How to Describe Something in Korean - Learn

Learn to describe something in Korean

Lesson Transcript

Do you know how to describe things with adjectives in Korean?

I'll explain how in just a moment.

Hi, my name is K-Jin, and this is Korean Explained by KoreanClass101.com.

In this lesson, you'll learn how to describe something through a quick conversation.

Let's look at the dialogue.

As you listen, pay attention to how they ask about the topic and how the other person responds.

저기요, 어떤 컴퓨터를 추천하세요?

Jeogiyo, eotteon keompyuteoreul chucheonhaseyo?

음... 이게 정말 빨라요.

Eum... Ige jeongmal ppallayo.

하지만 아주 가볍지는 않네요.

Hajiman aju gabyeopjineun anneyo.

이건 어때요? 아주 빠르지는 않지만 가벼워요.

Igeon eottaeyo? Aju ppareujineun anchiman gabyeowoyo.

브랜드가 뭐예요?

Beuraendeuga mwoyeyo?

일본 브랜드 링고 제품이에요.

Ilbon beuraendeu Ringgo jepumieyo.

Let's break it down.

저기요, 어떤 컴퓨터를 추천하세요?

Jeogiyo, eotteon keompyuteoreul chucheonhaseyo?

Excuse me, which computer would you recommend?

음... 이게 정말 빨라요.

Eum... Ige jeongmal ppallayo.

First is 음... (eum...).

"Um..." or "Hmm..." — this is an interjection expressing hesitation or thinking.

Next is 이게 (ige).

"This."

이게 (enunciated). 이게.

이게 is a contraction of 이것이 (igeosi), meaning "this," when it is serving as the subject of the sentence.

Next is 정말 (jeongmal).

"Really."

정말 (enunciated). 정말.

Finally, 빨라요 (ppallayo).

"Is fast."

빨라요 is the polite present tense of the adjective 빠르다 (ppareuda), meaning "to be fast."

빨라요 (enunciated). 빨라요.

All together, 음... 이게 정말 빨라요 means, "Hmm... this one is really fast."

After this, the speaker says:

하지만 아주 가볍지는 않네요.

Hajiman aju gabyeopjineun anneyo.

First is 하지만 (hajiman).

"But."

하지만 (enunciated). 하지만.

Next is 아주 (aju).

"Very."

아주 (enunciated). 아주.

After this is 가볍지는 않네요 (gabyeopjineun anneyo).

"It's not very light."

가볍 is from the adjective 가볍다 (gabyeopda), meaning "to be light." 가볍다.

지는 않네요 (jineun anneyo) means "is not particularly." It adds emphasis to the sentence.

지는 않네요 (jineun anneyo).

Together, it’s 가볍지는 않네요 (enunciated). 가볍지는 않네요.

All together, 하지만 아주 가볍지는 않네요 means, "But it's not very light."

하지만 아주 가볍지는 않네요.

이건 어때요? 아주 빠르지는 않지만 가벼워요.

Igeon eottaeyo? Aju ppareujineun anchiman gabyeowoyo.

이건 어때요? Igeon eottaeyo?

First is 이건 (igeon). "This." It's a contraction of 이것은 (igeoseun), meaning something like "as for this" when serving as the topic of the sentence. 이건 (enunciated). 이건.

Next is 어때요? (eottaeyo?). "How is it?" or "What do you think?" 어때요? (enunciated). 어때요.

All together, 이건 어때요? (igeon eottaeyo?) literally means, "As for this, how is it?" but translates as, "How about this?" or "What do you think about this?"

이건 어때요?

Now, the next sentence:

아주 빠르지는 않지만 가벼워요.

First is 아주 (aju). "Very." 아주 (enunciated). 아주.

Next is 빠르지는 않지만 (ppareujineun anchiman). "It's not particularly fast, but." 빠르지는 않지만 (enunciated). 빠르지는 않지만.

빠르 is from the adjective 빠르다 (ppareuda), meaning "to be fast."

지는 않지만 (jineun anchiman) means "it's not...but." It adds emphasis to the contrast. 지는 않지만.

Finally, 가벼워요 (gabyeowoyo). "It's light." 가벼워요 (enunciated). 가벼워요

가벼워요 is the polite present tense of the adjective 가볍다, meaning "to be light.”

All together, 아주 빠르지는 않지만 가벼워요 means, "Although it's not very fast, it's light."

아주 빠르지는 않지만 가벼워요.

브랜드가 뭐예요?

Beuraendeuga mwoyeyo?

What brand is it?

일본 브랜드 링고 제품이에요.

Ilbon beuraendeu Ringgo jepumieyo.

It's a Japanese brand, a product from Ringo.

Let's look at the sentence pattern.

This pattern is the structure that all of our examples will follow.

[SUBJECT][이/가] [ADVERB] [ADJECTIVE].

([SUBJECT][i/ga] [ADVERB] [ADJECTIVE].)

[Subject] is [Adverb] [Adjective].

Let's look at an example of this pattern:

컴퓨터가 정말 빨라요.

Keompyuteoga jeongmal ppallayo.

The computer is really fast

Explanation:

컴퓨터 (Keompyuteo), "The computer," is the subject.

We use the subject marketing particle 가 (ga) because 컴퓨터 ends in a vowel sound.

정말 (jeongmal), "really," is the adverb that modifies the adjective.

Finally, 빨라요. (ppallayo.), "fast." is the adjective.

By the way…

When you’re talking about a subject, and it’s understood what you’re speaking about, for example, when pointing at a computer, you can omit the subject.

So the pattern is:

정말 빨라요. It’s really fast.

Now let's look at some speaking examples.

The character is at a computer store and asks:

저기요, 어떤 컴퓨터를 추천하세요?

(Jeogiyo, eotteon keompyuteoreul chucheonhaseyo?)

"Excuse me, which computer do you recommend?"

They could say:

이 핸드폰이 아주 가벼워요.

I haendeuponi aju gabyeowoyo.

This mobile phone is very light.

Can you see how the pattern applies here?

Let's break it down:

이 핸드폰 - Subject ("This mobile phone")

이 (i) - Subject marking particle

아주 (aju) - Adverb ("very")

가벼워요 - Adjective ("light")

So, 이 핸드폰이 아주 가벼워요. fits the pattern [SUBJECT][이/가] [ADVERB] [ADJECTIVE].

Now imagine the character is trying out a keyboard.

They might say:

그 키보드가 정말 편해요.

(Geu kibodeuga jeongmal pyeonhaeyo.)

"That keyboard is really comfortable."

그 키보드가 정말 편해요.

(Geu kibodeuga jeongmal pyeonhaeyo.)

Let's try one more.

Looking at a mouse, they might say:

이 마우스가 꽤 작아요.

(I mauseuga kkwae jagayo.)

"This mouse is quite small."

이 마우스가 꽤 작아요.

(I mauseuga kkwae jagayo.)

Another one.

They point to a monitor and say:

저 모니터가 매우 커요.

(Jeo monitoga maeu keoyo.)

"That monitor is very big."

저 모니터가 매우 커요.

(Jeo monitoga maeu keoyo.)

One last example.

Looking at a printer, they might say:

프린터가 조금 느려요.

(Peurinteoga jogeum neuryeoyo.)

"The printer is a bit slow."

프린터가 조금 느려요.

(Peurinteoga jogeum neuryeoyo.)

You can see how using this pattern helps you describe various qualities of items effectively in Korean.

Let's review.

Do you remember how to say "this" as a subject?

이게 (Ige)

And how to say "really"?

정말 (jeongmal)

And how to say "(It) is fast"?

빨라요 (Ppallayo)

Do you remember how to say "This one is really fast"?

이게 정말 빨라요. (Ige jeongmal ppallayo.)

Do you remember how to say "very"?

아주 (aju)

Do you remember how to say "to be light"?

가볍다 (gabyeopda)

And how to say "It's not very light"?

아주 가볍지는 않네요 (Aju gabyeopjineun anneyo)

And how to say "But it's not very light"?

하지만 아주 가볍지는 않네요. (Hajiman aju gabyeopjineun anneyo.)

In this lesson, you've learned how to describe things with adjectives in Korean.

Thanks for watching and see you in the next lesson!

다음 시간에 봐요! (Daeum sigane bwayo!)

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