Adverbs
Adverbs are used to add a description to a verb, a phrase or another adverb. Many descriptive verbs can be changed into adverbs.
Building adverbs
Section titled “Building adverbs”To turn a descriptive verb into an adverb:
Descriptive verb stem + 게
늦게 와요.
I am coming late.
이안 씨는 행복하게 웃었어요.
Ian smiled happily.
재미있다 can become 재미있게. This means “in a manner that is entertaining or fun”, or more naturally, “to enjoy”.
어제 친구랑 재미있게 놀았어요.
I enjoyed hanging out with my friend yesterday.
맛있다 can become 맛있게. This means in a manner that tastes delicious, or more naturally, “to enjoy.”
라면을 맛있게 먹었어요.
I enjoyed the ramen.
If the descriptive verb ends with a 하다 there are two ways it might turn into an adverb though.
하다 adverbs
Section titled “하다 adverbs”Descriptive verbs that end with 하다 change into either 하게 or 히 when turning into an adverb. These can be irregular.
조용하다becomes조용히. (quiet → quietly)위험하다becomes위험하게. (to be dangerous → dangerously)안전하다can become either안전하게or안전히. (to be safe → safely)완전하다can become either완전히or완전하게. (to be complete → completely)강하다becomes강하게. (to be strong → strongly)약하다becomes약하게. (to be weak → weakly)
조용히 and 안전하게 are generally more common though.
Unique adverbs
Section titled “Unique adverbs”Many adverbs don’t end with 게 or 히, for example 더 (more), 빨리 (quickly) and 아주 (very).
More examples of such adverbs:
- 실수로: By accident or mistakenly
제 숙제를 실수로 버렸어요.
I threw away my homework by accident.
- 일부러: On purpose or intentionally
저는 일부러 빨리 했어요.
I did it quickly on purpose.
- 잠시 and 잠깐: A brief moment (
잠깐is more common in informal speech)
잠시만 기다려 주세요.
Please wait a moment.
잠깐 기다려.
Wait a second.
- 혼자(서): Alone (without others)
저는 서울에서 혼자서 살고 있어요.
I am living alone in Seoul.
- 천천히: Slowly
천천히 말해 주세요.
Please speak slowly.
Unlike 있다 (to exist) which conjugates regularly to 있게, 없다 (to not exist) conjugates to 없이 (without). 없이 is used directly after a noun, without the subject marker.
우산 없이 밖에 나갔어요.
I went outside without an umbrella.