Modifying Nouns with Adjectives
In Korean, just like in English, adjectives (called descriptive verbs) are placed before the nouns they describe. For example, to say "a pretty flower," you put "pretty" (예쁜) before "flower" (꽃).
To turn a dictionary-form adjective like 예쁘다 (to be pretty) into a form that can modify a noun, you need to attach a special ending to its stem. The most common ending for adjectives is -ㄴ/은 .
The -ㄴ/은 Rule
How to Attach -ㄴ/은
The choice between -ㄴ and -은 depends on whether the adjective stem ends in a vowel or a consonant.
1. Vowel Stems + ㄴ
If the adjective stem ends in a vowel, you attach -ㄴ directly to the stem.
Dictionary Form · Stem · + ㄴ · Result · Example
예쁘다 · 예쁘 · + ㄴ · 예쁜 · 예쁜 꽃
크다 · 크 · + ㄴ · 큰 · 큰 집
비싸다 · 비싸 · + ㄴ · 비싼 · 비싼 시계
2. Consonant Stems + 은
If the adjective stem ends in a consonant, you attach -은 .
Dictionary Form · Stem · + 은 · Result · Example
작다 · 작 · + 은 · 작은 · 작은 방
좋다 · 좋 · + 은 · 좋은 · 좋은 친구
많다 (many/much) · 많 · + 은 · 많은 · 많은 사람
Core takeaway: Vowel stem + -ㄴ (e.g., 예쁘다 -> 예쁜)
Special Case: 있다 and 없다
The descriptive verbs 있다 (to exist/have) and 없다 (to not exist/not have) are very common and follow a special rule. They are often part of compound adjectives like:
재미있다 (to be interesting/fun)
맛있다 (to be tasty)
멋있다 (to be cool/stylish)
재미없다 (to be uninteresting/boring)
맛없다 (to be not tasty)
When these are used to modify nouns, they always take the ending -는 , regardless of the stem.
Rule: Adjective stem ending in 있다/없다 + 는
Dictionary Form · Stem · + 는 · Result · Example