예절바르다
yejeolbareuda[je̞d͡ʑʌ̹ɭba̠ɾɯda̠]
To behave in Korean is to say 예절바르다 (yejeolbareuda). Wiktionary also lists 예절바르게 행동하다 (yejeolbareuge haengdonghada) and 몸가짐이 얌전하다 (momgajimi yamjeonhada).
Meaning: to act in a polite or proper way (verb)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 예절바르다 | yejeolbareuda | [je̞d͡ʑʌ̹ɭba̠ɾɯda̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 예절바르게 행동하다 | yejeolbareuge haengdonghada | |
| 몸가짐이 얌전하다 | momgajimi yamjeonhada |
The various forms of this concept allow you to describe either a person's polite character or the specific action of acting well. Use 예절바르게 행동하다 when you want to emphasize the act of behaving in a polite manner. You may also use 몸가짐이 얌전하다 to describe someone, often a child or a young woman, who is behaving in a quiet, calm or modest way.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 예절바르다 is composed of 예절, meaning etiquette or manners and 바르다, meaning to be straight or correct. The phrase 예절바르게 행동하다 literally means to act (행동하다) in a polite manner (예절바르게).
Which one should you use?
While 예절바르다 describes a person's character or their state of being polite, 예절바르게 행동하다 focuses on the specific action of behaving well.
How do you pronounce it?
yejeolbareuda
Did you know?
- The word 예절 uses the Chinese character for 'ritual' (禮), meaning that polite behavior was originally viewed as a formal ritual.
- The term 얌전하다 is frequently used for children or pets, but using it for an adult can sometimes imply that they are overly passive or lacking in confidence.
- Korean has different levels of politeness built into its grammar, meaning that the way you tell someone to 'behave' changes based on their social rank relative to you.
Examples in context
- 회의 중에는 정중하게 행동해야 합니다.During the meeting, you should behave politely.
- 학교에서는 항상 올바른 행동을 해야 합니다.You should always behave properly at school.
- 그 아이는 정말 예절바르다.geu ai-neun jeongmal yejeolbareuda.That child is truly polite.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “behave” translations and entries 예절바르다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
