Short answer
“beautiful” in Korean is 아름답다
How to say beautiful in Korean?
How to say beautiful in Korean: the standard word is 아름답다 (areumdapda), used for scenery, music, art, and profound beauty. In everyday speech, Koreans more often say 예쁘다 (yeppeuda) for people, flowers, and cute things, and 곱다 (gopda) for delicate, refined beauty. Politely say 아름다워요 or 예뻐요; in casual style say 아름다워 or 예뻐. The right choice depends on what you're describing and how formal the situation is.
Common pairings
아름다운 경치아름다운 목소리아름다운 마음예쁜 얼굴예쁜 드레스곱게 핀 꽃
How to use it
- Use 아름답다 for nature, art, music, and abstract ideas such as a beautiful heart or soul. It sounds elevated, so Koreans rarely use it to compliment a friend's clothes.
- Use 예쁘다 in casual and polite conversation for people, pets, clothes, flowers, and small pretty things. It is the first word many learners hear for 'pretty' or 'beautiful'.
- 곱다 is more poetic and narrow. It describes delicate beauty like fine hands, skin, Korean paper, or lace. You will meet it in literature and in compliments about older women's elegance.
Examples
아름다운 풍경이 눈앞에 펼쳐졌어요.
A beautiful landscape spread out before my eyes.
areumdaun punggyeong-i nunape pyeolchyeojeosseoyo. 아름다운 is the modifier form of 아름답다. Polite -아/어요 ending, common in spoken Korean.
이 꽃 정말 예쁘다!
This flower is really pretty!
i kkot jeongmal yeppeuda. Casual 반말 style with the plain form -다. 예쁘다 is the everyday word for pretty, cute things.
그 노래는 정말 아름다워요.
That song is truly beautiful.
geu noraeneun jeongmal areumdawoyo. Here 아름답다 becomes 아름다워요, following the ㅂ irregular conjugation. Polite form.
할머니의 손이 곱고 따뜻해요.
Grandmother's hands are delicate and warm.
halmeoni-ui soni gopgo ttatteuthaeyo. 곱다 (gopda) describes fine, refined beauty. The connecting form 곱고 joins two adjectives in a polite sentence.
Common mistakes
| Wrong | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 그 여자는 얼굴이 아름다 |
그 여자는 얼굴이 아름다워요. | 아름답다 is a ㅂ irregular adjective; its polite form is 아름다워요, not 아름다와요. |
| Unnatural | Natural | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 산 풍경이 정말 |
산 풍경이 정말 아름다워요. | 예쁘다 fits small, cute things; for a grand mountain view, Korean speakers expect 아름답다. |
| 그는 정말 |
그는 정말 잘생겼어요. | 예쁘다 about a man suggests a feminine or flower-boy look; a natural compliment for a man is 잘생기다 (handsome). |
FAQ
- How to say beautiful in KoreanThe dictionary standard is 아름답다 (areumdapda), but in daily conversation Koreans use 예쁘다 (yeppeuda) much more often. Use 아름답다 for scenic views, art, and formal writing, and 예쁘다 for people, pets, and cute or pretty objects.
- Is 예쁘다 the same as 아름답다?Not exactly. 예쁘다 means 'pretty' and is casual; 아름답다 means 'beautiful' and sounds more elevated. A mountain view is 아름답다, but a new phone case is 예쁘다.
- Can I say 예쁘다 about a man?You can, but it emphasizes a feminine or delicate face. To compliment a man's appearance naturally, use 잘생겼다 (jalsaenggyeotta), meaning handsome.
- What is the polite form of beautiful in Korean?In polite speech, say 아름다워요 or 예뻐요. To be extra formal, use 아름답습니다 or 예쁩니다. Avoid the plain form 아름답다 in a sentence aimed at a listener.