or pressing or iminent 급한
짙다 to be dark, dense 짙은
완벽하다 to be perfect 완벽한
솔직하다 to be frank, candid 솔직한
안타깝다 to be heart-breaking 안타까운
이르다 to be early, premature 이른
자랑스럽다 to be proud 자랑스러운
적당하다 to be appropriate 적당한
귀엽다 to be cute 귀여운
답답하다 to feel stuffy, frustrated, or anxious 답답한
신선하다 to be fresh (fruits, ideas) 신선한
어떡하다 to take some measures, to manage somehow **not really used**
가늘다 to be thin or fine or slender 가는
어색하다 to be awkward, shy with words, speechless 어색한
평범하다 to be plain, average 평범한
아무렇지 않다 to be indifferent, casual 아무렇지 않은
안전하다 to be safe 안전한
엉뚱하다 to be extraordinary, extravagant 엉뚱한
영원하다 to be eternal 영원한
튼튼하다 to be solid, compact, firm 튼튼한
조심스럽다 to be cautious 조심스러운
진하다 to be dark, deep 진한
저렇다  to be such a thing as that (*from the 저런 (“that kind of ~ “)
same family as 그렇다 and 이렇다)
노랗다 to be yellow 노란
불쌍하다 to be pitiful, deplorable 불쌍한
친하다 to be intimate, familiar, close, friendly 친한
까맣다 to be black 까만

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더럽다 to be dirty, foul 더러운
불행하다 to be not permitted 불행한
외롭다 to be lonely, lonesome 외로운
세다 to be strong, mighty 센
얇다 to be thin 얇은
파랗다 to be blue 파란
괴롭다 to be painful or distressing 괴로운
가득하다 to be full (to the top) 가득한
밉다 to be detestable 미운
익숙하다 to become accustomed to 익숙한
차다 to be cold, chilly 찬
그립다 to be beloved or sweet or affectionate 그리운
느리다 to be slow, tardy 느린
시끄럽다 to be noisy, boisterous 시끄러운
우수하다 to be superior, excellent 우수한
고르다  to be flat 고른
멋있다 to be stylish, tasteful, cool 멋있는
밤늦다 to be late at night 밤늦은
우울하다 to be melancholy, gloomy, depressed 우울한
흐리다 to be cloudy (weather) 흐린
걱정스럽다 to be anxious or uneasy 걱정스러운
씩씩하다 to be brave, valiant 씩씩한
그만하다 to be about the same, be neither better nor worse 그만한
잘생기다 to be handsome 잘생긴
연하다 to be tender, soft, mild 연한
사랑스럽다 to be lovely 사랑스러운
사이좋다 to be on good terms with 사이좋은
소용없다 to be useless 소용없는
서투르다 to be unskilled,clumsy 서투른
싱겁다 to taste flat, have no flavor 싱거운
피로하다 to be fatigued, weary 피로한
얕다 to be shallow, superficial 얕은
부지런하다 to be diligent 부지런한
쓰다 to be bitter tasting 쓴
새롭다 to be new 새로운
불과하다 to be nothing more than 불과한
엄청나다 to be absurd, wild, terribly large 엄청난
분명하다 to be clear/obvious 분명한
일정하다 to be regular, established, uniform, constant 일정한
독특하다 to be unique, characteristic, distinctive, peculiar, specific 독특한
바람직하다 to be desirable, advisable; to be appropriate, good 바람직한
올바르다 to be honest, straightforward 올바른
흔하다 to be everywhere 흔한
강력하다 to be strong or powerful 강력한
풍부하다 to be abundant, copious, plentiful 풍부한
상당하다 to be proper, suitable 상당한
적절하다 to be appropriate, relevant 적절한
위대하다 to be great, mighty, grand 위대한
거대하다 to be huge, gigantic, enormous 거대한
소중하다 to be important, valuable 소중한
철저하다 to be thorough 철저한
못지않다 to be just as good as 못지않은
완전하다 to be perfect, faultless 완전한
멋지다 to be splendid, cool, impressive 멋진

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귀찮다 to be annoying, bothersome 귀찮은
신기하다 to be novel, original 신기한
창피하다 to be embarrassed or ashamed 창피한
심심하다 to be bored 심심한
못생기다 to be ugly 못생긴
미끄럽다 to be slippery 미끄러운
잘생기다 to be handsome, good-looking 잘생긴
미치다 to be crazy 미친
취하다 to be drunk 취한

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