🧍 Describing People in Korean (Beginner Level)
Do you want to say someone is tall, pretty, or kind in Korean? 🥰 In this post, you’ll learn how to describe people's appearance and personality using basic Korean adjectives — a must for any conversation!
📌 Common Adjectives to Describe People
| Korean | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 예쁘다 | yeppeuda | to be pretty |
| 잘생기다 | jalsaenggida | to be handsome |
| 귀엽다 | gwiyeopda | to be cute |
| 키가 크다 | kiga keuda | to be tall |
| 키가 작다 | kiga jakda | to be short (height) |
| 날씬하다 | nalssinhada | to be slim |
| 뚱뚱하다 | ttungttunghada | to be chubby |
| 친절하다 | chinjeolhada | to be kind |
| 조용하다 | joyonghada | to be quiet |
| 명랑하다 | myeongnanghada | to be cheerful |
📝 Useful Sentences
그 사람은 키가 커요.
Geu sarameun kiga keoyo.
That person is tall.
제 친구는 정말 예뻐요.
Je chinguneun jeongmal yeppeoyo.
My friend is really pretty.
그 아이는 아주 귀여워요.
Geu aineun aju gwiyeowoyo.
That child is very cute.
우리 선생님은 친절해요.
Uri seonsaengnimeun chinjeolhaeyo.
Our teacher is kind.
저는 조용한 사람을 좋아해요.
Jeoneun joyonghan sarameul joahaeyo.
I like quiet people.
🗣 Practice Dialogue
👩 A: 너희 친구는 어때?
Neoui chinguneun eottae?
What is your friend like?
👨 B: 키가 크고, 성격이 명랑해요.
Kiga keugo, seonggyeogi myeongnanghaeyo.
She’s tall and has a cheerful personality.
👩 A: 사진 보여줘!
Sajin boyeojwo!
Show me a photo!
👨 B: 여기 있어요. 예쁘죠?
Yeogi isseoyo. Yeppeujyo?
Here it is. Pretty, right?
💡 Did You Know?
In Korean culture, people often compliment others' appearance when meeting for the first time — even saying things like "You look younger than your age!" Just be mindful that not all comments about appearance are appropriate in every context! 😅
💬 Practice Korean with Me on italki!
Want to describe yourself or others more naturally in Korean? Let’s practice using pictures, roleplays, and conversations. 👉 Book a lesson on italki here
Being able to describe people is a basic but powerful tool in conversation. Try using 2–3 adjectives in your next self-introduction or when talking about friends! 😊
