How to say cute in Korean

• 너무 예뻐요It's so prettyneomu yeppeoyoPolite

  Complimenting

  Written너무 예뻐요

  Read exactly as written.

• 너 진짜 예쁘다You're so prettyneo jinjja yeppeudaCasual

  Compliment

  Written너 진짜 예쁘다

  Read exactly as written.

• 멋있다So cool!meositda · said 머싣따Casual

  Someone looks or does great

  Written멋있다

  Said머싣따

  1. 1멋있 → 머싣Linking · 7 final sounds

     A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ; At the end of a syllable, consonants collapse into one of just seven sounds.

     The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).

     Only seven final sounds. At the end of a syllable Korean has only seven sounds: ㄱ ㄴ ㄷ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅇ. ㅅ ㅆ ㅈ ㅊ ㅌ ㅎ sound like ㄷ, ㅋ ㄲ like ㄱ, ㅍ like ㅂ. 옷 is said 옫 (ot).

  2. 2다 → 따Tense

     After a ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ ending, the next ㄱㄷㅂㅅㅈ is squeezed into tense ㄲㄸㅃㅆㅉ.

     Tense, doubled sounds. After a final ㄱ ㄷ ㅂ sound, the next ㄱ ㄷ ㅂ ㅅ ㅈ becomes tense: ㄲ ㄸ ㅃ ㅆ ㅉ. 학교 is said 학꾜 (hak-kkyo).

  NoteAlso heard as [머딛따] — both are standard

• 잘생겼다So handsome!jalsaenggyeotda · said 잘생겯따Casual

  Male lead appears

  Written잘생겼다

  Said잘생겯따

  1. 1겼 → 겯7 final sounds

     At the end of a syllable, consonants collapse into one of just seven sounds.

     Only seven final sounds. At the end of a syllable Korean has only seven sounds: ㄱ ㄴ ㄷ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅇ. ㅅ ㅆ ㅈ ㅊ ㅌ ㅎ sound like ㄷ, ㅋ ㄲ like ㄱ, ㅍ like ㅂ. 옷 is said 옫 (ot).

  2. 2다 → 따Tense

     After a ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ ending, the next ㄱㄷㅂㅅㅈ is squeezed into tense ㄲㄸㅃㅆㅉ.

     Tense, doubled sounds. After a final ㄱ ㄷ ㅂ sound, the next ㄱ ㄷ ㅂ ㅅ ㅈ becomes tense: ㄲ ㄸ ㅃ ㅆ ㅉ. 학교 is said 학꾜 (hak-kkyo).

• 심쿵My heart skipped a beat!simkungCasual

  Someone smiles at you

  Written심쿵

  Read exactly as written.

  NoteSlang: 심 from 심장 (heart) + 쿵 (thump)

Questions