Adjectives (Descriptive Verbs)

Frequently asked questions

When is 형용사 used?

In Korean, adjectives behave like verbs — they conjugate for tense, politeness, and negation. This is why they're called descriptive verbs (형용사).

How is 형용사 formed?

Modifying nouns: To place an adjective before a noun, use stem + -(으)ㄴ: Key difference from verbs: Adjectives CANNOT take -고 있다 (progressive). You can say 먹고 있어요 (eating) but NOT *크고 있어요 (being big).

What are common mistakes with 형용사?

Learners treat adjectives like English ones, forgetting to conjugate them. Also wrong modifier form: using -는 instead of -(으)ㄴ. EN speakers: English adjectives don't conjugate — 'The house is big' vs Korean 집이 커요 (커요 IS the adjective conjugated). Forget -(으)ㄴ when modifying nouns. DE speakers: German adjectives inflect for gender/case before nouns (großes Haus). Korean -(으)ㄴ is simpler but the concept of adjective conjugation as predicates is foreign. RU speakers: Russian short adjectives (дом велик) are predicate-like, which helps. But Korean adjectives conjugate for tense too (컸어요 = was big). CS speakers: Czech adjectives inflect for gender/number/case.