🧍 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

💌 Final Thoughts:
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! 😊