Descriptive verb (Adjective) + 게: Creating adverbs from adjectives

By /

안녕하세요, language learners and Korean aficionados! Ever felt the urge to describe how someone does something, not just how something is? Like, instead of just saying “This kimchi is delicious,” you want to shout out, “He eats the kimchi deliciously!” Well, guess what? Your Korean language roller coaster is about to take a thrilling twist. 🎢

Strap in, keep your vocabulary inside the cart at all times, and prepare for some adjective acrobatics! Because we’re diving deep into the world of descriptive verbs and -게, where verbs turn into adverbs and sentences get a whole lot spicier. 🌶️ Let’s make those Korean sentences as flavourful as a well-marinated bulgogi! 🍖

Ready to add a pinch of pizzazz to your language dish? Let’s churn those verbs and get descriptive! 🎨🎉

Conjugation

DESCRIPTIVE VERB STEM + 게

  1. Take a descriptive verb i.e. 예쁘다
  2. Drop 다
  3. Add 게 i.e. 예쁘게
  • 따뜻하다 –> 따뜻하 + 게 –> 따뜻하게 (warmly)
  • 바쁘다 –> 바쁘 + 게 –> 바쁘게 (busily)
  • 편하다 –> 편하 + 게 –> 편하게 (comfortably)
  • 빠르다 –> 빠르 + 게 –> 빠르게 (quickly)

Background and basics

What is “-게”?

In the realm of the Korean language, “-게” is a handy little suffix that works its magic on descriptive verbs, turning them into adverbs. If you’re coming from an English-speaking background, think of it as the “-ly” in adjectives like “happy” turning to “happily”.

Why Do We Need “-게”?

Korean, like many languages, needs a way to modify verbs. In English, we use adverbs for this purpose. For instance, if you’re “running” and you want to describe “how” you are running, you might say “running quickly” or “running slowly.” That “quickly” or “slowly” is the job of an adverb. In Korean, we use “-게” to get this job done.

The Beauty of Descriptive Verbs:

Korean descriptive verbs are intriguing. They’re not quite like the English adjectives; they can stand as a predicate on their own. For instance, “춥다” means “to be cold.” However, if you want to describe the manner in which an action is done in a “cold” way (like “coldly”), you’ll need our star suffix, “-게”.

A Simple Illustration:

Let’s take a simple example to understand the transformation:

  • Descriptive Verb: 빠르다 (to be fast)
  • With -게: 빠르게 (fastly or quickly in English)

While we don’t say “fastly” in English, it’s to give you an idea of the transformation. In Korean, adding “-게” gave the verb an adverbial property, allowing it to describe another verb.

This enables us to say sentences like “저는 빠르게 달렸어요” – I ran quickly. It’s like adding “ly” to English words.

Wrapping Up the Basics:

In a nutshell, “-게” is a bridge that transforms descriptive verbs, allowing them to modify other verbs or adjectives, offering depth and colour to your sentences. It’s one of the tools that can elevate your Korean from simple statements to more nuanced expressions. So, get ready to dive deep into the world of “-게” and add another layer of sophistication to your Korean!

What Happens After Transformation?

Now, you’re no longer limited to just describing a state or quality. With “-게”, you can describe actions!

  • Before: 그는 빨라요. (He is fast).
  • After: 그는 빠르게 달려요. (He runs quickly).
  • Before: 그녀는 예뻐요. (She is pretty).
  • After: 그녀는 예쁘게 웃어요. (She smiles prettily.).
  • Before: 저는 따뜻해요. (I am warm).
  • After: 저는 따뜻하게 입었어요. (I dressed up warmly.).

Sample sentences

We’ve talked a lot about this “-게” magic. Now, let’s take a closer look at it in action through some handpicked sample sentences.

  • 차갑다 (cold) → 차갑게
    • 커피가 차갑게 식었어요.
      • The coffee has cooled down and become cold.
  • 빠르다 (fast) → 빠르게
    • 그는 빠르게 달려갔어요.
      • He ran quickly.
  • 조용하다 (quiet) → 조용하게
    • 조용하게 말해주세요.
      • Please speak quietly.
  • 깊다 (deep) → 깊게
    • 그는 깊게 생각에 잠겼어요.
      • He was deeply lost in thought.
  • 맵다 (spicy) → 맵게
    • 그 음식은 너무 맵게 맛있었어요.
      • That food was deliciously spicy.
  • 넓다 (wide/broad) → 넓게
    • 그는 미소를 넓게 지었어요.
      • He smiled broadly.
  • 따뜻하다 (warm) → 따뜻하게
    • 그녀는 따뜻하게 옷을 입었어요.
      • She dressed warmly.
  • 깨끗하다 (clean) → 깨끗하게
    • 그녀는 방을 깨끗하게 청소했어요.
      • She cleaned the room spotlessly.
  • 행복하다 (happy) → 행복하게
    • 그녀는 행복하게 웃었어요.
      • She smiled happily.
  • 친절하다 (kind) → 친절하게
    • 그는 친절하게 도움을 줬어요.
      • He kindly offered his help.

Breakdown:

  • As observed, the “-게” form works seamlessly to turn descriptive verbs into adverbs. This transformation lets us describe actions in more detail.
  • This change provides context, such as how someone does something or how something feels. It’s a bit like adding “-ly” in English (e.g., happy → happily).
  • It’s all about adding nuance and depth to our sentences. By understanding the mechanics and practicing with these sentences, we’re one step closer to mastering this form.

Here’s to making our Korean more descriptive and dynamic! 🎉🎉🎉

Activity 1

  1. 이거 덜 ______ 해주세요. – Please make this less spicy.
  2. 그녀는 ______ 웃었어요. – She smiled brightly.
  3. 이 음식이 조금 ______ 나왔어요. – This food came out a bit salty.
  4. 사이 ______ 지내요. – Get along well.
  5. 그 방은 ______ 느껴졌어요. – The room felt dark.

Activity 1 Answers

  1. 이거 덜 맵게 해주세요. – Please make this less spicy.
  2. 그녀는 밝게 웃었어요. – She smiled brightly.
  3. 이 음식이 조금 짜게 나왔어요. – This food came out a bit salty.
  4. 사이 좋게 지내요. – Get along well.
  5. 그 방은 어둡게 느껴졌어요. – The room felt dark.

Wrap up

Alright, K-pop and K-drama enthusiasts, it’s a wrap! You’ve just unlocked the magical world of descriptive verbs with “-게”, turning your Korean adjectives into super versatile adverbs! Now, you can describe things as vividly as your favourite K-drama plot twists. 📺✨

Remember, practice makes perfect. So the next time you’re munching on some super spicy kimchi, describe its spicy kick using your newly learned “-게” form and impress all your friends. Just don’t blame us if your mouth is on fire! 🌶️🔥

Jokes aside, great job today. Keep practicing, keep laughing, and before you go, drop a comment with your funniest sentence using “-게”. Can’t wait to see what spicy sentences you cook up! Until next time, 화이팅! 💪🥳

Scroll to Top