Language/Korean/Grammar/Describing-People
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| ◀️ Korean Cinema — Previous Lesson | Next Lesson — Describing Things ▶️ |
Introduction: Describing people is an essential skill in any language, as it allows us to communicate and understand others more effectively. In the Korean language, being able to describe people's physical appearance and personality is particularly important, as it helps us form a more comprehensive understanding of the individuals we interact with. In this lesson, we will teach you how to use adjectives to form descriptive sentences in Korean. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently describe people in Korean, both in terms of their appearance and their personality traits.
Describing Physical Appearance[edit | edit source]
When describing someone's physical appearance in Korean, we often use adjectives to provide detailed information. Adjectives in Korean generally come after the noun they modify, which is different from English. Let's take a look at some commonly used adjectives for describing physical appearance:
Adjectives for Describing Height[edit | edit source]
Here are some adjectives to describe height in Korean:
| Korean | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 키가 크다 | ki-ga keu-da | tall |
| 키가 작다 | ki-ga jak-da | short |
| 중간 키 | joong-gan ki | average height |
| 키가 비슷하다 | ki-ga bi-seut-ha-da | similar height |
Example sentences:
- 그 사람은 키가 크다. (Geu sa-ram-eun ki-ga keu-da) - That person is tall.
- 그녀는 키가 작다. (Geu-nyeo-neun ki-ga jak-da) - She is short.
- 저는 중간 키입니다. (Jeo-neun joong-gan ki-im-ni-da) - I am of average height.
- 그들은 키가 비슷해요. (Geu-deul-eun ki-ga bi-seut-hae-yo) - They have similar heights.
Adjectives for Describing Hair Color[edit | edit source]
Hair color can be an important aspect of someone's appearance. Here are some adjectives to describe hair color in Korean:
| Korean | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 검은 머리 | geom-eun meo-ri | black hair |
| 갈색 머리 | gal-saek meo-ri | brown hair |
| 금발 | geum-bal | blonde hair |
| 노란 머리 | no-ran meo-ri | yellow hair |
| 빨간 머리 | ppal-gan meo-ri | red hair |
| 회색 머리 | hoe-saek meo-ri | gray hair |
Example sentences:
- 그 사람은 검은 머리를 가지고 있어요. (Geu sa-ram-eun geom-eun meo-ri-reul ga-ji-go is-seo-yo) - That person has black hair.
- 그녀는 갈색 머리를 가지고 있어요. (Geu-nyeo-neun gal-saek meo-ri-reul ga-ji-go is-seo-yo) - She has brown hair.
- 그 아이는 금발이에요. (Geu a-i-neun geum-bal-i-e-yo) - That child has blonde hair.
- 저는 빨간 머리를 가지고 있지 않아요. (Jeo-neun ppal-gan meo-ri-reul ga-ji-go it-ji-anh-a-yo) - I don't have red hair.
- 그녀의 머리는 회색이에요. (Geu-nyeo-eui meo-ri-neun hoe-saek-i-e-yo) - Her hair is gray.
Adjectives for Describing Eye Color[edit | edit source]
Eye color is another important aspect of someone's physical appearance. Here are some adjectives to describe eye color in Korean:
| Korean | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 검은 눈 | geom-eun nun | black eyes |
| 갈색 눈 | gal-saek nun | brown eyes |
| 파란 눈 | pa-ran nun | blue eyes |
| 녹색 눈 | nok-saek nun | green eyes |
Example sentences:
- 그 사람은 검은 눈을 가지고 있어요. (Geu sa-ram-eun geom-eun nun-eul ga-ji-go is-seo-yo) - That person has black eyes.
- 그녀는 갈색 눈을 가지고 있어요. (Geu-nyeo-neun gal-saek nun-eul ga-ji-go is-seo-yo) - She has brown eyes.
- 그 아이는 파란 눈을 가지고 있어요. (Geu a-i-neun pa-ran nun-eul ga-ji-go is-seo-yo) - That child has blue eyes.
- 저는 녹색 눈을 가지고 있지 않아요. (Jeo-neun nok-saek nun-eul ga-ji-go it-ji-anh-a-yo) - I don't have green eyes.
Adjectives for Describing Facial Features[edit | edit source]
When describing someone's facial features, we can use a variety of adjectives. Here are some commonly used ones:
| Korean | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 예쁜 얼굴 | ye-ppeun eol-gul | pretty face |
| 멋진 얼굴 | meot-jin eol-gul | handsome face |
| 작은 코 | jak-eun ko | small nose |
| 큰 입술 | keun ip-sul | big lips |
| 예쁜 눈썹 | ye-ppeun nun-sseop | beautiful eyebrows |
| 날카로운 턱 | nal-ka-ro-un teok | sharp jawline |
| 밝은 미소 | bal-keun mi-so | bright smile |
Example sentences:
- 그녀는 예쁜 얼굴을 가지고 있어요. (Geu-nyeo-neun ye-ppeun eol-gul-eul ga-ji-go is-seo-yo) - She has a pretty face.
- 그 사람은 멋진 얼굴을 가지고 있어요. (Geu sa-ram-eun meot-jin eol-gul-eul ga-ji-go is-seo-yo) - That person has a handsome face.
- 저는 작은 코를 가지고 있어요. (Jeo-neun jak-eun ko-reul ga-ji-go is-seo-yo) - I have a small nose.
- 그녀는 큰 입술을 가지고 있어요. (Geu-nyeo-neun keun ip-sul-eul ga-ji-go is-seo-yo) - She has big lips.
- 그 아이는 예쁜 눈썹을 가지고 있어요. (Geu a-i-neun ye-ppeun nun-sseop-eul ga-ji-go is-seo-yo) - That child has beautiful eyebrows.
- 그 사람은 날카로운 턱을 가지고 있어요. (Geu sa-ram-eun nal-ka-ro-un teok-eul ga-ji-go is-seo-yo) - That person has a sharp jawline.
- 그녀는 밝은 미소를 가지고 있어요. (Geu-nyeo-neun bal-keun mi-so-reul ga-ji-go is-seo-yo) - She has a bright smile.
Describing Personality[edit | edit source]
In addition to describing people's physical appearance, it is also important to be able to describe their personality in Korean. Here are some adjectives commonly used to describe personality traits:
Positive Personality Traits[edit | edit source]
When describing someone's positive personality traits, we can use adjectives such as:
| Korean | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 착한 | chak-han | kind |
| 친절한 | chin-jeol-han | friendly |
| 낙천적인 | nak-cheon-jeok-in | optimistic |
| 유쾌한 | yu-kwae-han | cheerful |
| 정직한 | jeong-jik-han | honest |
| 충실한 | chung-sil-han | loyal |
| 온순한 | on-sun-han | gentle |
Example sentences:
- 그 사람은 착한 사람이에요. (Geu sa-ram-eun chak-han sa-ram-i-e-yo) - That person is kind.
- 그녀는 친절한 사람이에요. (Geu-nyeo-neun chin-jeol-han sa-ram-i-e-yo) - She is friendly.
- 그 아이는 낙천적인 성격을 가지고 있어요. (Geu a-i-neun nak-cheon-jeok-in seong-gyeok-eul ga-ji-go is-seo-yo) - That child has an optimistic personality.
- 저는 유쾌한 성격을 가지고 있어요. (Jeo-neun yu-kwae-han seong-gyeok-eul ga-ji-go is-seo-yo) - I have a cheerful personality.
- 그 사람은 정직한 사람이에요. (Geu sa-ram-eun jeong-jik-han sa-ram-i-e-yo) - That person is honest.
- 그녀는 충실한 사람이에요. (Geu-nyeo-neun chung-sil-han sa-ram-i-e-yo) - She is loyal.
- 그녀는 온순한 성격을 가지고 있어요. (Geu-nyeo-neun on-sun-han seong-gyeok-eul ga-ji-go is-seo-yo) - She has a gentle personality.
Negative Personality Traits[edit | edit source]
When describing negative personality traits, we can use adjectives such as:
| Korean | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 신경질적인 | sin-gyeong-jil-jeok-in | irritable |
| 시끄러운 | si-kkeu-reo-un | noisy |
| 게으른 | ge-eu-reun | lazy |
| 건방진 | geon-bang-jin | arrogant |
| 신중하지 못한 | sin-jung-ha-ji mot-han | careless |
| 자기중심적인 | ja-gi-jung-sim-jeok-in | self-centered |
| 우유부단한 | u-yu-bu-dan-han | indecisive |
Example sentences:
- 그 사람은 신경질적인 사람이에요. (Geu sa-ram-eun sin-gyeong-jil-jeok-in sa-ram-i-e-yo) - That person is irritable.
- 그녀는 시끄러운 사람이에요. (Geu-nyeo-neun si-kkeu-reo-un sa-ram-i-e-yo) - She is noisy.
- 그 아이는 게으른 성격을 가지고 있어요. (Geu a-i-neun ge-eu-reun seong-gyeok-eul ga-ji-go is-seo-yo) - That child has a lazy personality.
- 저는 건방진 사람이 아니에요. (Jeo-neun geon-bang-jin sa-ram-i a-ni-e-yo) - I am not an arrogant person.
- 그 사람은 신중하지 못한 사람이에요. (Geu sa-ram-eun sin-jung-ha-ji mot-han sa-ram-i-e-yo) - That person is careless.
- 그녀는 자기중심적인 사람이에요. (Geu-nyeo-neun ja-gi-jung-sim-jeok-in sa-ram-i-e-yo) - She is self-centered.
- 그녀는 우유부단한 성격을 가지고 있어요. (Geu-nyeo-neun u-yu-bu-dan-han seong-gyeok-eul ga-ji-go is-seo-yo) - She has an indecisive personality.
Cultural Insights[edit | edit source]
In Korean culture, physical appearance is often highly valued, and people may pay close attention to their own and others' appearance. It is common for individuals to take care of their physical appearance, such as dressing well and maintaining good grooming habits. In terms of personality, Koreans often value traits such as kindness, respectfulness, and humility. These traits are seen as important in maintaining harmonious relationships and showing proper etiquette.
It is also worth noting that beauty standards in Korea may differ from those in other countries. In Korean society, certain physical features such as pale skin, double eyelids, and a V-shaped face are often considered attractive. This cultural preference for specific features has led to the popularity of cosmetic surgeries and beauty products in Korea.
Korean idioms and proverbs related to physical appearance and personality can provide further insights into the cultural significance of these aspects. For example, the idiom "눈이 넓다" (nun-i neol-da), which literally translates to "having wide eyes," is used to describe someone who is open-minded and has a broad perspective. Similarly, the proverb "얼굴은 거울이다" (eol-gul-eun geo-ul-i-da), meaning "the face is a mirror," emphasizes the importance of one's appearance in reflecting their character.
Practice Exercises[edit | edit source]
Now, let's practice what we've learned! Complete the following exercises by describing the physical appearance and personality of the individuals mentioned.
Exercise 1: Describe the physical appearance of the following people using the given adjectives.
- Person 1: tall, black hair
- Person 2: short, brown eyes
- Person 3: average height, blonde hair
- Person 4: similar height, gray hair
Exercise 2: Describe the personality of the following people using the given adjectives.
- Person 1: kind, friendly
- Person 2: optimistic, cheerful
- Person 3: honest, loyal
- Person 4: gentle, self-centered
Exercise 1 Solutions:
- Person 1: 그 사람은 키가 크고 검은 머리를 가지고 있어요. (Geu sa-ram-eun ki-ga keu-go geom-eun meo-ri-reul ga-ji-go is-seo-yo)
- Person 2: 그녀는 키가 작고 갈색 눈을 가지고 있어요. (Geu-nyeo-neun ki-ga jak-go gal-saek nun-eul ga-ji-go is-seo-yo)
- Person 3: 그 아이는 중간 키이고 금발을 가지고 있어요. (Geu a-i-neun joong-gan ki-i-go geum-bal-eul ga-ji-go is-seo-yo)
- Person 4: 그들은 키가 비슷하고 회색 머리를 가지고 있어요. (Geu-deul-eun ki-ga bi-seut-ha-go hoe-saek meo-ri-reul ga-ji-go is-seo-yo)
Exercise 2 Solutions:
- Person 1: 그 사람은 착한 사람이에요. (Geu sa-ram-eun chak-han sa-ram-i-e-yo)
- Person 2: 그녀는 낙천적이고 유쾌한 사람이에요. (Geu-nyeo-neun nak-cheon-jeok-i-go yu-kwae-han sa-ram-i-e-yo)
- Person 3: 그 아이는 정직하고 충실한 사람이에요. (Geu a-i-neun jeong-jik-ha-go chung-sil-han sa-ram-i-e-yo)
- Person 4: 그녀는 온순하고 자기중심적인 사람이에요. (Geu-nyeo-neun on-sun-ha-go ja-gi-jung-sim-jeok-in sa-ram-i-e-yo)
Keep practicing to improve your skills in describing people's physical appearance and personality in Korean!
Videos[edit | edit source]
How to describe physical appearance in Korean? - YouTube[edit | edit source]
Describe Appearance in Korean - YouTube[edit | edit source]
Sources[edit | edit source]
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Questions
- Describing Things
- Subject and Object Markers
- How to Use Have
- Korean Pronunciation
- Question Words
- Give your Opinion
- Comparatives and Superlatives
- Progressive Tense
- Future Tense
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