Language/Korean/Grammar/Comparatives-and-Superlatives
Comparatives and superlatives are essential in describing people and things in more detail and with more complexity. In this lesson, I will teach you how to compare two or more things using comparatives and superlatives in Korean.
Once you've mastered this lesson, take a look at these related pages: Connecting Verbs & Describing People.
Comparatives
Comparative adjectives are used to compare two nouns (people, things, or ideas) or two groups of nouns. In Korean, comparative adjectives can be formed in two ways:
1. When the stem ends with a vowel or ㄹ, add -보다 (-boda) to the end of the stem. For example:
Korean | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
작다 | jakda | small |
크다 | keuda | big |
예쁘다 | yeppeuda | pretty |
Examples:
- 제임스는 미리보다 작아요. (James-neun miri-boda jakayo) - James is smaller than Miri.
- 소녀는 소년보다 예쁘다. (Sonyeo-neun sonyeon-boda yeppeuda) - The girl is prettier than the boy.
- 선생님은 학생들보다 똑똑하다. (Seonsaengnim-eun haksaeng-deul-boda ttokttokhada) - The teacher is smarter than the students.
2. When the stem ends with a consonant (except ㄹ), replace the final consonant with -ㄴ/은 (-n/eun) and add -보다 (-boda) to the end of the stem. For example:
Korean | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
좋다 | jota | good |
싸다 | ssada | cheap |
빠르다 | bbareuda | fast |
Examples:
- 이 책은 그 책보다 더 좋아요. (I chaekeun geu chaek-boda deo johayo) - This book is better than that book.
- 그 신발은 이 신발보다 더 싸요. (Geu shinbareun i shinbal-boda deo ssayo) - Those shoes are cheaper than these shoes.
- 미국은 한국보다 더 크다. (Miguk-eun Hanguk-boda deo keuda) - The United States is bigger than Korea.
Superlatives
Superlative adjectives are used to compare one noun with all the other nouns in the same group. In Korean, superlative adjectives can be formed in two ways:
1. Add -중에서 가장 (-jung-eseo gajang) to the end of the stem. For example:
Korean | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
가장 좋다 | gajang jota | the best |
가장 싼 | gajang ssaen | the cheapest |
가장 예쁘다 | gajang yeppeuda | the prettiest |
Examples:
- 이렇게 맛있는 음식은 내가 먹어본 음식 중에서 가장 좋아요. (Ireohge masinneun eumsik-eun naega meog-eobon eumsik jung-eseo gajang johayo) - This delicious food is the best food I've ever eaten.
- 그 옷은 이 쇼핑몰에서 팔고 있는 옷 중에서 가장 싸요. (Geu oseun i syopingmol-eseo palgo issneun ot jung-eseo gajang ssayo) - That clothes is the cheapest among the ones sold in this shopping mall.
- 나는 우리 반에서 가장 예쁜 여자라고 생각해요. (Naneun uri ban-eseo gajang yeppeun yeojara-go saenggakhaeyo) - I think I am the prettiest girl in our class.
2. Replace the final consonant with -ㄴ/은 (-n/eun) and add -중에서 가장 (-jung-eseo gajang) to the end of the stem. For example:
Korean | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
바쁘다 | bappeuda | busy |
빨리 | ppalli | fast |
높다 | nopda | high |
Examples:
- 이 시간대에 바쁜 회사 중에서 우리 회사가 가장 바쁘다. (I sigandaee bappeun hoesa jung-eseo uri hoesaga gajang bappeuda) - Among the busy companies at this hour, our company is the busiest.
- 이 비행기는 이 공항에서 출발하는 비행기 중에서 가장 빨리 도착해요. (I bihaenggi-neun i gonghang-eseo chulbalhaneun bihaenggi jung-eseo gajang ppalli dochakhaeyo) - This
Videos
Learn Korean Ep. 101: More Than & Less Than (Comparatives ...
Other Lessons
- Gender
- Past Tense
- Nouns
- Question Words
- Reading and writing Korean Alphabets
- Conjunctions
- How to Use Have
- Describing People
- Conditional Sentences
- Conditional Mood
Sources
- Lesson 19: Korean Comparatives and Superlatives: 더, 보다, 가장/제일
- Korean/Comparatives and superlatives - Wikibooks, open books for ...
- Comparatives & Superlatives | Learn Korean