Skip to content

Easy Korean Level 10 - Unit 13: Word Builder 23 / 적(的)

Welcome to Word Builder 23! Today’s Chinese character root is 적 (的).

This is one of the most useful suffixes in the Korean language. The meaning of this character is "-ic", "-ive", or "-al". It turns a noun into an adjective (or an adverb when combined with '으로').

Vocabulary & Usage

When you attach 적 to a noun, it means "relating to [Noun]" or "having the properties of [Noun]."

  1. 개인 (Individual / Personal)
  2. 개인적 = personal

  3. 이건 제 개인적인 의견입니다. = This is my personal opinion. (Noun + 적인 + Noun)

  4. 일반 (General)

  5. 일반적 = general, common

  6. 한국에서는 그게 일반적이에요. = That is common/general in Korea.

  7. 세계 (World)

  8. 세계적 = global, worldwide

  9. BTS는 세계적인 가수입니다. = BTS is a global singer.

  10. 긍정 (Positivity)

  11. 긍정적 = positive

  12. 긍정적으로 생각해 보세요. = Try to think positively. (Noun + 적으로 -> Adverb)

  13. 부정 (Negativity)

  14. 부정적 = negative

  15. 너무 부정적으로 말하지 마세요. = Don't speak too negatively.

  16. 구체 (Concrete / Specific)

  17. 구체적 = specific, concrete

  18. 좀 더 구체적으로 설명해 주세요. = Please explain more specifically.

  19. 자동 (Automatic)

  20. 자동적 = automatic
  21. 문이 자동으로 열려요. (For '자동', '으로' is often attached directly without '적', but '자동적' is also used).
  22. 반사적으로 (Reflexively) is another common one!

How to conjugate '적'

  • 적이다 -> Used at the end of a sentence (It is ~)
  • 이 방법은 아주 효율적입니다. (This method is very efficient.)
  • 적인 + Noun -> Used as an adjective
  • 효율적인 방법 (An efficient method)
  • 적으로 + Verb -> Used as an adverb
  • 효율적으로 일하세요. (Work efficiently.)