Key Facts
- Hangul: 건강하다 (geonganghada)
- Meaning: healthy
- Part of speech: adjective (형용사)
- Level: A2
- Stem: 건강하
- Class: 하다 type
What Does 건강하다 Mean?
건강하다 means healthy, and it describes people, bodies and habits: 건강한 사람 is a healthy person and 건강한 음식 is food that is good for you. The noun 건강 means health by itself, so 건강이에요 does not say 'I am healthy'. The farewell 건강하세요 wishes someone good health, especially an elder. The same honorific form also describes an elder, as in 할머니는 아주 건강하세요.
How Do You Pronounce 건강하다?
No sound change affects the dictionary form, and the polite present 건강해요 is said as written. The past 건강했어요 is [건강해써요], the formal 건강합니다 is [건강함니다], and the future 건강할 거예요 is [건강할꺼예요]. In the long negative, 건강하지 않아요 is [건강하지 아나요].
How Do You Use 건강하다 in a Sentence?
할머니는 아주 건강하세요.
Grandmother is very healthy.
할머니는 아주 건강하세요 uses the honorific ending 하세요, because the subject is an elder. 아주 means 'very'.
건강한 음식을 먹어요.
I eat healthy food.
건강한 음식을 먹어요 places 건강한 before 음식을 and ends with the plain polite verb 먹어요.
몸이 건강하면 기분도 좋아요.
If your body is healthy, your mood is good too.
In 몸이 건강하면 기분도 좋아요 the conditional links body and mood, and 도 adds 'also'.
Usage Notes for 건강하다
건강하다 describes people and habits, and it sits most often before 사람 or 음식. The honorific 건강하세요 does double duty: it describes an elder, as in 할머니는 아주 건강하세요, and it is also a parting wish for good health. Say it to elders and to anyone you want to wish well. The opposite end of the scale is 아프다, so the two make a natural pair when you talk about the body.
How Does Geonganghada Conjugation Work?
건강하다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 건강해요 | ||
| Polite past | 건강했어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 건강할 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 건강하겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 건강합니다 | ||
| Formal past | 건강했습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 건강할 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 건강해 | ||
| Casual past | 건강했어 | ||
| Casual future | 건강할 거야 | ||
| Because / and then | 건강해서 | ||
| Conditional (if) | 건강하면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 건강한 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 건강했던 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 건강할 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 안 건강해요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 건강하지 않아요 |
| Form | Korean | Sound if different |
|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 건강해요 | — |
| Polite past | 건강했어요 | [건강해써요] |
| Polite future (plan) | 건강할 거예요 | [건강할꺼예요] |
| Polite future (guess) | 건강하겠어요 | [건강하게써요] |
| Formal present | 건강합니다 | [건강함니다] |
| Formal past | 건강했습니다 | [건강핻씀니다] |
| Formal future | 건강할 것입니다 | [건강할꺼심니다] |
| Casual present | 건강해 | — |
| Casual past | 건강했어 | [건강해써] |
| Casual future | 건강할 거야 | [건강할꺼야] |
| Because / and then | 건강해서 | — |
| Conditional (if) | 건강하면 | — |
| Modifier, present | 건강한 | — |
| Modifier, past | 건강했던 | [건강핻떤] |
| Modifier, future | 건강할 | — |
| Short negative | 안 건강해요 | — |
| Long negative | 건강하지 않아요 | [건강하지 아나요] |
Is 건강하다 Regular or Irregular?
건강하다 is a 하다 adjective: the noun 건강 plus 하다. The polite present is 건강해요 and the past is 건강했어요. When a respected person is the subject, 하세요 replaces 해요. The pattern is taught in 하다 to 해요.
Common Mistake with 건강하다
Wrong (for 'I am healthy'): ✗ 건강이에요
Correct: ✓ 건강해요
Why: 건강 is a noun meaning health. To state a condition, Korean attaches 하다, giving 건강해요 for 'is healthy'.
건강하다 Versus 튼튼하다 and 아프다
| Word | How it differs |
|---|---|
| 튼튼하다 | 튼튼하다 is strong and sturdy, and it can describe a body or an object. |
| 아프다 | 아프다 is the opposite: sick or in pain. |
Asking a Friend about Their Grandmother
Mina asks after Jisu's grandmother, then responds to Jisu's tiredness. 건강하세요 honours the grandmother, 건강한 describes food, and 건강해요 describes Jisu's own condition. The final line separates being tired from being generally unwell.
Mina
할머니는 건강하세요?
Halmeonineun geonganghaseyo?
Is your grandmother well?
Jisu
네. 아주 건강하세요. 저는 요즘 좀 피곤해요.
Ne. Aju geonganghaseyo. Jeoneun yojeum jom pigonhaeyo.
Yes. She’s very healthy. I’m a bit tired these days.
Mina
건강한 음식을 먹고 좀 쉬어요.
Geonganghan eumsigeul meokgo jom swieoyo.
Eat some healthy food and get some rest.
Jisu
네. 그래도 몸은 건강해요.
Ne. Geuraedo momeun geonganghaeyo.
Yes. Still, I’m in good health.
The question 건강하세요? asks about the grandmother's condition. It is not a farewell wish here. The subject 할머니 and the question mark make the meaning clear. Jisu uses the same honorific form when answering about her, then switches to the ordinary polite form when describing their own health.
Familiar Phrases Built on 건강
건강한 생활 means “a healthy lifestyle” or “healthy living”. 건강한 describes the way someone lives rather than diagnosing a body. In everyday conversation, the phrase can refer broadly to routines such as meals, rest and activity. The adjective alone does not tell you which habits the speaker has in mind.
건강하게 지내세요 means “stay well” or “take care of yourself”. The adverb 건강하게 describes how the person is wished to live or get along. This is a social expression of goodwill. You might use it when saying goodbye to someone you will not see for a while, including in a message or letter.
항상 건강하세요 means “always stay healthy”. 항상 adds “always”, and the full phrase is a warm wish. It often fits a longer farewell or a card better than a brief exchange at a shop. The same words can be sincere without requiring the listener to reply with a detailed account of their health.
건강을 챙기다 means “to take care of one's health”. The noun 건강 takes the object marker 을 because 챙기다 is the action. Compare 건강해요, “I am healthy”: one phrase describes looking after health, and the other describes a condition. The person making an effort is not necessarily healthy already.
Where Will You Hear or See 건강하다?
Family conversations use 건강하세요 when asking after an older relative. A greeting card or a farewell message may use the same form as a wish. To interpret it, look at whether someone is asking a question about a named person or addressing the recipient with a parting wish.
Food descriptions and lifestyle writing use 건강한 before nouns. 건강한 음식 is the familiar phrase for healthy food, and 건강한 식습관 refers to healthy eating habits. These are broad descriptions. They do not specify ingredients, allergies or a particular nutritional requirement, so read the surrounding information for those details.
In a personal introduction or conversation about daily life, 건강해요 is an ordinary way to say you are in good health. 건강합니다 is more formal. A person can be generally healthy and still feel tired today; 피곤하다 names that temporary feeling more directly than 건강하지 않아요.
Why Does 건강하세요 Have Two Uses?
As a statement, 건강하세요 includes respect for the person whose health is being described. In 할머니는 아주 건강하세요, the subject is Grandmother. As a wish addressed to someone, 건강하세요 means “stay healthy”. The ending and the adjective are the same; the conversational purpose changes.
Use 건강해요 about yourself. The polite 요 already addresses the listener appropriately, and you normally do not add the subject honorific 시 to honour yourself. Talking politely to an elder does not require 건강하세요 when the person being described is you.
For a noun phrase, choose 건강한: 건강한 사람 or 건강한 음식. For the way an action is carried out, 건강하게 is the useful adverb form. For a complete statement, use 건강해요. Keeping these three jobs separate helps you build a sentence without adding 이에요 after an adjective.
| Related word | Meaning | Useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 건강 | health | A noun, used in phrases about caring for health. |
| 몸 | body | A common subject when discussing physical condition. |
| 피곤하다 | tired | Can describe today's fatigue without judging overall health. |
| 낫다 | to recover; get better | Describes improvement after illness. |
The health vocabulary lesson introduces the wider set for talking about how you feel. For a symptom, a specific word usually tells the listener more than a general statement about health.
Mini Drill: Statement, Modifier or Honorific?
- Say “I am healthy” in the ordinary polite style.
- Complete “a healthy person”: ____ 사람.
- Give the polite past of 건강하다.
- Complete the description of an elder: 할머니는 아주 ____.
Show drill answers
- 건강해요.
- 건강한 사람.
- 건강했어요.
- 할머니는 아주 건강하세요.
Quick Self-Test
- Does the noun 건강 alone mean “I am healthy”?
- Can 건강하세요 be both a description and a wish?
- Does 피곤해요 necessarily mean someone is generally unhealthy?
Show answers
- No. Use the adjective form 건강해요 for that statement.
- Yes. The subject, punctuation and setting show which use is intended.
- No. It describes tiredness, which can occur even when someone is generally healthy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does 건강하세요 Mean?
It is a polite wish for good health, said when parting from an elder.
How Do I Say Healthy Food?
Use 건강한 음식.
Can I Say 건강 Alone?
Yes, as a noun meaning health, but not to describe a state.
How Do I Talk about an Elder Who Is Healthy?
Use the honorific 하세요, as in 할머니는 아주 건강하세요.
Which Words Are Related to 건강하다?
What Should You Learn Next?
Read 아프다 for the opposite and 튼튼하다 for strength. 치료하다 and 낫다 take you into recovery. The Korean verb conjugator tests other stems, and the Korean verb dictionary lists the rest of the family.