Key Facts
- Hangul: 두껍다 (dukkeopda)
- Meaning: thick
- Level: B1
- Syllables: 3 (두 · 껍 · 다)
- Stem: 두껍
- Conjugation class: ㅂ-irregular
- Polite present: 두꺼워요
What Does 두껍다 Mean?
| Sense | How it is used |
|---|---|
| thick | Large in thickness, as in 책이 두껍다. |
| heavy (clothing) | Warm, thick material, as in 두꺼운 옷. |
The thing described takes 이/가, as in 이불이 두꺼워요.
Flat or layered things are the typical subjects: 책, 옷 and 이불. Said of 얼굴 (face), it means thick-skinned or shameless.
How Do You Pronounce 두껍다?
Dukkeopda has 3 syllables (두 · 껍 · 다). The ㅂ at the end of the stem makes the next ㄷ tense, so the lemma is said [두껍따].
How Do You Use 두껍다 in a Sentence?
겨울에는 두꺼운 옷을 입어요.
In winter I wear thick clothes.
두꺼운 is the present modifier (before a noun) form.
이 책은 너무 두꺼워요.
This book is too thick.
두꺼워요 is the polite present form.
이불이 두꺼워서 따뜻해요.
The blanket is thick, so it is warm.
두꺼워서 is the because / and then form.
Usage Notes
All three examples use a thick thing from daily life: winter clothes, a book that is too thick, and a blanket. In 두꺼운 옷 the modifier 두꺼운 sits before the noun. The thing described takes 이/가, as in 책이 and 이불이. The opposite is 얇다, while 굵다 is the right word for round things such as a rope or a finger.
How Does Dukkeopda Conjugation Work?
두껍다 is ㅂ-irregular: the final ㅂ of 두껍 turns into 우 before a vowel ending (두꺼워요, 두꺼운) but stays before a consonant (두껍습니다, 두껍지 않아요).
The whole class is explained in ㅂ-irregular verbs and adjectives.
As an adjective, 두껍다 does not take the 'want to' ending, so that cell is left out.
두껍다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 두꺼워요 | ||
| Polite past | 두꺼웠어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 두꺼울 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 두껍겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 두껍습니다 | ||
| Formal past | 두꺼웠습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 두꺼울 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 두꺼워 | ||
| Casual past | 두꺼웠어 | ||
| Casual future | 두꺼울 거야 | ||
| Honorific polite | 두꺼우세요 | ||
| Because / and then | 두꺼워서 | ||
| If (conditional) | 두꺼우면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 두꺼운 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 두꺼웠던 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 두꺼울 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 안 두꺼워요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 두껍지 않아요 |
Before a noun, 두껍다 (thick) becomes 두꺼운 (present) or 두꺼웠던 (past); as a link between clauses it is 두꺼워서 for 'because' and 두꺼우면 for 'if'.
Sound Changes
| Form | Korean | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Polite past | 두꺼웠어요 | [두꺼워써요] |
| Future (plan) | 두꺼울 거예요 | [두꺼울꺼예요] |
| Future (guess) | 두껍겠어요 | [두껍께써요] |
| Formal present | 두껍습니다 | [두껍씀니다] |
| Formal past | 두꺼웠습니다 | [두꺼웓씀니다] |
| Formal future | 두꺼울 것입니다 | [두꺼울꺼심니다] |
| Casual past | 두꺼웠어 | [두꺼워써] |
| Casual future | 두꺼울 거야 | [두꺼울꺼야] |
| Modifier, past | 두꺼웠던 | [두꺼웓떤] |
| Long negative | 두껍지 않아요 | [두껍찌 아나요] |
Common Mistake
Wrong: ✗ 두껍어요
Correct: ✓ 두꺼워요
Why: As a ㅂ-irregular adjective, ㅂ becomes 우 before a vowel: 두껍+어요 becomes 두꺼워요.
두껍다 Versus Similar Words
| Word | How it differs |
|---|---|
| 얇다 | 얇다 is the opposite: thin. |
| 굵다 | 굵다 is for round things such as a rope, finger or pen; 두껍다 is for flat things such as books and clothes. |
Choosing a Winter Coat
A shopper compares a coat with one they tried earlier. The conversation uses a description, a noun modifier, and a past form.
Shopper
이 코트는 두꺼워요?
I koteuneun dukkeowoyo?
Is this coat thick?
Assistant
네. 두꺼운 코트를 찾으세요?
Ne. Dukkeoun koteureul chajeuseyo?
Yes. Are you looking for a thick coat?
Shopper
네. 아까 입은 코트는 너무 두꺼웠어요.
Ne. Akka ibeun koteuneun neomu dukkeowosseoyo.
Yes. The coat I tried on earlier was too thick.
두꺼운 코트 describes the coat before naming it. 두꺼워요 describes it at the end of a sentence. The shopper still wants a thick coat, but the earlier one was too thick: 너무 adds a judgment about how much thickness is comfortable.
Which Kinds of “Thick” Use 두껍다?
두꺼운 책 is a thick book, usually one with many pages. The phrase describes its physical bulk; it does not say that the writing is difficult. A slim book can contain hard material, and a thick book can be easy to read. Use the adjective for what you can see or feel about the object.
두꺼운 옷 and 두꺼운 이불 describe substantial clothing and blankets. In English, “heavy clothes” may mean thick winter clothing. Korean 두껍다 focuses on thickness, while 무겁다 focuses on weight. A thick padded coat can still be light to carry, so the two descriptions can coexist.
For a rope, finger, or tree trunk, 굵다 is the more useful partner. It describes thickness across a rounded object. The contrast is easiest to remember with a book and a rope: the book is 두껍다, the rope is 굵다. These are common pairings rather than a rule about every imaginable shape.
What Does 얼굴이 두껍다 Imply?
얼굴이 두껍다 literally says that a face is thick. Its idiomatic meaning is shameless or brazen: someone keeps acting without the embarrassment the speaker expects. The National Institute of Korean Language’s entry for 얼굴 lists this expression.
English “thick-skinned” can praise a person for ignoring criticism. 얼굴이 두껍다 usually criticizes a lack of shame, so it can sound much harsher. It is not a neutral comment about facial appearance. Adding 요 makes the grammar polite to the listener but does not turn the criticism into a compliment.
Where Will You See or Hear 두껍다?
Clothing shops and online product reviews use 두껍다 when discussing fabric, coats, socks, and winter layers. A review about thickness is different from a size complaint: a coat may fit correctly and still feel too thick for the weather. Look for the noun being evaluated before deciding what the complaint means.
At a bookstore, 이 책은 너무 두꺼워요 can explain why a learner wants another book. In bedding discussions, thickness often connects with warmth, as in the existing blanket example. That sentence gives a reason in a particular situation; the adjective itself does not guarantee a material’s warmth.
The plain dictionary form 두껍다 is useful in vocabulary lists and written descriptions. In conversation, 두꺼워요 is the neutral polite choice. 두껍습니다 fits a formal product explanation, but it adds formality rather than a stronger degree of thickness.
What Makes the ㅂ Change Easy to Miss?
두꺼운 is the form to put directly before a noun. Learners sometimes know 두꺼워요 but keep looking for the syllable 워 in every form. The modifier has 우 followed by ㄴ instead, giving 운. The conditional 두꺼우면 also keeps 우 visible without becoming 워.
두껍지 않아요 retains ㅂ because 지 begins with a consonant. 안 두꺼워요 places the separate word 안 before the already conjugated adjective. These negatives mean “not thick”; they do not automatically mean “thin”. An ordinary medium-weight coat could satisfy the negative description too.
Clothing Words to Learn Alongside It
| Korean | Meaning | Useful connection |
|---|---|---|
| 코트 | coat | A natural item to compare by thickness. |
| 옷 | clothes | A broad noun in 두꺼운 옷. |
| 이불 | quilt; blanket | Bedding can be thick without being heavy. |
| 두께 | thickness | Names the measurable property itself. |
Use the clothing vocabulary lesson to connect fabric and garment descriptions with the things you wear.
Mini Drill: Build the Thick Form
- Describe a book politely: 이 책은 ____.
- Complete “thick clothes”: ____ 옷.
- Give the conditional “if it is thick”.
- Make the long negative of 두껍다.
Show drill answers
- 두꺼워요.
- 두꺼운.
- 두꺼우면.
- 두껍지 않아요. The consonant ending keeps ㅂ.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 두꺼운 책 mean that a book is difficult?
- Which adjective usually describes a thick rope?
- Is 얼굴이 두껍다 usually a compliment?
Show answers
- No. It describes physical thickness.
- 굵다.
- No. It criticizes someone as shameless or brazen.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Say 'in Winter I Wear Thick Clothes' in Korean?
겨울에는 두꺼운 옷을 입어요. The modifier 두꺼운 comes before the noun.
What Is the Opposite of 두껍다?
얇다, thin. Both describe flat things such as books, clothes and blankets.
How Is 두껍다 (thick) Different from 굵다?
굵다 is for round things such as a rope, finger or pen; 두껍다 is for flat things such as books and clothes.
Is 두껍어요 Correct Korean?
No, use 두꺼워요. The ㅂ becomes 우 before a vowel: 두껍 + 어요 becomes 두꺼워요.
What Is the Polite past of 두껍다?
For 'thick', the polite past is 두꺼웠어요; the polite present is 두꺼워요 and the formal present is 두껍습니다.
How Do You Say 'Not Thick' with 두껍다?
For 'not thick', the short negative is 안 두꺼워요 and the long one is 두껍지 않아요.
Which Words Are Related to 두껍다?
- 얇다 (thin)
- 굵다 (to be thick)
- 무겁다 (heavy)
- 가볍다 (light)
- Korean verb dictionary
What Should You Learn Next?
Try other forms of 두껍다 in the Korean verb conjugator, then continue with 얇다 (thin). More entries like 두껍다 (thick) sit together in the Korean verb dictionary.