그는 귀여워
geuneun gwiyeowo
The English phrase "he is cute" is translated into Korean as 그는 귀여워 (geuneun gwiyeowo).
This phrase is used to describe a male person who has an endearing or attractive appearance. In natural conversation, Koreans often omit the subject 그는 (he) and simply say 귀여워 if the person being discussed is already understood.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 그는 (he + topic marker) and 귀여워 (the informal conjugation of the adjective 귀엽다 meaning cute).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a more formal way to say "he is cute", you can use 귀엽습니다.
How does it change in a sentence?
The dictionary form of the adjective is 귀엽다. You can make the phrase polite by adding the suffix -요 to the end, resulting in 그는 귀여워요.
How do you pronounce it?
geuneun gwiyeowo
Did you know?
- While 그는 means 'he', using this pronoun in spoken conversation can sound like a dubbed foreign movie or a written novel, as Koreans prefer using names or titles.
- The concept of 'cute' is often tied to 'aegyo', a specific way of acting or speaking in a high-pitched, endearing manner to elicit affection.
- In Korean, calling a grown man 귀여워 can imply he is much younger or lower in social status than you, rather than just being a compliment on his looks.
Examples in context
- 제 어린 조카가 사랑스럽습니다.My young nephew is adorable.
- 이 영화 배우는 정말 귀엽다.This actor in the movie is really cute.
- 오늘 남자친구가 정말 귀여워.Today, my boyfriend is really cute.
Example conversation
Minji and Minjun are looking at a photo of a baby boy.
- 민지 Min-ji이 아기 좀 봐.i agi jom bwa.Look at this baby.
- 민준 Min-jun정말 귀엽다.jeongmal gwiyeopda.He's really cute.
- 민지 Min-ji맞아, 그는 귀여워.maja, geuneun gwiyeowo.Right, he is cute.
- 민준 Min-jun웃는 모습이 예뻐.unneun moseubi yeppeo.His smile is pretty.
