Top 50 Adjectives Flashcard List

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TL;DR

Set 1: Size & Value — 크다/작다/많다/적다/비싸다/싸다/길다/짧다/높다/낮다 📏

Set 2: Quality & Difficulty — 좋다/나쁘다/쉽다/어렵다/새롭다/오래되다/넓다/좁다/빠르다/느리다 ⚖️

Set 3: Temperature & Taste — 덥다/춥다/따뜻하다/차갑다/맵다/짜다/달다/시다/무겁다/가볍다 🌡️

Set 4: Appearance & Personality — 예쁘다/멋있다/아름답다/못생기다/친절하다/똑똑하다/재미있다/재미없다/깨끗하다/더럽다 🎨

Set 5: Emotions & States — 행복하다/슬프다/화나다/피곤하다/건강하다/바쁘다/조용하다/시끄럽다/안전하다/위험하다 💭

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Iru Helper Note

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Try this: 이 가방은 작지만 비싸요. 오늘은 날씨가 따뜻하고 조용해서 행복해요.

(This bag is small but expensive. Today the weather is warm and quiet, so I'm happy.)

🌈 The Big Picture

These 50 adjectives are the describing words you'll reach for constantly — size, value, temperature, taste, appearance, personality, and emotion. They're grouped into 5 sets of 10 as flashcards below. Most Korean adjectives end in 다 in dictionary form and conjugate to ~아요/어요/해요 for polite present tense — but watch for irregulars (ㅂ-irregular like 덥다→더워요, ㅅ-irregular like 낫다→나아요). 📏⚖️🌡️🎨💭

🗂️ The 50 Essential Adjectives

Set 1: Size & Value (1–10) 📏

크다 — big/large (커요)

작다 — small (작아요)

많다 — many/much (많아요)

적다 — few/little (적어요)

비싸다 — expensive (비싸요)

싸다 — cheap (싸요)

길다 — long (길어요)

짧다 — short (짧아요)

높다 — high/tall (높아요)

낮다 — low (낮아요)

Set 2: Quality & Difficulty (11–20) ⚖️

좋다 — good (좋아요)

나쁘다 — bad (나빠요)

쉽다 — easy (쉬워요)

어렵다 — difficult (어려워요)

새롭다 — new (새로워요)

오래되다 — old (things) (오래됐어요)

넓다 — wide/spacious (넓어요)

좁다 — narrow (좁아요)

빠르다 — fast (빨라요)

느리다 — slow (느려요)

Set 3: Temperature & Taste (21–30) 🌡️

덥다 — hot (weather) (더워요)

춥다 — cold (weather) (추워요)

따뜻하다 — warm (따뜻해요)

차갑다 — cold (to touch) (차가워요)

맵다 — spicy (매워요)

짜다 — salty (짜요)

달다 — sweet (달아요)

시다 — sour (셔요)

무겁다 — heavy (무거워요)

가볍다 — light (weight) (가벼워요)

Set 4: Appearance & Personality (31–40) 🎨

예쁘다 — pretty (예뻐요)

멋있다 — cool/stylish (멋있어요)

아름답다 — beautiful (아름다워요)

못생기다 — ugly (못생겼어요)

친절하다 — kind (친절해요)

똑똑하다 — smart (똑똑해요)

재미있다 — fun/interesting (재미있어요)

재미없다 — boring (재미없어요)

깨끗하다 — clean (깨끗해요)

더럽다 — dirty (더러워요)

Set 5: Emotions & States (41–50) 💭

행복하다 — happy (행복해요)

슬프다 — sad (슬퍼요)

화나다 — angry (화나요)

피곤하다 — tired (피곤해요)

건강하다 — healthy (건강해요)

바쁘다 — busy (바빠요)

조용하다 — quiet (조용해요)

시끄럽다 — noisy (시끄러워요)

안전하다 — safe (안전해요)

위험하다 — dangerous (위험해요)

🧩 General Conjugation Patterns

하다 adjectives (조용하다, 행복하다, 친절하다...) → 해요 (조용해요, 행복해요, 친절해요)

ㅂ-irregular (쉽다, 덥다, 춥다, 차갑다, 무겁다, 가볍다, 아름답다, 시끄럽다, 더럽다, 새롭다) → drop ㅂ, add 워요 (쉬워요, 더워요)

르-irregular (다르다, 빠르다) → double the ㄹ, add 라요/러요 (빨라요)

으-irregular (크다, 슬프다, 바쁘다) → drop 으, add 아요/어요 (커요, 슬퍼요, 바빠요)

Regular ㅏ/ㅓ stems (좋다, 많다, 작다, 적다, 높다, 낮다, 넓다, 좁다, 길다, 짧다, 싸다, 비싸다) → add 아요/어요 directly

📚 Cross-check note

All vocabulary cross-checked against korean.go.kr ✅

🪞 Synonym Alert

크다 vs 넓다 — 크다 = "big" (size/volume); 넓다 = "wide/spacious" (area).

좋다 vs 멋있다 — 좋다 = "good" (general approval); 멋있다 = "cool/stylish" (visual/personal appeal).

예쁘다 vs 아름답다 — 예쁘다 = "pretty" (cute, everyday); 아름답다 = "beautiful" (more formal/grand).

빠르다 vs 새롭다 — unrelated in meaning, but both ㄹ/ㅂ-irregulars worth comparing for conjugation practice.

피곤하다 vs 바쁘다 — 피곤하다 = "tired" (physical state); 바쁘다 = "busy" (schedule state) — often go together!

⚠️ Pitfalls to Dodge

❌ Treating all adjectives as regular → ✅ ㅂ-irregulars (덥다→더워요) and 으-irregulars (크다→커요) need special endings.

❌ Saying 좋아요 when you mean "I like it" only → ✅ 좋아요 can describe things OR express liking, depending on context.

❌ Confusing 적다 (few/little) with 작다 (small) → ✅ 적다 = quantity, 작다 = size.

❌ Using 춥다/덥다 for objects → ✅ 춥다/덥다 describe weather/air temperature; 차갑다/뜨겁다 describe objects.

❌ Forgetting 하다-adjectives all conjugate the same way → ✅ Any X하다 → X해요 (조용하다→조용해요, 행복하다→행복해요).

50개의 필수 형용사를 다 모았어요! 📏⚖️🌡️🎨💭

Try this exercise

Conjugate each adjective to its polite present form (~아요/어요/해요).

A. 크다 → ?

Answer

커요

B. 덥다 → ?

Answer

더워요

C. 좋다 → ?

Answer

D. 조용하다 → ?

Answer

조용해요

E. 빠르다 → ?

Answer

빨라요

F. 슬프다 → ?

Answer

슬퍼요

G. 맵다 → ?

Answer

매워요

H. 새롭다 → ?

Answer

새로워요

I. 예쁘다 → ?

Answer

예뻐요

J. 바쁘다 → ?

Answer

바빠요

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Vocabulary Box

하다 → 해요

ㅂ-irregular → 워요

르-irregular → 라요/러요

으-irregular → 아요/어요 (drop 으)

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Pitfalls reminder

적다 (few) ≠ 작다 (small)

춥다/덥다 = weather; 차갑다/뜨겁다 = objects

Watch irregulars closely!

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Want more reps? Pick 5 adjectives from different sets and describe something around you with each one.

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Practice Hub: Top 50 Adjectives

Five exercises sampling across all 5 sets. Work through each column, then check your answers.

Exercise 1 — Word Recall: Korean → English 📋➡️🔤

A. 많다

Answer

many / much

B. 짧다

Answer

short

C. 어렵다

Answer

difficult

D. 좁다

Answer

narrow

E. 춥다

Answer

cold (weather)

F. 가볍다

Answer

light (weight)

G. 멋있다

Answer

cool / stylish

H. 더럽다

Answer

dirty

I. 화나다

Answer

angry

J. 안전하다

Answer

safe

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Quick Reference

Set 1: size/value

Set 2: quality/difficulty

Set 3: temperature/taste

Set 4: appearance/personality

Set 5: emotions/states

Exercise 2 — Word Recall: English → Korean 🔤➡️📋

A. small

Answer

작다

B. high / tall

Answer

높다

C. bad

Answer

나쁘다

D. old (things)

Answer

오래되다

E. warm

Answer

따뜻하다

F. sour

Answer

시다

G. beautiful

Answer

아름답다

H. fun / interesting

Answer

재미있다

I. tired

Answer

피곤하다

J. dangerous

Answer

위험하다

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Quick Reference

새롭다/오래되다 — new/old (things)

따뜻하다/차갑다 — warm/cold (touch)

재미있다/재미없다 — fun/boring

Exercise 3 — Conjugation Practice 🔄➡️✅

A. 작다 → present, polite

Answer

작아요

B. 많다 → present, polite

Answer

많아요

C. 비싸다 → present, polite

Answer

비싸요

D. 쉽다 → present, polite (irregular)

Answer

쉬워요

E. 차갑다 → present, polite (irregular)

Answer

차가워요

F. 무겁다 → present, polite (irregular)

Answer

무거워요

G. 친절하다 → present, polite

Answer

친절해요

H. 똑똑하다 → present, polite

Answer

똑똑해요

I. 시끄럽다 → present, polite (irregular)

Answer

시끄러워요

J. 행복하다 → present, polite

Answer

행복해요

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Quick Reference

하다 → 해요

ㅂ-irregular → 워요 (쉽다→쉬워요)

Regular stems → 아요/어요

Exercise 4 — Pattern Practice: English → Korean 🔤➡️📐

A. This room is small but clean.

Answer

이 방은 작지만 깨끗해요.

B. The food is too spicy.

Answer

음식이 너무 매워요.

C. My bag is heavy.

Answer

가방이 무거워요.

D. The weather is cold today.

Answer

오늘 날씨가 추워요.

E. This book is interesting.

Answer

이 책은 재미있어요.

F. I'm busy and tired.

Answer

바쁘고 피곤해요.

G. This street is dangerous at night.

Answer

이 길은 밤에 위험해요.

H. The new phone is expensive.

Answer

새 핸드폰은 비싸요.

I. She is kind and smart.

Answer

그녀는 친절하고 똑똑해요.

J. The room is too noisy.

Answer

방이 너무 시끄러워요.

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Quick Reference

~지만 = "but"

~고 = "and" (connecting adjectives)

너무 + adjective = "too ~"

Exercise 5 — Mixed Mastery: Antonym Pairs 🔄🎭

A. 크다 ↔ ?

Answer

작다 (big ↔ small)

B. 비싸다 ↔ ?

Answer

싸다 (expensive ↔ cheap)

C. 쉽다 ↔ ?

Answer

어렵다 (easy ↔ difficult)

D. 덥다 ↔ ?

Answer

춥다 (hot ↔ cold, weather)

E. 무겁다 ↔ ?

Answer

가볍다 (heavy ↔ light)

F. 예쁘다/멋있다 ↔ ?

Answer

못생기다 (pretty/cool ↔ ugly)

G. 재미있다 ↔ ?

Answer

재미없다 (fun ↔ boring)

H. 깨끗하다 ↔ ?

Answer

더럽다 (clean ↔ dirty)

I. 행복하다 ↔ ?

Answer

슬프다 (happy ↔ sad)

J. 조용하다 ↔ ?

Answer

시끄럽다 (quiet ↔ noisy)

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Quick Reference

Antonym pairs are a fast way to double your vocabulary

Practice both directions: 크다→작다 and 작다→크다

50개의 형용사를 다 외웠어요 — 이제 뭐든지 묘사할 수 있어요! 📏⚖️🌡️🎨💭