Adjectives - Connective Form

This lesson is about the connective form of adjectives. This form is used to list several adjectives in a sequence, and to connect one sentence to another.

The conjugation rule for the connective form is easy.

• Take 다 off adjectives and then attach 고 to them.

Written Form	Present	Connective
High	높다	높고
Low	낮다	낮고
Big	크다	크고
Small (size)	작다	작고
Spacious	넓다	넓고
Cramped	좁다	좁고
Many	많다	많고
Small (quantity)	적다	적고
Kind	착하다	착하고
Fast	빠르다	빠르고
Slow	느리다	느리고
Outgoing	활달하다	활달하고
Quiet	조용하다	조용하고
Easy	쉽다	쉽고
Difficult	어렵다	어렵고
Interesting	재미있다	재미있고
Boring	지루하다	지루하고
Hot (tangible)	뜨겁다	뜨겁고
Cold (tangible)	차갑다	차갑고
Warm	따뜻하다	따뜻하고
Cool	시원하다	시원하고
Wonderful	굉장하다	굉장하고
Beautiful	아름답다	아름답고
Patient	인내심 있다	인내심 있고
Humorous	웃기다	웃기고
Calm	침착하다	침착하고
Humble	겸손하다	겸손하고
Lovely	사랑스럽다	사랑스럽고

The connective form of adjectives is used in two situations: 

• To list adjectives in a sequence 
• To connect one sentence to another

1. To list adjectives in a sequence

If I was to say 'kind, beautiful and humble' in Korean, the adjectives must be changed to their connective forms except the last adjective of a sentence which determines its tense.

E.g.

• 착하다 → 착하고 = kind
  
• 아름답다 → 아름답고 = beautiful
• 겸손하다 = humble

• 착하고 아름답고 겸손하다 → kind, beautiful and humble
  
• 착하고 아름답고 겸손했다 → was kind, beautiful and humble

Alternatively,

• 아름답고 겸손하고 착했다 → was beautiful, humble and kind
• 겸손하고 착하고 아름다웠다 → was humble, kind and beautiful

As you can see, the last adjective determines the tense of a sentence.


2. To connect one sentence to another.

The connective form of adjectives is also used to connect sentences.

• 유리는 착해요 = Yuri is kind
  
• 미나는 아름다워요 = Mina is beautiful
  
• 진수는 겸손해요 = Jinsu is humble

유리는 착하고, 미나는 아름답고, 진수는 겸손해요. 
= Yuri is kind, Mina is beautiful and Jinsu is humble.

• 앤디는 웃겨요 = Andy is humorous/funny
• 프랭클린은 조용해요 = Franklin is quiet
• 제시카는 활달해요 = Jessica is outgoing

앤디는 웃기고, 프랭클린은 조용하고, 제시카는 활달해요
= Andy is humorous/funny, Franklin is quiet, and Jessica is outgoing.

• 음료수는 시원하다 = A soft drink is cool
• 차는 뜨겁다 = Tea is hot
• 포도는 달다 = Grapes are sweet

음료수는 시원하고, 차는 뜨겁고, 포도는 달다.
= A soft drink is cool, tea is hot, and grapes are sweet.