Key Facts
- Hangul: 단단하다 (dandanhada)
- Meaning: firm
- Level: B1
- Part of speech: adjective
- Stem: 단단하
- Conjugation class: 하다 type
- Grammar: Descriptive word; the firm thing takes 이/가 (돌이 단단해요).
- Usage: Used for objects, ground, knots and resolve (마음을 단단히 먹다). B1 vocabulary.
What Does 단단하다 Mean?
단단하다 means firm: hard in a strong, solid way. 단단한 돌 is a solid stone, and 단단한 끈 is a strong cord. It is a B1 word, and the thing described takes 이/가, as in 돌이 단단해요. It often praises strength, but firmness can be unwanted in food or other things that should be soft.
How Do You Pronounce 단단하다?
단단하다 is read as written. 하 and 여 contract to 해, keeping ㅎ, so you get 단단해요 and 단단했어요, the second spoken [단단해써요]. In the formal style, the ㅂ of 합 meets ㄴ and turns into ㅁ: 단단합니다 is [단단함니다], and the formal past 단단했습니다 is [단단핻씀니다].
How Do You Use 단단하다 in a Sentence?
이 의자는 아주 단단해요.
This chair is very sturdy.
아주 strengthens 단단해요, and 이 의자는 is the topic, so the chair is sturdy.
단단한 끈으로 묶었어요.
I tied it with a strong cord.
단단한 is the present modifier and goes before 끈으로, the cord used to tie.
튼튼하고 단단하면 좋아요.
It's good if it is sturdy and firm.
튼튼하고 단단하면 is an if-clause joining two good qualities.
The three sentences show the polite present 단단해요, the modifier 단단한 and the if-form 단단하면.
How Does Dandanhada Conjugation Work?
단단하다 is a 하다 adjective, so 하 + 여 contracts to 해: 단단해요, 단단했어요, 단단해서. The present modifier is 단단한, and the if-form is 단단하면. The long negative is 단단하지 않아요. The rule behind this class is in the lesson on how 하다 becomes 해요.
단단하다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 단단해요 | ||
| Polite past | 단단했어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 단단할 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 단단하겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 단단합니다 | ||
| Formal past | 단단했습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 단단할 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 단단해 | ||
| Casual past | 단단했어 | ||
| Casual future | 단단할 거야 | ||
| Honorific polite | 단단하세요 | ||
| Because / and then | 단단해서 | ||
| If (conditional) | 단단하면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 단단한 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 단단했던 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 단단할 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 안 단단해요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 단단하지 않아요 |
No want-to row: -고 싶다 suits verbs.
Sound Changes
| Form | Korean | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Polite past | 단단했어요 | [단단해써요] |
| Polite future (plan) | 단단할 거예요 | [단단할꺼예요] |
| Polite future guess | 단단하겠어요 | [단단하게써요] |
| Formal present | 단단합니다 | [단단함니다] |
| Formal past | 단단했습니다 | [단단핻씀니다] |
| Formal future | 단단할 것입니다 | [단단할꺼심니다] |
| Casual past | 단단했어 | [단단해써] |
| Casual future | 단단할 거야 | [단단할꺼야] |
| Past modifier | 단단했던 | [단단핻떤] |
| Long negative | 단단하지 않아요 | [단단하지 아나요] |
Common Mistake with 단단하다
Wrong: ✗ 단단히 돌이에요
Correct: ✓ 단단한 돌이에요
Why: 단단히 is an adverb. Before a noun you need the modifier, so say 단단한 돌이에요, not 단단히 돌이에요.
Objects, Ground, Knots and Resolve
단단하다 describes objects, ground and knots. The adverb 단단히 turns up in a figurative phrase: 마음을 단단히 먹다 means to steel yourself. The modifier 단단한 and the adverb 단단히 are close in sound but not interchangeable.
What Is Easy to Confuse with 단단하다?
| Word | How to tell it from 단단하다 |
|---|---|
| 딱딱하다 | 딱딱하다 focuses on hardness or stiffness and can sound negative; 단단하다 emphasizes firmness or solidity. Both can describe physical hardness. |
| 튼튼하다 | 튼튼하다 is sturdy or healthy; 단단하다 is firm and hard to break. |
튼튼하다 is sturdy or healthy, and it can describe people. 단단하다 is hard to break or press.
Packing a Box for a Move
Two roommates are packing books. One checks the box, then the other chooses a cord to secure it.
Mina
이 상자는 단단해요?
I sangjaneun dandanhaeyo?
Is this box sturdy?
Alex
네. 전에 쓴 상자도 단단했어요.
Ne. Jeone sseun sangjado dandanhaesseoyo.
Yes. The box we used before was sturdy too.
Mina
단단한 끈으로 묶을까요?
Dandanhan kkeuneuro mukkeulkkayo?
Shall we tie it with a strong cord?
Alex
네. 단단히 묶어 주세요.
Ne. Dandanhi mukkeo juseyo.
Yes. Please tie it tightly.
단단해요 checks the box's present quality, and 단단했어요 recalls a previous box. 단단한 describes the cord, while 단단히 describes the tying. That last distinction changes the packing instruction: a strong cord is a material choice, and tying it tightly is an action. One does not automatically guarantee the other.
Firm Objects, Tight Knots and Firm Resolve
단단한 매듭 means “a tight/secure knot”. The quality concerns how firmly the knot holds. 단단히 묶다 means “to tie tightly”. The first phrase names the result; the second tells someone how to perform the action. Both are useful when packing a parcel or securing something with a cord.
단단한 결심 means “a firm decision” or “firm resolve”. A decision is not physically hard, but the image is of something that does not give way easily. The phrase suits a determination someone intends to keep despite difficulty. It adds commitment beyond merely choosing between two options.
마음을 단단히 먹다 means “to steel yourself” or “to make up your mind firmly”. Literally, it combines the heart or mind with eating firmly, but the expression concerns resolve. 마음을 is the object of 먹다, and 단단히 describes the firmness of that resolve. The phrase does not describe a meal.
Where Does Firmness Matter?
Product descriptions and shopping conversations use 단단하다 for something that resists pressure or holds its shape. You may hear it about a box, a chair, a stone or the ground. A sturdy chair may be a good purchase, while fruit that is too hard may not be ready to eat. The word's positive or negative value depends on what the speaker needs.
Cooking and food storage provide another setting. Firm fruit can be easier to transport, and a piece of food can become too hard to enjoy. 단단하다 does not by itself mean fresh, safe or delicious. It gives one texture detail. Add the food and the situation before deciding whether the speaker is praising or complaining.
In personal stories, firmness can describe a decision or determination. The object vocabulary around it helps: a rock points to physical hardness; 결심 points to mental resolve. The same adjective connects the two through the idea of resisting change. You do not need to invent a separate literal translation for every example.
The Adjective, Its Modifier and Its Adverbs
단단해요 completes a polite description. 단단한 must be followed by a noun, such as 끈 or 매듭. 단단히 and 단단하게 describe an action or process. Both adverb forms occur, but 단단한 cannot simply replace either one before an action. Ask what the next word is doing: naming a thing or telling what happens.
The contraction from 하여 to 해 keeps ㅎ in 단단해요. This is not a case where the first part 단단 changes. Also keep the adjective together as 단단하다. By contrast, the phrase 마음을 단단히 먹다 has separate words because 마음, the adverb and the action each have their own role.
| Korean | Meaning | Useful connection |
|---|---|---|
| 매듭 | knot | Describe a secure result after tying. |
| 끈 | cord / string | Name the material used to fasten something. |
| 결심 | decision / resolve | Move from physical firmness to determination. |
| 부드럽다 | to be soft / gentle | Contrast softness with a firm texture. |
The everyday objects lesson builds vocabulary for packing and handling things. Weight, thickness and firmness are separate properties: 무겁다 says heavy, 두껍다 says thick, and 단단하다 concerns resistance or solidity.
Mini Drill: Choose the Packing Word
- Complete “a firm stone”: ____ 돌.
- Choose the adverb for “tie tightly”: 단단한 / 단단히 묶다.
- Make the polite past of 단단하다.
- Make the conditional “if it is firm”.
Show the firmness drill answers
- 단단한 돌.
- 단단히 묶다. 단단한 would need a noun after it.
- 단단했어요.
- 단단하면.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 마음을 단단히 먹다 refer to eating hard food?
- Is a strong cord the same instruction as tying tightly?
- Does 단단하다 tell you how heavy a box is?
Show self-test answers
- No. It means to steel yourself or resolve firmly.
- No. 단단한 끈 describes the cord; 단단히 묶다 describes the action.
- No. 무겁다 describes weight.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Say 'This Chair Is Very Sturdy'?
이 의자는 아주 단단해요.
What Is the Difference between 단단한 and 단단히?
단단한 is the modifier before a noun; 단단히 is an adverb.
How Is 단단하다 Different from 딱딱하다?
단단하다 is firm and strong; 딱딱하다 is stiff or unpleasantly hard.
How Is 단단합니다 Pronounced?
It is spoken [단단함니다].
What Does 마음을 단단히 먹다 Mean?
It means to steel yourself or make a firm resolve.
Which Words Are Related to 단단하다?
What Should You Learn Next?
Learn 딱딱하다 for the stiff end of the scale, and 튼튼하다 for sturdiness. Once you know how to say "firm", put another word through the Korean verb conjugator to compare the pattern, or browse more entries in the Korean verb dictionary.