나쁘다
nappeuda[na̠p͈ɯda̠]
The English word "bad" is translated into Korean as 나쁘다 (nappeuda). Wiktionary also lists 나쁜 (nappeun).
Meaning: unfavorable, negative (adj)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 나쁘다 | nappeuda | [na̠p͈ɯda̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 나쁜 | nappeun | determiner |
나쁘다 is used to express that something is unfavorable or negative.
Which one should you use?
The two forms provided serve different grammatical functions. Use the dictionary form 나쁘다 when you want to say something "is bad" as a predicate. Use the determiner form 나쁜 when the adjective directly modifies a noun, such as in "a bad person."
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 나쁜 functions as a determiner to modify a following noun. The form 나쁘다 functions as the predicate to state that a subject is bad.
How do you pronounce it?
nappeuda
Did you know?
- In Korean, the word for 'bad' can be used to describe a person's character or a situation, but it is rarely used to describe a 'bad' taste in food, where other words are preferred.
- The word 나쁘다 originally meant 'to be insufficient' rather than 'to be bad'.
- Korean has a specific nuance where 나쁘다 is used for things that are inherently wrong, while 안 좋다 is used for things that are simply 'not good' or unfavorable.
Examples in context
- 톰은 아주 나쁜 사람이야.Tom is a very bad person.This sentence shows how to use the determiner form 나쁜 to describe a person.Tatoeba #8365057 by Eunhee, translation #6655835 by CK
- 정말 이게 나쁘다고 생각해?Do you really think it's bad?This sentence shows how to use the dictionary form 나쁘다 to state that something is bad.Tatoeba #8358573 by Eunhee, translation #919843 by CK
- 난 어젯밤 아주 나쁜 꿈을 꿨어.I had a very bad dream last night.This sentence shows how to use the determiner form 나쁜 to modify a noun like "dream."Tatoeba #8363655 by Eunhee, translation #2966871 by meerkat
- 이건 나쁜 생각이에요This is a bad idea
- 그는 불량한 학생이에요He is a bad student
- 담배는 건강에 해로워요Smoking is bad for your health
- 그 공연은 완전 구렸어That performance was really bad
- 그 식당은 별론데That restaurant is not good or That restaurant is bad
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hyunwoo and Subin are discussing a movie they just watched.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo영화 결말이 너무 나쁘다.yeonghwa gyeolmari neomu nappeuda.The movie ending is too bad.
- 수빈 Su-bin맞아, 정말 실망스러웠어.maja, jeongmal silmangseureowosseo.Right, it was really disappointing.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo평점이 왜 이렇게 높지?pyeongjeomi wae ireoke nopji?Why are the ratings so high?
- 수빈 Su-bin사람마다 생각이 다르니까.sarammada saenggagi dareunikka.Because everyone thinks differently.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bad” translations and entries 나쁘다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 나쁘다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
