Introduction to Korean Adverbs

What Are Adverbs?

Adverbs describe how, when, where, or to what extent actions happen.

Examples:

  • Time: 지금 (now), 어제 (yesterday)
  • Frequency: 항상 (always), 자주 (often)
  • Degree: 너무 (too much), 조금 (a little)
  • Manner: 빨리 (quickly), 천천히 (slowly)

Example Sentences:

  • 나는 지금 숙제를 하고 있어요. (I am doing my homework now.)
  • 그녀는 자주 공원에 갑니다. (She often goes to the park.)

Forming Adverbs from Adjectives

How to Form: Add -게 to the adjective stem.

Examples:

  • 빠르다 (to be fast) → 빠르게 (quickly)
  • 조용하다 (to be quiet) → 조용하게 (quietly)
  • 편하다 (to be comfortable) → 편하게 (comfortably)

Example Sentences:

  • 그는 빠르게 달렸어요. (He ran quickly.)
  • 학생들이 조용하게 공부했어요. (The students studied quietly.)

Forming Adverbs with -히

What is -히? A suffix that adds formal or abstract nuance.

Examples:

  • 정확하다 (to be accurate) → 정확히 (accurately)
  • 솔직하다 (to be honest) → 솔직히 (honestly)
  • 조용하다 (to be quiet) → 조용히 (quietly)

Example Sentences:

  • 그는 질문에 정확히 대답했어요. (He answered the question accurately.)
  • 그녀는 솔직히 자신의 생각을 말했어요. (She honestly shared her thoughts.)

Forming Adverbs with -이

What is -이? A suffix for specific cases, often seen in standalone adverbs.

Examples:

  • 높다 (to be high) → 높이 (highly)
  • 깊다 (to be deep) → 깊이 (deeply)
  • 많다 (to be many) → 많이 (a lot)

Example Sentences:

  • 비행기가 높이 날고 있어요. (The airplane is flying high.)
  • 그녀는 책을 많이 읽어요. (She reads a lot of books.)

Adverbs from Verbs

Common Patterns:

  • -아/어/여서: Cause-and-effect
    웃다 (to laugh) → 웃어서 (because [someone] laughs)
  • -며: Simultaneous actions
    공부하다 (to study) → 공부하며 (while studying)

Example Sentences:

  • 그녀는 웃어서 더 예뻐 보여요. (She looks prettier because she laughs.)
  • 나는 음악을 들으며 공부했어요. (I studied while listening to music.)

Irregular Adverbs

Some Adjectives Change Irregularly:

  • 쉽다 (to be easy) → 쉽게 (easily)
  • 달다 (to be sweet) → 달게 (sweetly)
  • 예쁘다 (to be pretty) → 예쁘게 (prettily)

Example Sentences:

  • 그는 문제를 쉽게 해결했어요. (He solved the problem easily.)
  • 케이크를 달게 먹었어요. (I ate the cake sweetly.)

Standalone Adverbs

What Are Standalone Adverbs? Words that don't need conjugation.

Examples:

  • Time: 오늘 (today), 내일 (tomorrow)
  • Frequency: 항상 (always), 가끔 (sometimes)
  • Degree: 꽤 (quite), 너무 (too much)

Example Sentences:

  • 나는 오늘 시장에 갔어요. (I went to the market today.)
  • 그는 항상 친절해요. (He is always kind.)

Adverbs in Sentences

Placement of Adverbs:

  • Before verbs: 그는 천천히 걷는다. (He walks slowly.)
  • Before adjectives: 그것은 매우 중요하다. (That is very important.)

Example Sentences:

  • 나는 열심히 공부해요. (I study hard.)
  • 그녀는 자주 영화를 봐요. (She often watches movies.)

Common Mistakes

1. Confusing Adjectives and Adverbs:

  • Incorrect: 그는 빠르다 갔다.
  • Correct: 그는 빠르게 갔다. (He went quickly.)

2. Misplacing Adverbs:

  • Incorrect: 그는 갔다 빨리.
  • Correct: 그는 빨리 갔다. (He went quickly.)

Practice Time!

Convert These Adjectives into Adverbs:

  • 깨끗하다 (to be clean) → ________
  • 정확하다 (to be accurate) → ________
  • 깊다 (to be deep) → ________

Fill in the Blank:

나는 (________) 숙제를 끝냈다.
Options: 빨리 (quickly), 천천히 (slowly)

Create a Sentence Using These Adverbs: 열심히 (diligently), 자주 (often)

Adverb Placement

The general rule for adverb placement in Korean is:

Subject + Time Expression + Adverb + Object + Verb

Examples:

1. 나는 어제 빨리 숙제를 했어요.
(I quickly did my homework yesterday.)

2. 그는 항상 열심히 공부해요.
(He always studies diligently.)

3. 우리는 자주 공원에 가요.
(We often go to the park.)

4. 그녀는 지금 조용히 책을 읽고 있어요.
(She is quietly reading a book now.)

5. 아이들이 가끔 크게 웃어요.
(The children sometimes laugh loudly.)