Adjectives: Normal Politeness — Korean Grammar

The polite speech level, often called the " (hæ·yo·chʰehae·yo·chehae·yo·ch'ehay·yo·chey)" style, is the standard form of communication in South Korea for most daily interactions. It is the default level of politeness used when speaking to strangers, shop assistants, colleagues, or acquaintances who are older than you.

This form is characterized by the suffix (yo) at the end of the sentence. It strikes a balance between being respectful without being overly formal or stiff.

Forming the Polite Style

To change a basic adjective (dictionary form) into the polite style, you must replace the final (dadadata) with the appropriate ending based on the vowels found in the word stem.

1. Bright Vowels (ㅏ, ㅗ)

If the last vowel of the adjective stem is (a) or (o), you add (a·yo).

If the stem ends in a consonant, simply add (a·yo).
If the stem ends in a vowel, the sounds often merge. For example, (a) + (a·yo) becomes just (a·yo).

이 방은 작아요.
i bang·ŭn ja·ga·yo.i bang·eun ja·ga·yo.i bang·ŭn ja·ga·yo.i pang·un ca·ka·yo.
This room is small.
가격이 비싸요.
ga·gyŏ·gi bi·ssa·yo.ga·gyeo·gi bi·ssa·yo.ga·gyŏ·gi bi·ssa·yo.ka·kye·ki pi·ssa·yo.
The price is expensive.
날씨가 좋아요.
nal·ssi·ga jo·a·yo.nal·ssi·ga jo·a·yo.nal·ssi·ga jo·a·yo.nal·ssi·ka co·a·yo.
The weather is good.

2. Dark and Neutral Vowels

For stems containing any other vowels (such as (ŏeoŏe), (u), (i), (ŭeuŭu)), you add (ŏ·yoeo·yoŏ·yoe·yo).

Similar to bright vowels, if the stem ends in a vowel without a consonant at the bottom, contractions often occur (e.g., (ŏeoŏe) + (ŏ·yoeo·yoŏ·yoe·yo) becomes (ŏ·yoeo·yoŏ·yoe·yo)).
Exceptions: If the stem ends in (ŭeuŭu), the (ŭeuŭu) is usually dropped, and the remaining vowel determines the ending.

이 김치는 맛있어요.
i gim·chʰi·nŭn ma·si·ssŏ·yo.i gim·chi·neun ma·si·sseo·yo.i gim·ch'i·nŭn ma·si·ssŏ·yo.i kim·chi·nun ma·si·sse·yo.
This kimchi is delicious.
집이 멀어요.
ji·bi mŏ·rŏ·yo.ji·bi meo·reo·yo.ji·bi mŏ·rŏ·yo.ci·pi me·le·yo.
The house is far.
옷이 너무 커요.
o·si nŏ·mu kʰŏ·yo.o·si neo·mu keo·yo.o·si nŏ·mu k'ŏ·yo.o·si ne·mu khe·yo.
The clothes are too big.

Adjectives ending in 'Hada'

Many Korean adjectives end in (ha·daha·daha·daha·ta). These follow a special rule where (ha·daha·daha·daha·ta) changes to (hæ·yohae·yohae·yohay·yo). This is actually a contraction of (ha) + (yŏ·yoyeo·yoyŏ·yoye·yo), but in modern Korean, it is always written and spoken as (hæ·yohae·yohae·yohay·yo).

저는 행복해요.
jŏ·nŭn hæng·bo·kʰæ·yo.jeo·neun haeng·bo·kae·yo.jŏ·nŭn haeng·bo·k'ae·yo.ce·nun hayng·po·khay·yo.
I am happy.
한국어는 중요해요.
han·gu·gŏ·nŭn jung·yo·hæ·yo.han·gu·geo·neun jung·yo·hae·yo.han·gu·gŏ·nŭn jung·yo·hae·yo.han·ku·ke·nun cung·yo·hay·yo.
Korean language is important.
방이 깨끗해요.
bang·i ggæ·ggŭ·tʰæ·yo.bang·i ggae·ggeu·tae·yo.bang·i kkae·kkŭ·t'ae·yo.pang·i kkay·kku·thay·yo.
The room is clean.

Irregular Adjectives with 'B'

A very common group of adjectives ends in the consonant (b). When conjugating these into the polite form, the (b) is removed and replaced with (u), which then combines with the ending to form (wŏ·yo).

This applies to many words describing weather, temperature, and difficulty.

(chʰup·dachup·dach'up·dachup·ta) - cold → (chʰuchuch'uchu) + (wŏ·yo) → (chʰu·wŏ·yochu·wŏ·yoch'u·wŏ·yochu·wŏ·yo)
(mæp·damaep·damaep·damayp·ta) - spicy → (mæmaemaemay) + (wŏ·yo) → (mæ·wŏ·yomae·wŏ·yomae·wŏ·yomay·wŏ·yo)

오늘은 날씨가 더워요.
o·nŭ·rŭn nal·ssi·ga dŏ·wŏ·yo.o·neu·reun nal·ssi·ga deo·wŏ·yo.o·nŭ·rŭn nal·ssi·ga dŏ·wŏ·yo.o·nu·lun nal·ssi·ka te·wŏ·yo.
The weather is hot today.
이 문제는 어려워요.
i mun·je·nŭn ŏ·ryŏ·wŏ·yo.i mun·je·neun eo·ryeo·wŏ·yo.i mun·je·nŭn ŏ·ryŏ·wŏ·yo.i mun·cey·nun e·lye·wŏ·yo.
This problem is difficult.
떡볶이가 매워요.
ddŏk·bbo·ggi·ga mæ·wŏ·yo.ddeok·bbo·ggi·ga mae·wŏ·yo.ttŏk·ppo·kki·ga mae·wŏ·yo.ttek·ppo·kki·ka may·wŏ·yo.
The tteokbokki is spicy.

Polite vs. Casual

The main structural difference between the polite style and the casual style (used with close friends) is the suffix (yo).

Polite: (ba·bba·yoba·bba·yoba·ppa·yopa·ppa·yo) - Busy
Casual: (ba·bbaba·bbaba·ppapa·ppa) - Busy

While the meaning remains the same, dropping (yo) with strangers or older people is considered rude. As a learner, it is safest to always use the form ending in (yo) until you are explicitly invited to speak casually.

지금 바빠요?
ji·gŭm ba·bba·yo?ji·geum ba·bba·yo?ji·gŭm ba·ppa·yo?ci·kum pa·ppa·yo?
Are you busy now? (Polite)
지금 바빠?
ji·gŭm ba·bba?ji·geum ba·bba?ji·gŭm ba·ppa?ci·kum pa·ppa?
Are you busy now? (Casual)

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Korean course

157 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 11. A few of them, with the words “Adjectives: Normal Politeness” is about in bold:

그도 자고 있어요. 그녀는 아니에요.
kŭ do ja·go iss·ŏ·yo. kŭ·nyŏ·nŭn a·ni·e·yo.geu do ja·go iss·eo·yo. geu·nyeo·neun a·ni·e·yo.kŭ do ja·go iss·ŏ·yo. kŭ·nyŏ·nŭn a·ni·e·yo.ku to ca·ko iss·e·yo. ku·nye·nun a·ni·ey·yo.
He is also sleeping. She isn't.
Lesson 16
자동차 두 대, 자전거 두 대, 그리고 오토바이 세 대가 있어요.
cha·dong·chʰa du dæ, ja·jŏn·gŏ du dæ, gŭ·ri·go o·tʰo·ba·i se dæ·ga iss·ŏ·yo.ja·dong·cha du dae, ja·jeon·geo du dae, geu·ri·go o·to·ba·i se dae·ga iss·eo·yo.cha·dong·ch'a du dae, ja·jŏn·gŏ du dae, gŭ·ri·go o·t'o·ba·i se dae·ga iss·ŏ·yo.ca·tong·cha tu tay, ca·cen·ke tu tay, ku·li·ko o·tho·pa·i sey tay·ka iss·e·yo.
I have two cars, two bicycles, and three motorbikes.
Lesson 33
완전 좋아요! 아픈데 없고 건강해요.
wan·jŏn jo·a·yo! a·pʰŭn de ŏp go gŏn·gang·hæ·yo.wan·jeon jo·a·yo! a·peun de eop go geon·gang·hae·yo.wan·jŏn jo·a·yo! a·p'ŭn de ŏp go gŏn·gang·hae·yo.wan·cen co·a·yo! a·phun tey ep ko ken·kang·hay·yo.
I feel great! I am not sick. I am healthy.
Lesson 64

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