Key Facts
- Hangul: 당연하다 (dangyeonhada)
- Meaning: natural/obvious
- Part of speech: adjective (형용사)
- Level: B1
- Stem: 당연하
- Class: 하다 type
What Does 당연하다 Mean?
당연하다 says that something could not be otherwise. 그건 당연해요 means "that is only natural", and 당연한 결과 is a result everyone saw coming. The obvious thing takes 이/가 or 은/는. Most Korean learners meet its adverb 당연히 first, but the adjective is the base of that adverb and is worth learning in full.
How Do You Pronounce 당연하다?
The final ㅇ of 당 stays in place, so 당연 is read as two clear syllables. The formal 당연합니다 is [당연함니다], and the past 당연했어요 is [당연해써요]. The planned future 당연할 거예요 reads [당연할꺼예요].
How Do You Use 당연하다 in a Sentence?
그건 당연해요.
That is only natural.
그건 means "as for that", and the sentence is the short, firm answer to a worry.
당연한 결과예요.
It's a natural result.
The modifier 당연한 sits before 결과예요, a result, and the copula 예요 closes the sentence after a vowel.
당연하지 않아요.
It isn't obvious.
The long negative 당연하지 않아요 denies that something is obvious, which can challenge an expectation; its force depends on the situation and tone.
Usage Notes for 당연하다
In replies, 당연하죠! means "of course", and the adverb 당연히 is the most frequent form. It carries a confident tone, so used about someone's choice it can sound dismissive. For "clear" in the sense of unmistakable, 분명하다 is the right neighbor, and for "sure" it is 확실하다.
How Does Dangyeonhada Conjugation Work?
당연하다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 당연해요 | ||
| Polite past | 당연했어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 당연할 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 당연하겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 당연합니다 | ||
| Formal past | 당연했습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 당연할 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 당연해 | ||
| Casual past | 당연했어 | ||
| Casual future | 당연할 거야 | ||
| Because / and then | 당연해서 | ||
| Conditional (if) | 당연하면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 당연한 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 당연했던 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 당연할 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 안 당연해요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 당연하지 않아요 |
| Form | Korean | Sound if different |
|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 당연해요 | — |
| Polite past | 당연했어요 | [당연해써요] |
| Polite future (plan) | 당연할 거예요 | [당연할꺼예요] |
| Polite future (guess) | 당연하겠어요 | [당연하게써요] |
| Formal present | 당연합니다 | [당연함니다] |
| Formal past | 당연했습니다 | [당연핻씀니다] |
| Formal future | 당연할 것입니다 | [당연할꺼심니다] |
| Casual present | 당연해 | — |
| Casual past | 당연했어 | [당연해써] |
| Casual future | 당연할 거야 | [당연할꺼야] |
| Because / and then | 당연해서 | — |
| Conditional (if) | 당연하면 | — |
| Modifier, present | 당연한 | — |
| Modifier, past | 당연했던 | [당연핻떤] |
| Modifier, future | 당연할 | — |
| Short negative | 안 당연해요 | — |
| Long negative | 당연하지 않아요 | [당연하지 아나요] |
Is 당연하다 Regular or Irregular?
당연하다 is a plain 하다 adjective. The stem 당연하 gives 해 before 아 or 어: 당연해요, 당연해서 and 당연했어요. With a consonant ending, 하 stays, as in 당연합니다 and 당연하면. There is no hidden irregularity in the stem. The lesson on 하다 verbs and 해요 shows the contraction step by step.
Common Mistake with 당연하다
Wrong: ✗ 당연히해요
Correct: ✓ 당연해요
Why: 당연히 is an adverb meaning "of course", so it cannot be the base for 해요. The adjective is 당연하다.
당연하다 Versus 분명하다 and 확실하다
| Word | How it differs |
|---|---|
| 분명하다 | 분명하다 means clear or definite. 당연하다 means expected or taken for granted. |
| 확실하다 | 확실하다 means certain or sure. 당연하다 says it could not be otherwise. |
A Friend Offers Help with a Move
Two friends are planning moving day. Alex is unsure whether it is reasonable to ask for help. Jisu makes the offer feel welcome.
Alex
내일도 도와줄 수 있어요?
Naeildo dowajul su isseoyo?
Can you help tomorrow too?
Jisu
당연해요. 친구잖아요.
Dangyeonhaeyo. Chingujanayo.
Of course. We're friends.
Alex
고마워요. 당연한 일은 아니에요.
Gomawoyo. Dangyeonhan ireun anieyo.
Thank you. It's not something I take for granted.
Jisu
도와주는 건 당연해요.
Dowajuneun geon dangyeonhaeyo.
Helping is only natural.
당연해요 reassures Alex that helping is an expected response between friends. Alex uses 당연한 before 일 to say the favor should not be taken for granted. The final reply repeats that Jisu considers helping natural. The speakers agree about helping while describing the obligation from different sides.
Expected, Obvious or Taken for Granted?
당연한 일 means “something natural/expected” or “a matter of course”. 일 names a matter or event. It can refer to a duty someone accepts willingly, but it can also describe something that people assume they are owed. The surrounding sentence shows whether the speaker is accepting an expectation or challenging it.
당연한 결과 means “an expected result”. The phrase presents the outcome as understandable given what came before. It does not prove that the result is fair or desirable. A speaker can describe an unwanted outcome as 당연한 결과 when they think the earlier conditions made it predictable.
당연히 means “of course” or “naturally” and is an adverb. It can introduce a confident reply or describe how expected an action is. 당연하죠 is a conversational “of course” response. The ending 죠 invites shared understanding, so the reply can sound warmly reassuring when someone asks whether you will help.
당연하게 여기다 means “to take something for granted”. 여기다 concerns how someone regards something, and 당연하게 supplies the idea of treating it as expected. The phrase can criticize a lack of appreciation, especially when discussing another person's effort. A favor may be generous even if it has happened many times before.
Where Will You Hear 당연하다?
Everyday conversations use 당연해요 and 당연하죠 to reassure a person who asks for a favor or checks an expectation. A friend asking whether they can join you may hear a welcoming “of course”. The same reply to a sincere question about an unfamiliar rule can feel impatient if the tone implies that everyone should already know.
In commentary and opinion writing, 당연한 결과 frames an outcome as expected. 당연하다 expresses the speaker's judgment about what follows naturally or ought to happen. 확실하다 instead concerns certainty, and 분명하다 concerns clarity or definiteness. If your point is that the facts are verified, certainty vocabulary is more precise than assuming they are obvious.
당연하지 않아요 challenges an expectation. It can mean that something is not automatic or should not be taken for granted, as well as “it isn't obvious”. The negative is not always gentle: in a disagreement, it can firmly reject what another person thinks they deserve. Give the situation when interpreting its tone.
Why 당연히 and 당연해요 Need Different Structures
당연해요 is a complete polite description. 당연히 is an adverb, so it normally works with another predicate, although it can also stand alone as a short answer. Writing 당연히해요 fuses the adverb with 해요 and does not produce the adjective. The spelling contrast reflects a grammatical contrast, rather than two styles of the same ending.
당연한 sits before a noun; 당연해서 gives a reason. Both retain the meaning of expectation, but they do different jobs. A noun phrase such as 당연한 결과 identifies the result, while a reason clause must connect to a main statement. Keeping those roles separate makes longer sentences easier to follow.
| Korean | Meaning | Useful connection |
|---|---|---|
| 결과 | result | Name the outcome described as expected. |
| 이유 | reason | Ask what makes the expectation reasonable. |
| 도움 | help | Recognize a favor that should be appreciated. |
| 물론 | of course | Recognize another common affirmative response. |
The personality vocabulary lesson supplies words for discussing behavior and attitudes. It helps when a conversation moves from one favor to how someone usually treats other people's effort.
Mini Drill: Reply, Modifier or Adverb?
- Make the polite present of 당연하다.
- Complete “an expected result”: ____ 결과.
- Choose the adverb: 당연히 / 당연한.
- Make the long polite negative of 당연하다.
Show the expectation drill answers
- 당연해요.
- 당연한 결과.
- 당연히. 당연한 must modify a noun.
- 당연하지 않아요.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 당연한 결과 necessarily describe a good result?
- Which is more directly about certainty: 당연하다 or 확실하다?
- Can 당연하죠 sound dismissive as well as welcoming?
Show self-test answers
- No. It says the result was expected or understandable.
- 확실하다.
- Yes. Tone and the question being answered affect its meaning in the conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Say of Course?
Say 당연하죠! in reply, or use the adverb 당연히.
How Do I Say a Natural Result?
Say 당연한 결과, with the modifier 당연한 before the noun.
Can I Say 당연히해요?
No. 당연히 is an adverb. The adjective form is 당연해요.
What Is the past Tense?
The polite past is 당연했어요, said [당연해써요].
Which Words Are Related to 당연하다?
What Should You Learn Next?
Compare 분명하다 and 확실하다 next, then 정확하다 for accuracy and 중요하다 for importance. The Korean verb conjugator builds the same table for words not covered here, and the Korean verb dictionary lists them all.