🟢 Top 20 Everyday Adjectives | Beginner Level (TOPIK 1–2)
Do you want to describe things in Korean but only know a few words like ‘big’ or ‘small’?
Adjectives are essential for describing people, places, and feelings in everyday life. In this lesson, you’ll learn 20 basic Korean adjectives with meanings and example sentences, perfect for beginners preparing for TOPIK 1–2 or daily conversations.
📚 Table of Contents
💡 Top 20 Adjectives with Meanings
1. 크다 (keu-da) – Big
2. 작다 (jak-da) – Small
3. 길다 (gil-da) – Long
4. 짧다 (jjalb-da) – Short
5. 빠르다 (ppa-reu-da) – Fast
6. 느리다 (neu-ri-da) – Slow
7. 많다 (man-ta) – Many / A lot
8. 적다 (jeok-da) – Few / Little
9. 좋다 (joh-da) – Good
10. 나쁘다 (na-ppeu-da) – Bad
11. 새롭다 (sae-rop-da) – New
12. 오래되다 (o-rae-dwe-da) – Old (object)
13. 젊다 (jeolm-da) – Young
14. 늙다 (neulg-da) – Old (person)
15. 깨끗하다 (kkae-kkeut-ha-da) – Clean
16. 더럽다 (deo-reop-da) – Dirty
17. 조용하다 (jo-yong-ha-da) – Quiet
18. 시끄럽다 (si-kkeu-reop-da) – Noisy
19. 맛있다 (ma-sit-da) – Delicious
20. 맛없다 (mat-eop-da) – Not delicious
📖 Example Sentences
이 집은 커요.
I jip-eun keu-yo.
This house is big.
방이 조용해요.
Bang-i jo-yong-hae-yo.
The room is quiet.
음식이 맛있어요.
Eum-sik-i ma-sit-seo-yo.
The food is delicious.
길이 짧아요.
Gil-i jjal-ba-yo.
The road is short.
🗣 Practice Dialogue
A: 이 케이크 맛있어요?
I ke-i-keu ma-sit-seo-yo?
Is this cake delicious?
B: 네, 정말 맛있어요!
Ne, jeong-mal ma-sit-seo-yo!
Yes, it’s really delicious!
A: 방이 조용해요?
Bang-i jo-yong-hae-yo?
Is the room quiet?
B: 아니요, 시끄러워요.
A-ni-yo, si-kkeu-reo-wo-yo.
No, it’s noisy.
🧩 Quick Check: How would you say “The house is old but clean” using the adjectives from this list?
🌏 Did You Know?
In Korean, adjectives like 깨끗하다 (clean) or 조용하다 (quiet) are actually verbs grammatically, called “descriptive verbs.” They conjugate like verbs, which is different from English adjectives.
📦 Final Thoughts
Learning these 20 adjectives will help you describe your surroundings, feelings, and experiences more naturally in Korean. They are commonly used in daily life and appear frequently in beginner-level TOPIK exams.
Start practicing by describing objects around you using these adjectives, and your Korean will sound more expressive and natural.
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Book a 1:1 class on italki and get guided practice for describing people, places, and objects.
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💬 Leave a comment: Which adjective do you use most often in your daily life?
