Chapter 29
Mini Adjectives Set
Learn a small set of high-frequency adjectives. These pairs help you describe size, quality, speed, and temperature in everyday situations.
Core adjective pairs
| Adjective | Meaning | Opposite | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 큰 | big / large | 작은 | |
| 작은 | small | 큰 | |
| 좋은 | good | 나쁜 | |
| 나쁜 | bad | 좋은 | |
| 빠른 | fast | 느린 | |
| 느린 | slow | 빠른 | |
| 뜨거운 | hot (temperature) | 차가운 | |
| 차가운 | cold (temperature) | 뜨거운 |
Two common ways to use adjectives
You’ll see adjectives used (1) before a noun, or (2) at the end as a sentence.
| Type | Pattern | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before a noun | adjective + noun | 큰 가방 (a big bag), 좋은 친구 (a good friend) | |
| As a sentence | …아/어요 | 커요 (It’s big), 좋아요 (It’s good) |
In real speech, describing things often uses …아/어요 (커요/작아요/좋아요/나빠요).
Very common spoken forms
| Dictionary form | Spoken form | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 크다 | 커요 | It’s big. | |
| 작다 | 작아요 | It’s small. | |
| 좋다 | 좋아요 | It’s good. | |
| 나쁘다 | 나빠요 | It’s bad. | |
| 빠르다 | 빨라요 | It’s fast. | |
| 느리다 | 느려요 | It’s slow. | |
| 뜨겁다 | 뜨거워요 | It’s hot. | |
| 차갑다 | 차가워요 | It’s cold. |
Mini examples
| Korean | Meaning | Focus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 이거 커요. | This is big. | 크다 → 커요 | |
| 이거 작아요. | This is small. | 작다 → 작아요 | |
| 좋아요. | It’s good. | quick reaction | |
| 별로예요. | Not really / It’s not good. | useful casual response | |
| 너무 빨라요. | It’s too fast. | 빠르다 → 빨라요 | |
| 천천히 말해 주세요. 너무 빨라요. | Please speak slowly. It’s too fast. | real-life combo | |
| 뜨거워요! | It’s hot! | temperature | |
| 차가워요. | It’s cold. | temperature |
Quick practice
Choose the right adjective. Say the sentence out loud.
| Prompt | Answer (example) | Opposite check | |
|---|---|---|---|
| This coffee is hot. | 커피가 뜨거워요. | 뜨거워요 ↔ 차가워요 | |
| This is small. | 이거 작아요. | 작아요 ↔ 커요 | |
| The price is good. | 가격이 좋아요. | 좋아요 ↔ 나빠요 | |
| It’s too slow. | 너무 느려요. | 느려요 ↔ 빨라요 |
Chapter goal: recognize these adjective pairs and use the common spoken forms (커요/좋아요/뜨거워요…).