밝다
bakda[pa̠k̚t͈a̠]
The English word bright can be translated into Korean using 밝다 (bakda) or 환하다.
Meaning: emitting much light, visually dazzling (adj)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 밝다 | bakda | [pa̠k̚t͈a̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 환하다 | hwanhada | [ˈɸwa̠(ː)nɦa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
밝다 is used for general brightness, such as a bright room or a bright sun. It can also be used figuratively to mean being well-informed or knowledgeable about a specific subject.
Which one should you use?
While 밝다 describes general brightness, 환하다 is used when the brightness feels more luminous, clear or even emotionally bright (like a bright smile).
How does it change in a sentence?
The polite present tense form of 밝다 is 밝아요, and the past tense form is 밝았다. To say 'brighter', you can use 더 밝다.
How do you pronounce it?
bakda
Did you know?
- The Middle Korean form of 밝다 was ᄇᆞᆰ다, which is part of a linguistic family that once shared a closer connection to the word for 'red', which is the modern 붉다.
- The word 환하다 can also describe a feeling of sudden relief or clarity, as if a mental fog has cleared.
- While 밝다 is a general adjective, the word 환하다 is a 'light verb' adjective, meaning it is formed by adding 하다 (to do) to the root 환.
Examples in context
- 오늘은 밝습니다.Today is bright.
- 방이 밝아요.The room is bright.
- 오늘은 빛나는 날이에요.It's a bright day today.
- 태양은 달보다 더 밝아요.The sun is brighter than the moon.
- 방이 아주 밝다.bang-i aju balk-da.The room is very bright.
- 달빛이 정말 밝다.dal-bit-i jeong-mal balk-da.The moonlight is really bright.
- 조명이 너무 밝다.jo-myeong-i neo-mu balk-da.The lighting is too bright.
Example conversation
Hyunwoo and Minji are walking outside at night.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo오늘 밤은 달이 참 밝다.o-neul bam-eun dal-i cham bak-da.The moon is so bright tonight.
- 민지 Min-ji맞아요, 정말 환해요.ma-ja-yo, jeong-mal hwan-hae-yo.You're right, it's really radiant.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo길이 잘 보여서 좋네요.gil-i jal bo-yeo-seo jo-ne-yo.It's great that we can see the road well.
- 민지 Min-ji그러게요. 무섭지 않아요.geu-reo-ge-yo. mu-seop-ji ana-yo.I agree. It's not scary.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bright” translations and entries 밝다, 환하다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 밝다, 환하다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
