Adjectives: Attributive Form

01

Present Tense: Basic Forms

To describe a noun as it is right now (Present Tense), you use the endings -(으)ㄴ (-(ŭ)n).

• Stems ending in a vowel: Add ㄴ (n) directly to the stem.
• Stems ending in a consonant: Add 은 (ŭneunŭnun) to the stem.

• 비싼 차

  pi·ssan chʰabi·ssan chapi·ssan ch'api·ssan cha

  expensive car

• 작은 집

  ja·gŭn jipja·geun jipja·gŭn jipca·kun cip

  small house

• 좋은 날씨

  jo·hŭn nal·ssijo·heun nal·ssijo·hŭn nal·ssico·hun nal·ssi

  good weather

02

Irregular Consonants

Several common adjectives have irregular stems that change when adding these endings.

1. The ㅂ (p) Irregular

For adjectives ending in ㅂ (p) (like 맵다 (mæp·tamaep·damaep·tamayp·ta) - spicy or 춥다 (chʰup·tachup·dach'up·tachup·ta) - cold), drop the ㅂ (p) and add 운 (un).

• 매운 음식

  mæ·un ŭm·sikmae·un eum·sikmae·un ŭm·sikmay·un um·sik

  spicy food

• 추운 날

  chʰu·un nalchu·un nalch'u·un nalchu·un nal

  cold day

2. The ㄹ (l) Irregular

For adjectives ending in ㄹ (l) (like 길다 (kil·dagil·dakil·dakil·ta) - long or 멀다 (mŏl·dameol·damŏl·damel·ta) - far), the ㄹ (l) disappears, and is replaced by ㄴ (n).

• 긴 머리

  kin mŏ·rigin meo·rikin mŏ·rikin me·li

  long hair

• 먼 곳

  mŏn kotmeon gotmŏn kotmen kot

  far place

03

The 'Existence' Exception

Adjectives that contain the words 있다 (it·tait·dait·tait·ta) - to exist/have or 없다 (ŏp·taeop·daŏp·taep·ta) - to not exist/not have follow a different rule. Even though they are adjectives, they use the verb ending -는 (-nŭn-neun-nŭn-nun) instead of -(으)ㄴ (-(ŭ)n).

This applies to common words like 맛있다 (ma·sit·tama·sit·dama·sit·tama·sit·ta) - delicious, 재미있다 (jæ·mi·it·tajae·mi·it·dajae·mi·it·tacay·mi·it·ta) - interesting/fun, and 재미없다 (jæ·mi·ŏp·tajae·mi·eop·dajae·mi·ŏp·tacay·mi·ep·ta) - boring.

• 맛있는 사과

  ma·sin·nŭn sa·gwama·sin·neun sa·gwama·sin·nŭn sa·gwama·sin·nun sa·kwa

  delicious apple

• 재미있는 영화

  jæ·mi·in·nŭn yŏng·hwajae·mi·in·neun yeong·hwajae·mi·in·nŭn yŏng·hwacay·mi·in·nun yeng·hwa

  interesting movie

04

Future Tense

If you want to describe something that will be a certain way in the future, or to express a guess, use the ending -(으)ㄹ (-(ŭ)l).

• Stems ending in a vowel: Add ㄹ (l).
• Stems ending in a consonant: Add 을 (ŭleulŭlul).

This is less common than the present tense but is useful for describing potential states.

• 바쁠 사람

  pa·bbŭl sa·ramba·bbeul sa·rampa·ppŭl sa·rampa·ppul sa·lam

  a person who will be busy

• 중요할 것

  jung·yo·hal kŏtjung·yo·hal geotjung·yo·hal kŏtcung·yo·hal ket

  a thing that will be important