Korean vocabulary · 24 words
Korean adverbs for beginners: time, frequency and degree
Korean adverbs sit right before the verb or adjective they modify and never change form, which makes them some of the easiest words to put to work. Frequency adverbs form a scale from 항상 (always) to 전혀 (never), and the bottom of the scale needs a negative verb. The degree words 너무, 정말 and 좀 turn up in almost every conversation.
Examples are written in Hangul. New to it? Start with the hangul chart.
Good to know
- 별로 and 전혀 need 안 or 못: 별로 안 좋아해요 (I don't really like it), 전혀 안 가요 (I never go).
- 아직 with a negative means not yet: 아직 안 먹었어요. 벌써 is already: 벌써 먹었어요.
- 너무 leans toward too much: 너무 비싸요 (it's too expensive). 정말 is really, and 좀 is a little, which also softens a request.
How often
| Korean | Romanization | Meaning | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 항상 | hangsang | always | |
| 자주 | jaju | often | |
| 가끔 | gakkeum | sometimes | |
| 별로 | byeollo | not really / not much (with negative) | |
| 전혀 | jeonhyeo | (not) at all (with negative) | |
| 매일 | maeil | every day |
When
| Korean | Romanization | Meaning | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 지금 | jigeum | now | |
| 이제 | ije | now (from now on) | |
| 벌써 | beolsseo | already | |
| 아직 | ajik | still / (not) yet | |
| 곧 | got | soon | |
| 바로 | baro | right away / straight | |
| 먼저 | meonjeo | first (before anything else) | |
| 일찍 | iljjik | early | |
| 나중 | najung | later | |
| 요즘 | yojeum | these days | |
| 그동안 | geudongan | all that time / meanwhile |
How much
| Korean | Romanization | Meaning | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 너무 | neomu | too / excessively | |
| 정말 | jeongmal | really | |
| 좀 | jom | a little / please (softener) | |
| 더 | deo | more | |
| 덜 | deol | less | |
| 제일 | jeil | most / -est | |
| 가장 | gajang | most (formal) |
Test yourself
Five of the 24 words on this page, meaning to word. Pick an answer to check it; nothing is saved.
1.Which Korean word means "always"?
2.Which Korean word means "(not) at all (with negative)"?
3.Which Korean word means "still / (not) yet"?
4.Which Korean word means "later"?
5.Which Korean word means "a little / please (softener)"?
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Keep going
- Grammar guideKorean negationKorean negation with 안 and 못: 안 가요 means I don't go, 못 가요 means I can't go. Where they sit, the 공부 안 해요 split with 하다 verbs, and the past tense.
- Grammar guideKorean comparatives and superlativesHow to compare in Korean: 보다 (than) on the thing you compare against, 더 (more) and 덜 (less), 제일 / 가장 (the most) and 중에서 (among), with examples.
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- ChartHangul chartEvery Korean consonant and vowel with romanization, stroke order and example words, how syllable blocks work, and a syllable chart with audio.