What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 이거 아름다워요 is composed of the pronoun 이거 (this) and the adjective 아름다워요 (is beautiful).
Which one should you use?
While 아름다워요 translates to 'beautiful', in everyday casual conversation, Koreans more frequently use 예뻐요 to mean something is pretty or lovely.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal situations, you can use 이것은 아름답습니다 or 아름답다고 생각합니다 (which means 'I think it's beautiful'). The default form 이거 아름다워요 is polite and suitable for speaking to strangers or people older than you. In informal settings, such as speaking to close friends or people younger than you, you can use 이거 이뻐! or 이게 아름다워!
How does it change in a sentence?
The default form 이거 아름다워요 uses the polite ending -yo. To use the phrase in an informal way with close friends or younger people, you can drop the -yo to say 이거 아름다워.
How do you pronounce it?
igeo areumdawoyo
Did you know?
- While 아름다워요 is correct, using it to describe a person's physical appearance can sometimes feel overly poetic or even dramatic, as if you are describing a character in a historical novel.
- In Korean, the word for beauty 아름답다 is historically linked to a word meaning 'to be clean' or 'bright'.
- In Korean, you can often omit the word 'this' (이거) entirely if you are pointing at the object, as the context makes the subject clear to the listener.
Examples in context
- 정말 아름답습니다Really beautiful
- 이 사진은 아름답다This photo is beautiful
- 이 공원은 정말 아름답습니다This park is really beautiful
Example conversation
Minjun and Subin are looking at a painting in a gallery.
- 민준 Min-jun수빈 씨, 이거 아름다워요.Subin-ssi, igeo areumdawoyo.Subin, this is beautiful.
- 수빈 Su-bin정말 그렇네요, 민준 씨.jeongmal geureonneyo, Minjun-ssi.It really is, Minjun.
- 민준 Min-jun색깔이 아주 좋아요.saekkkari aju joayo.The colors are very good.
- 수빈 Su-bin마음이 편해지는 것 같아요.maeumi pyeonhaejineun geot gatayo.I feel at peace looking at it.
