Lesson 19: Korean Comparatives and Superlatives: 더, 보다, 가장/제일 24/06/2020, 1)57 PM

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Lesson 19: Korean Comparatives and Superlatives: 더, 보다, 가장/제일

New Lesson: Lesson 150

Click here for a workbook to go along with this lesson.

The following videos are available to reinforce the concepts taught in this lesson:
Sentence Practice, Dictation
This lesson is also available in Русский, Español, Nederlands and Français

Jump to:

Vocabulary
Introduction

More: 더

Korean Comparatives – 보다
Less: 덜

Korean Superlatives – 가장/제일

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Vocabulary

Click on the English word to see information and examples of that word in use (you
probably wonʼt be able to understand the grammar within the sentences at this
point, but it is good to see as you progress through your learning).

A PDF file neatly presenting these words and extra information can be found here. SENTENCE PRACTICE
VIDEOS
Nouns:
PLAY 한식 = Korean food

PLAY 양식 = western food

PLAY 키 = height

PLAY 별 = star DICTATION PRACTICE

VIDEOS
PLAY 태도 = attitude

PLAY 월급 = pay cheque

PLAY 도심 = downtown

PLAY 시내 = downtown
VOCABULARY
PLAY 추억 = memory PRACTICE VIDEOS

PLAY 후보자 = candidate

PLAY 라면 = instant noodles (ramen)

PLAY 주년 = anniversary

KOREAN SIGN
PLAY 자세 = body position/posture
EXPLANATION

PLAY 평소 = usual

PLAY 옛날 = old days

PLAY 옛사랑 = old love

PLAY 옛길 = old road/path

Verbs:
CONJUGATE PLAY 걱정하다 = to worry

CONJUGATE PLAY 씻다 = to wash

CONJUGATE PLAY 확인하다 = to confirm, to check

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CONJUGATE PLAY 모으다 = to gather, to collect

CONJUGATE PLAY 이야기하다 = to talk with, to have a conversation

CONJUGATE PLAY 수집하다 = to collect

CONJUGATE PLAY 추천하다 = to recommend

Adjectives:
CONJUGATE PLAY 좁다 = to be narrow

CONJUGATE PLAY 넓다 = to be wide

CONJUGATE PLAY 특별하다 = to be special

CONJUGATE PLAY 게으르다 = to be lazy

CONJUGATE PLAY 편하다 = to be comfortable

CONJUGATE PLAY 안락하다 = to be comfortable

Adverbs and Other words:

PLAY 더 = more

PLAY 덜 = less

PLAY 가장 = the most (superlative)

PLAY 제일 = the most (superlative)

PLAY 여러 = many/various

PLAY 옛 _____ = something old

For help memorizing these words, try using our Memrise tool.

You might also want to try listening to all of the words on loop with this Vocabulary
Practice video.

Introduction

In this lesson, you will learn how to make comparative and superlative sentences in
Korean. Using comparative sentences, you will learn how to make sentences like “I
am more beautiful than you” or “he is faster than his brother.” Using superlative
sentences, you will learn how to make sentences like “I am the most handsome
person in the world.” In addition, we will take an in-depth look at the word 더, which
is commonly used in comparative sentences. Letʼs get started.

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More: 더

Before we even get into using comparatives, I want to make you familiar with the
word 더, meaning “more” in English. The word ‘moreʼ (in English and Korean) is very
commonly used in sentences when comparing things. For example:

I am more handsome than you

In order to understand how 더 is used, letʼs first look at sentences where it is not
used:

PLAY 여기는 편해요 = Here is comfortable (it is comfortable here)

PLAY 라면은 매워요 = Ramen is spicy

Those are simple sentences without 더. By adding 더 you can indicate that the
particular subjects are “more comfortable” or “spicier” than something else. For
example:

PLAY 여기는 더 편해요 = Here is more comfortable (it is more comfortable here)
PLAY 라면은 더 매워요 = Ramen is spicier

At this point we havenʼt specifically indicated what the subjects are being
compared to, but we will get to that later in the lesson. For now, letʼs just focus on
the use of 더. Below are many more examples:

PLAY 도심은 더 멀어요 = Downtown is further

PLAY 이 방은 더 좁아요 = This room is smaller (narrower)
PLAY 추억은 더 중요해요 = Memories are more important
PLAY 한식은 더 맛있어요 = Korean food is more delicious
PLAY 저는 더 특별한 것을 사고 싶어요 = I want to buy something more special
PLAY 저는 더 넓은 집에서 살고 싶어요 = I want to live in a bigger (wider) house

In all of the examples above, 더 is used with adjectives. It can also be used with
verbs to indicate that an action will happen “more.” For example:

PLAY 저는 밥을 더 먹을 거예요 = I will eat more

PLAY 저는 더 공부할 거예요 = I will study more
PLAY 저는 더 기다릴 거예요 = I will wait more (longer)
PLAY 그 회사는 월급을 더 줘요 = That company gives more of a paycheque
PLAY 우리는 돈을 더 모을 거예요 = We will collect more money
PLAY 저는 손을 더 씻을 거예요 = I will wash my hands more

In sentences where 더 is used with verbs, it is common to place an adverb after 더

to indicate the degree in which the action occurs. When used like this, itʼs not that
the action happens more – but rather that the verb happens more in a way of the
adverb. For example:

PLAY 저는 더 열심히 공부할 거예요 = I will study harder

PLAY 저는 밥을 더 건강하게 먹을 거예요 = I will eat healthier
PLAY 그 학생들은 더 시끄럽게 이야기했어요 = Those students talked louder

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It is also common to use 조금 before 더 to indicate that something occurs “a little bit
more.” For example:

PLAY 이 방은 조금 더 좁아요 = This room is a little bit smaller

PLAY 저는 조금 더 기다릴 거예요 = I will wait a little bit more
PLAY 저는 조금 더 열심히 공부할 거예요 = I will study a little bit harder

——————-

You can also add 더 to sentences with counters in them. For example:

PLAY 나는 펜 두 개가 있어 = I have two pens

PLAY 나는 펜 두 개가 더 있어 = I have two more pens

PLAY 사람 두 명이 올 거예요 = Two people will come

PLAY 사람 두 명이 더 올 거예요 = Two more people will come

PLAY 저의 여동생은 지난 주에 책을 두 권 읽었어요 = My sister read two books last

week
PLAY 저의 여동생은 지난 주에 책을 두 권 더 읽었어요 = My sister read two more books
last week

PLAY 나는 어제 학교에 두 번 갔어 = I went to school two times (twice) yesterday

PLAY 나는 어제 학교에 두 번 더 갔어 = I went to school two more times yesterday

——————-

It is common to use the word 좋다 with 더 to indicate that something is “more good.”
Of course, we donʼt say “more good” in English. Instead, we say “better.” For
example:

PLAY 도심이 더 좋아요 = Downtown is better

PLAY 그 자세가 더 좋아요 = That position/posture is better
PLAY 그 학생의 태도가 더 좋아요 = That studentʼs attitude is better

——————-

It is also common to use the word 많다 with 더 to indicate simply that there is more
of something. For example:

PLAY 저는 돈이 더 많아요 = I have more money

PLAY 여기는 별이 더 많아요 = There are more stars here

So far, you have seen how 더 can be used in simple sentences without any
specifically identified comparison. It is also possible to indicate what the situation is
being compared to. I will discuss this in the next section.

Korean Comparatives – 보다

As you learned in the previous section, you can use 더 in sentences when not

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making any specific comparison. 더 is often used in sentences when a specific

comparison is being made. In English, comparing is really hard and confusing. Look
at these examples:

It is hotter than yesterday

It is more beautiful than yesterday
It is smellier than yesterday

In English, depending on the word that you are using to compare, the conjugation is
different. I canʼt imagine how annoying this would be for an English learner. Luckily,
comparatives in Korean are much simpler (or is it more simple?).

In Korean, you can make a specific comparison by attaching the particle ~보다 to
the thing that is being compared to. I feel like it is most logical to present sentences
using ~보다 in the same order that I presented the sentences using 더. So here we
go:

You can use ~보다 to make a specific comparison with adjectives:

PLAY 나는 더 잘생겼어 = I am more handsome

PLAY 나는 아버지보다 더 잘생겼어 = I am more handsome than my father

Notice here the example “잘생기다” (handsome) is conjugated into the past tense.
When conjugating 잘생기다 and 못생기다 it is always more natural to use the past
tense conjugation.

PLAY 선생님들은 더 똑똑해요 = Teachers are smarter

PLAY 선생님들은 학생들보다 더 똑똑해요 = Teachers are smarter than students

PLAY 한식은 더 매워 = Korean food is spicier

PLAY 한식은 양식보다 더 매워 = Korean food is spicier than western food

PLAY 오늘은 더 더워 = Today is hotter

PLAY 오늘은 어제보다 더 더워 = Today is hotter than yesterday

PLAY 저는 키가 더 커요 = I am taller
PLAY 저는 남동생보다 키가 더 커요 = I am taller than my brother

PLAY 추억은 더 중요해요 = Memories are more important

PLAY 추억은 돈보다 더 중요해요 = Memories are more important than money

You donʼt really need 더 in these types of sentences. The use of ~보다 in these
types of sentences would also carry this meaning. However, there is no harm in
including it.

You can use ~보다 to make a specific comparison with verbs:

PLAY 나는 밥을 더 먹었어 = I ate more

PLAY 나는 남동생보다 밥을 더 먹었어 = I ate more than my brother
PLAY 나는 어제보다 밥을 더 먹었어 = I ate more than yesterday

PLAY 저는 더 공부할 거예요 = I will study more

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PLAY 저는 친구들보다 더 공부할 거예요 = I will study more than my friends

PLAY 저는 작년보다 더 공부할 거예요 = I will study more than last year

You can use adverbs in these sentences to indicate that they occur more as a
function of the adverb:

PLAY 저는 친구들보다 더 열심히 공부할 거예요 = I will study harder than my friends
PLAY 저는 작년보다 더 열심히 공부할 거예요 = I will study harder than last year

You can compare things in sentences with counters as well. For example:

PLAY 나는 친구보다 펜이 두 개 더 있어 = I have two more pens than my friend

PLAY 어제보다 두 명 더 올 거예요 = Two more people will come compared to
yesterday
PLAY 저의 여동생은 지난 주보다 이번 주에 책을 두 권 더 읽었어요 = My sister read two
more books this week than she read last week

——————

The words 좋다 and 많다 are often used with ~보다 as well. For example:

PLAY 저는 옛날보다 돈이 더 많아요 = I have more money than a long time ago
PLAY 저는 저의 아버지보다 돈이 더 많아요 = I have more money than my father
PLAY 그 학생의 태도가 지난 주보다 더 좋아요 = That studentʼs attitude is better than
last week

——————

Another way you can create the meaning of “better” is by using the adjective 낫다.
낫다 is very much like 좋다, but it is more naturally used when a specified
comparison is being made. Therefore, it is common to see 낫다 used in sentences
with ~보다. For example:

PLAY 그 학생의 태도가 지난 주보다 나아요 = That studentʼs attitude is better than last
week
PLAY 라면보다 밥이 더 나아요 = Rice is better than Ramen
PLAY 한식보다 양식이 더 나아요 = Western food is better than Korean food

낫다 is also very commonly used when you are talking about getting better after
being sick. You can say things like this:

PLAY 병은 나았어 = Iʼm better (literally – the sickness/disease is better)

PLAY 감기는 나았어 = My cold is better

Although ~보다 is not used in the sentences above, by context the listener assumed
that the speaker is referring to the time where he/she had a cold.

——————

Two words that ~보다 is commonly attached to are 평소 and 생각. For example:

PLAY 저는 요즘에 평소보다 더 바빠요 = These days, I am busier than usual

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PLAY 나는 평소보다 더 공부하고 있어 = I am studying more than usual

PLAY 오늘 하늘에 별이 평소보다 더 많아요 = Tonight, there are more stars in the sky
than usual

PLAY 도심은 생각보다 멀어요 = Downtown is further than I thought

PLAY 별이 생각보다 더 많아요 = There are more stars than I thought
PLAY 한식은 생각보다 매워요 = Korean food is spicier than I thought

덜 – Less

The word “덜” can be used to have the opposite meaning of 더. That is, it can be
used to mean “less.” For example:

PLAY 나는 남동생보다 덜 잘생겼어 = Iʼm less handsome than my brother

PLAY 한국에서 대학교는 고등학교보다 덜 어려워요 = In Korea, University is not as hard
as high school

These sentences are correct, and would be perfectly understood, but it is usually
more natural and common to create the opposite sentence and use 더 instead. For
example, I would much rather say the following sentences than the two sentences
above:

PLAY 남동생이 나보다 더 잘생겼어 = My brother is more handsome than me

PLAY 한국에서 고등학교는 대학교보다 더 어려워요 = In Korea, high school is harder
than university

One more quick thing – it is kind of funny/cute slang to pronounce 덜 as 들. I

suggest you try it out sometime. Korean people often get a kick out of foreign
people speaking in slang-like language. They usually canʼt get over the fact that we
know Korean, let alone the fact that we know a bit of slang.

Korean Superlatives – 가장/제일

Superlatives, just like comparatives are so much easier in Korean than they are in
English. In English, depending on the word you are using, you have to conjugate it
differently:

She is the hottest girl

She is the most beautiful girl
She is the smelliest girl

In Korean, instead of mucking (I said “mucking”) around with different forms like in
English, all you need to do is add one word: 가장

예쁘다 = pretty
가장 예쁘다 = Prettiest

아름답다 = beautiful

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가장 아름답다 = Most beautiful

A synonym of “가장” is “제일,” which is often used in speech.

You can then put these into sentences just like you would normal adjectives:

PLAY 저의 여자 친구는 한국에서 가장 예쁜 여자예요 = My girlfriend is the prettiest girl

in Korea
PLAY 가족은 가장 중요해요 = Family is the most important

You canʼt really use 가장 with verbs unless there is also an adverb included within
the sentence. For example, you canʼt say this:

나는 가장 달려 = I run… most?… doesnʼt make sense

In these cases, you need to add an adverb to the sentence:

PLAY 나는 가장 빨리 달려 = I run the fastest

PLAY 우리가 집에 제일 늦게 도착했어요 = We arrived home the latest (we were the
latest people to arrive at home)

However, you can add 가장 to 좋아하다 (to like) without an adverb to indicate that
you ‘like something the most.ʼ (This is also how you say “my favorite” in Korean).

PLAY 나는 그 여자를 가장 좋아해 = I like that girl most (that girl is my favorite)
PLAY 나는 수학을 가장 좋아해 = I like math most (math is my favorite)

Note here that in most real situations it is probably more natural [in English and in
Korean] to say something like:

I am the fastest runner – instead of – I run the fastest

Math is my favorite subject – instead of – Math is my favorite

To this point, you havenʼt learned how to add this extra dimension to your
sentences with verbs. This concept is introduced in Lesson 26. That being said, it is
essentially the same as making this change to adjectives:
가족은 가장 중요해요 = Family is the most important
가족이 가장 중요한 것이에요 = Family is the most important thing

In order to express a negative superlative, of course, you can use a word that has a
negative meaning, for example:

PLAY 저는 사과를 가장 싫어해요 = I dislike apples the most

PLAY 저는 사과를 제일 싫어해요 = I dislike apples the most

You could technically add ~지 않다 or ~안 to the sentence to make it a negative

superlative sentence. For example:

PLAY 그 여자는 우리 반에서 가장 예쁘지 않은 여자예요 = That girl is the least pretty in
our class
PLAY 그 여자는 우리 반에서 제일 예쁘지 않은 여자예요 = That girl is the least pretty in
our class

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수학은 가장 쉽지 않아요 = Math is the least easy

수학은 제일 쉽지 않아요 = Math is the least easy

However, those sentences would sound much more natural (in English and Korean)
if you just used a word with the opposite meaning. For example:

PLAY 그 여자는 우리 반에서 제일 못생긴 여자예요 = That girl is the ugliest in our class
PLAY 수학은 제일 어려워요 = Math is the hardest

In most of these superlative sentences, it would usually sound much more natural
to add “Of all X”. For example:

Of all subjects at school, math is the most difficult

Of all fruit, I dislike apples the most

The grammatical principle needed to add this extra level of complexity to your
sentences is introduced in Lesson 33.

Two adverbs that 가장/제일 are often used with are 잘 and 못, which will be talked
about in the next lesson.

Thatʼs it for this lesson!

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