Language/Korean/Grammar/Describing-People

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Korean → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Describing People and Things → Describing People

Introduction

In this lesson, we will learn how to describe people's physical appearance and personality in Korean. Describing people is an essential skill in any language, as it allows us to communicate effectively and convey information about others. By learning how to use adjectives to form descriptive sentences, you will be able to express yourself more fluently and accurately in Korean.

Throughout this lesson, we will explore various adjectives that can be used to describe people, such as adjectives related to physical appearance, personality traits, and emotions. We will also learn about sentence structure and word order in Korean, as well as the use of particles to indicate the subject and object of a sentence.

By the end of this lesson, you will have a solid understanding of how to describe people in Korean and be able to create descriptive sentences with ease. Let's get started!

Describing Physical Appearance

When describing someone's physical appearance in Korean, we often use adjectives to convey specific characteristics. These adjectives can describe various aspects of a person's appearance, such as height, weight, hair color, and facial features. Let's take a look at some common adjectives used to describe physical appearance in Korean:

Height and Build

When describing someone's height and build, we can use adjectives like "키가 크다" (tall), "키가 작다" (short), "뚱뚱하다" (chubby), and "날씬하다" (slim). These adjectives can be used to provide a general description of a person's physique.

Examples:

Korean	Pronunciation	English
그 사람은 키가 크다.	Geu saram-eun ki-ga keu-da.	That person is tall.
그 사람은 키가 작다.	Geu saram-eun ki-ga jak-da.	That person is short.
그 사람은 뚱뚱하다.	Geu saram-eun ddung-ddung-ha-da.	That person is chubby.
그 사람은 날씬하다.	Geu saram-eun nal-ssin-ha-da.	That person is slim.

Hair Color

When describing someone's hair color in Korean, we can use adjectives like "검은색" (black), "갈색" (brown), "금발" (blonde), and "빨간색" (red). These adjectives can be used to provide information about the color of a person's hair.

Examples:

Korean	Pronunciation	English
그 사람은 검은색 머리를 가지고 있다.	Geu saram-eun geomeunsaek meoli-reul gajigo it-da.	That person has black hair.
그 사람은 갈색 머리를 가지고 있다.	Geu saram-eun galsaek meoli-reul gajigo it-da.	That person has brown hair.
그 사람은 금발 머리를 가지고 있다.	Geu saram-eun geumbar meoli-reul gajigo it-da.	That person has blonde hair.
그 사람은 빨간색 머리를 가지고 있다.	Geu saram-eun ppalgansaek meoli-reul gajigo it-da.	That person has red hair.

Facial Features

When describing someone's facial features in Korean, we can use adjectives like "큰 눈" (big eyes), "낮은 코" (low nose), "작은 입" (small mouth), and "예쁜 얼굴" (pretty face). These adjectives can be used to provide specific details about a person's face.

Examples:

Korean	Pronunciation	English
그 사람은 큰 눈을 가지고 있다.	Geu saram-eun keun nun-eul gajigo it-da.	That person has big eyes.
그 사람은 낮은 코를 가지고 있다.	Geu saram-eun najeun koreul gajigo it-da.	That person has a low nose.
그 사람은 작은 입을 가지고 있다.	Geu saram-eun jageun ibeul gajigo it-da.	That person has a small mouth.
그 사람은 예쁜 얼굴을 가지고 있다.	Geu saram-eun yeppeun eolgur-eul gajigo it-da.	That person has a pretty face.

Describing Personality

In addition to physical appearance, we can also use adjectives to describe someone's personality in Korean. Describing personality traits allows us to paint a more complete picture of a person and understand their character. Let's take a look at some common adjectives used to describe personality in Korean:

Positive Traits

When describing someone's positive personality traits in Korean, we can use adjectives like "친절하다" (kind), "명랑하다" (cheerful), "착하다" (good-natured), and "예의바르다" (polite). These adjectives can be used to highlight someone's positive qualities.

Examples:

Korean	Pronunciation	English
그 사람은 친절하다.	Geu saram-eun chinjeol-ha-da.	That person is kind.
그 사람은 명랑하다.	Geu saram-eun myeongrang-ha-da.	That person is cheerful.
그 사람은 착하다.	Geu saram-eun chak-ha-da.	That person is good-natured.
그 사람은 예의바르다.	Geu saram-eun yeuibareu-da.	That person is polite.

Negative Traits

When describing someone's negative personality traits in Korean, we can use adjectives like "성급하다" (impatient), "게으르다" (lazy), "거만하다" (arrogant), and "짜증나다" (irritable). These adjectives can be used to identify someone's negative qualities.

Examples:

Korean	Pronunciation	English
그 사람은 성급하다.	Geu saram-eun seonggeub-ha-da.	That person is impatient.
그 사람은 게으르다.	Geu saram-eun ge-eu-reu-da.	That person is lazy.
그 사람은 거만하다.	Geu saram-eun geoman-ha-da.	That person is arrogant.
그 사람은 짜증나다.	Geu saram-eun jjajeung-na-da.	That person is irritable.

Sentence Structure and Word Order

In Korean, the basic sentence structure follows a subject-object-verb (SOV) pattern. This means that the subject of the sentence comes first, followed by the object, and finally the verb. When describing people or things, we can use adjectives to modify the subject or object in the sentence.

Let's take a look at some example sentences to understand the sentence structure and word order in Korean:

Example 1

English: "That person is tall."

Korean: "그 사람은 키가 크다."

In this sentence, "그 사람은" (geu saram-eun) means "that person" and serves as the subject. "키가" (ki-ga) means "height" and is the object. "크다" (keu-da) means "is tall" and is the verb. The word order follows the SOV pattern, with the subject, object, and verb in that order.

Example 2

English: "She has black hair."

Korean: "그녀는 검은색 머리를 가지고 있다."

In this sentence, "그녀는" (geunyeo-neun) means "she" and serves as the subject. "검은색" (geomeunsaek) means "black" and describes the object "머리" (meoli), which means "hair". "가지고 있다" (gajigo it-da) means "has" and is the verb. Again, the word order follows the SOV pattern.

Cultural Insights

When describing people in Korean, it is important to consider cultural nuances and variations. Koreans often place a strong emphasis on physical appearance, and there is a cultural preference for certain traits. For example, fair skin and double eyelids are considered desirable, while darker skin and single eyelids may be seen as less attractive.

Additionally, Koreans may use different terms and adjectives to describe physical appearance and personality compared to other cultures. It is important to be aware of these cultural differences and use appropriate language when describing people in Korean.

Practice Exercises

Now it's time to practice what you've learned! Complete the following exercises to reinforce your understanding of how to describe people in Korean.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks Choose the appropriate adjective to complete each sentence.

1. 그 사람은 ____________ (키가 크다 / 키가 작다). 2. 그 사람은 ____________ (뚱뚱하다 / 날씬하다). 3. 그 사람은 ____________ (검은색 / 갈색) 머리를 가지고 있다. 4. 그 사람은 ____________ (큰 눈 / 작은 입)을 가지고 있다. 5. 그 사람은 ____________ (친절하다 / 성급하다).

Exercise 2: Describe a Friend Choose a friend and write a short paragraph describing their physical appearance and personality in Korean. Use the adjectives and sentence structures you have learned.

Solutions

Exercise 1:

1. 그 사람은 키가 작다. 2. 그 사람은 날씬하다. 3. 그 사람은 검은색 머리를 가지고 있다. 4. 그 사람은 작은 입을 가지고 있다. 5. 그 사람은 친절하다.

Exercise 2: (Sample answer)

내 친구는 키가 크고 뚱뚱하다. 그녀는 검은색 머리와 큰 눈을 가지고 있다. 그녀는 친절하고 명랑하다. 나는 그녀와 함께 시간을 보내는 것을 좋아한다.

Translation: My friend is tall and chubby. She has black hair and big eyes. She is kind and cheerful. I enjoy spending time with her.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully learned how to describe people's physical appearance and personality in Korean. By using adjectives and sentence structures, you can now create descriptive sentences that accurately convey information about others. Keep practicing and incorporating these skills into your Korean language learning journey.

Table of Contents - Korean Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Korean Alphabets

• Reading and writing Korean Alphabets
• Korean Pronunciation
• Subject and Object Markers

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Hello and Goodbye
• Introducing Yourself
• Family and Friends

  ---

Korean Culture and Customs

• Korean Etiquette
• Korean Holidays
• Korean Cuisine

  ---

Sentence Building

• Basic Verb Conjugation
• Question Words
• Connecting Verbs

  ---

Daily Routine

• Daily Activities
• Means of Transportation
• Weather and Seasons

  ---

Korean Pop Culture

• Korean Dramas
• Korean Music
• Korean Cinema

  ---

Describing People and Things

• Describing People
• Describing Things
• Comparatives and Superlatives

  ---

Food and Drinks

• Food and Ingredients
• Drinks
• Cooking and Recipes

  ---

Korean Traditions

• Korean Weddings
• Korean Festivals
• Korean Games and Sports

  ---

Verb Tenses

• Past Tense
• Future Tense
• Progressive Tense

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Travel and Sightseeing

• Travel Vocabulary
• Sightseeing Vocabulary
• Shopping Vocabulary

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Korean Arts and Crafts

• Korean Calligraphy
• Korean Pottery
• Korean Paper Crafts

  ---

Conjunctions and Connectors

• Conjunctions
• Connectors
• Conditional Sentences

  ---

Health and Body

• Body Parts
• Health Vocabulary
• Exercise and Fitness Vocabulary

  ---

Korean Nature

• Korean National Parks
• Korean Folk Villages
• Korean Eco-Friendly Practices

Sources

• Learn Korean - Grammar - Apps on Google Play

Other Lessons

• 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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