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Intermediate

Descriptive Verbs (Adjectives)

Adjectives that conjugate like verbs

Korean adjectives are descriptive verbs

They conjugate like verbs.

💬 Examples
좋다 → 좋아요
jota → joayo
to be good → is good
📝 Adjective conjugates like a verb
예쁘다 → 예뻐요
yeppeuda → yeppeoyo
to be pretty → is pretty
📝 Descriptive verb
No separate 'to be' is needed

The adjective itself is the predicate.

📊 Descriptive verbs
Dictionary Polite Meaning
좋다 좋아요 is good
크다 커요 is big
작다 작아요 is small
맛있다 맛있어요 is tasty
💬 Examples
날씨가 추워요.
nalssiga chuwoyo.
The weather is cold.
📝 춥다 → 추워요 (no copula)
음식이 맛있어요.
eumsig-i masisseoyo.
The food is delicious.
📝 맛있다 conjugated
Before a noun, adjectives take -(으)ㄴ

The noun-modifying form.

💬 Examples
좋은 사람
joeun saram
a good person
📝 좋다 → 좋은 + noun
예쁜 꽃
yeppeun kkot
a pretty flower
📝 예쁘다 → 예쁜