Key Facts
- Hangul: 기쁘다 (gippeuda)
- Meaning: glad
- Part of speech: adjective (형용사)
- Level: A2
- Stem: 기쁘
- Class: ㅡ-drop
What Does 기쁘다 Mean?
기쁘다 is gladness tied to something that happened: 기쁜 소식 is welcome news, and 오늘은 기쁜 날이에요 marks a day worth celebrating. It can greet people too: 만나서 기뻐요 means 'I am glad to meet you', although the everyday first-meeting phrase is a different one, covered in nice to meet you in Korean. To describe how other people look when they are glad, the verb 기뻐하다 is used, as in 기뻐하는 모습.
How Do You Pronounce 기쁘다?
The dictionary form is read as spelled. Keep the tense ㅃ: 기쁘 has the double letter in every form. The ㅡ drops before 어, so the polite present is 기뻐요, the past 기뻤어요 is [기뻐써요] and the formal 기쁩니다 is [기쁨니다]. The long negative 기쁘지 않아요 is [기쁘지 아나요].
How Do You Use 기쁘다 in a Sentence?
합격 소식을 들어서 기뻐요.
I'm glad to hear I passed.
합격 소식을 들어서 기뻐요 pairs 소식을 ('the news') with 들어서 ('having heard'), so the gladness has a cause.
오늘은 기쁜 날이에요.
Today is a joyful day.
오늘은 기쁜 날이에요 uses 기쁜 as a modifier before 날 and ends with the copula 이에요.
만나서 정말 기뻤어요.
I was really glad to meet you.
In 만나서 정말 기뻤어요 the 만나서 gives the reason and the past 기뻤어요 closes it. 정말 adds emphasis.
Usage Notes for 기쁘다
기쁘다 often comes with its reason. Sentences such as 합격 소식을 들어서 기뻐요 and 만나서 정말 기뻤어요 attach a cause clause ending in 서. When the joy belongs to another person, Korean describes the sight of it with 기뻐하는 모습 instead of stating their feeling flatly. Notice also how the adjective colours the noun after it: 기쁜 소식 is welcome news and 기쁜 날 is a day worth celebrating.
How Does Gippeuda Conjugation Work?
기쁘다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 기뻐요 | ||
| Polite past | 기뻤어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 기쁠 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 기쁘겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 기쁩니다 | ||
| Formal past | 기뻤습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 기쁠 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 기뻐 | ||
| Casual past | 기뻤어 | ||
| Casual future | 기쁠 거야 | ||
| Because / and then | 기뻐서 | ||
| Conditional (if) | 기쁘면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 기쁜 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 기뻤던 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 기쁠 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 안 기뻐요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 기쁘지 않아요 |
| Form | Korean | Sound if different |
|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 기뻐요 | — |
| Polite past | 기뻤어요 | [기뻐써요] |
| Polite future (plan) | 기쁠 거예요 | [기쁠꺼예요] |
| Polite future (guess) | 기쁘겠어요 | [기쁘게써요] |
| Formal present | 기쁩니다 | [기쁨니다] |
| Formal past | 기뻤습니다 | [기뻗씀니다] |
| Formal future | 기쁠 것입니다 | [기쁠꺼심니다] |
| Casual present | 기뻐 | — |
| Casual past | 기뻤어 | [기뻐써] |
| Casual future | 기쁠 거야 | [기쁠꺼야] |
| Because / and then | 기뻐서 | — |
| Conditional (if) | 기쁘면 | — |
| Modifier, present | 기쁜 | — |
| Modifier, past | 기뻤던 | [기뻗떤] |
| Modifier, future | 기쁠 | — |
| Short negative | 안 기뻐요 | — |
| Long negative | 기쁘지 않아요 | [기쁘지 아나요] |
Is 기쁘다 Regular or Irregular?
기쁘다 drops its ㅡ before 어. The stem 기쁘 has ㅣ in its first syllable, not ㅏ or ㅗ, so 어 is chosen over 아 and the result is 기뻐. Consonant endings leave the stem alone, as in 기쁘면 and 기쁘지 않아요. The ㅡ-drop lesson sets out the whole pattern.
Common Mistake with 기쁘다
Wrong: ✗ 기쁘어요
Correct: ✓ 기뻐요
Why: The ㅡ does not survive in front of 어. Learners who write 기쁘어요 have kept the full stem, but the correct word is 기뻐요.
기쁘다 Versus 행복하다 and 즐겁다
| Word | How it differs |
|---|---|
| 행복하다 | 행복하다 is lasting happiness, but 기쁘다 is the joy of a moment. |
| 즐겁다 | 즐겁다 is enjoying an activity or a time spent together. |
Sharing Exam Results
Two classmates meet after receiving their exam results. One has passed, and the other is pleased for them.
Mina
합격했어요. 정말 기뻐요.
Hapgyeokaesseoyo. Jeongmal gippeoyo.
I passed. I am really glad.
Jun
기쁜 소식이네요. 축하해요!
Gippeun sosigineyo. Chukahaeyo!
That is wonderful news. Congratulations!
Mina
부모님도 많이 기뻐하셨어요.
Bumonimdo mani gippeohasyeosseoyo.
My parents were very pleased too.
Jun
저도 기뻐요. 오늘 같이 밥 먹어요.
Jeodo gippeoyo. Oneul gachi bap meogeoyo.
I am glad too. Let us have a meal together today.
기뻐요 reports the speaker's own gladness. 기쁜 describes the news that brings it. 기뻐하셨어요 comes from the related verb 기뻐하다, with respect shown for the parents. Jun can say 저도 기뻐요 because he is now describing his own reaction to Mina's success.
Gladness with a Specific Cause
기쁘다 often answers the question “What made you glad?” Passing an exam, hearing good news or meeting someone again gives the feeling a clear cause. In 합격 소식을 들어서 기뻐요, the cause comes before the emotion, so the listener knows what the speaker is celebrating.
The word can also express gladness for someone else. You do not have to receive the good news yourself. A friend's recovery or a family member's achievement can make you 기뻐요. The feeling is yours even though the event happened to another person.
Common Phrases for Good News and Gladness
| Expression | Meaning | What the wording does |
|---|---|---|
| 기쁜 소식 | good or joyful news | Describes the news as a source of joy. |
| 기쁜 마음으로 | with a glad heart; gladly | Describes the attitude toward an action. |
| 기쁨을 나누다 | share joy | Uses the noun 기쁨 rather than the adjective. |
| 기쁘기 그지없다 | be extremely delighted | An emphatic expression suited to formal or literary language. |
기쁜 마음으로 is useful in a message about accepting an invitation or helping with an event. It means the person acts willingly and happily; the phrase does not need a literal description of the heart. 기쁨을 나누다 presents joy as something people share, such as celebrating an achievement together.
기쁘기 그지없다 is much stronger in style than a routine 기뻐요. Recognise it in a formal congratulatory message or speech. For an ordinary conversation about good news, 정말 기뻐요 already expresses clear, natural delight.
Where Will You Hear 기쁘다?
기쁘다 appears in reactions to announcements, award speeches, reunion scenes and messages of congratulations. 기쁩니다 can sound measured and sincere in a formal greeting or speech. 기뻐요 is more conversational, while 기뻐 belongs in a relationship where casual speech is already appropriate.
만나서 기뻐요 puts attention on being glad to meet the person. When meeting someone for the first time, 반가워요 is also a familiar choice. After a meeting, 만나서 정말 기뻤어요 looks back on that encounter and works well in a warm follow-up message.
What Makes 기쁘다 Tricky?
The stem 기쁘 loses ㅡ before 어, giving 기뻐요 and 기뻤어요. The previous vowel is ㅣ, so this word takes 어 rather than 아. The tense consonant ㅃ stays. Dropping ㅡ does not mean dropping or softening that consonant.
Before the modifier ending, 기쁜 keeps ㅡ. So do 기쁘면 and 기쁩니다. The formal form adds ㅂ to the vowel-ending stem; that written ㅂ belongs to the ending and does not make 기쁘다 a ㅂ-irregular adjective.
기쁘다 states a feeling, while 기뻐하다 describes showing or experiencing gladness as a verb. The latter is especially useful when reporting another person's visible reaction. This is a helpful perspective choice, rather than a claim that Korean can never state another person's feelings directly in narration or reported speech.
Related Words for Celebrating
| Word | Meaning | Useful connection |
|---|---|---|
| 기쁨 | joy | The noun for the feeling. |
| 축하하다 | congratulate | The action you take when someone shares good news. |
| 기뻐하다 | be pleased; rejoice | Useful for describing another person's reaction. |
| 행복하다 | be happy | Often describes broader happiness or wellbeing. |
The emotions vocabulary lesson groups gladness with related feelings. 행복하다 and 기쁘다 overlap; the distinction is a useful tendency, not a rule that happiness must last for a certain length of time.
Mini Drill: Choose the Form
- Make 기쁘다 polite present.
- Complete ___ 소식 for “joyful news.”
- Give the polite past of 기쁘다.
- Give the formal present without dropping ㅡ.
Show drill answers
- 기뻐요. Drop ㅡ before 어.
- 기쁜 소식. Keep ㅡ in the noun modifier.
- 기뻤어요. The past uses the same vowel change.
- 기쁩니다. Add the ending to 기쁘.
Quick Self-Test
- Does the ㅃ disappear in 기뻐요?
- Which word is the noun “joy”: 기쁨 or 기쁜?
- Can you say 기뻐요 about good news for a friend?
Show self-test answers
- No. The tense consonant stays in every form.
- 기쁨 is the noun; 기쁜 modifies a noun.
- Yes. You are describing your own glad reaction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Say 만나서 기뻐요 When Meeting Someone?
Yes. It is correct and warm, and it stresses real gladness. For a routine first meeting, learn the standard greeting as well.
Is 기쁘다 the Same as 좋아하다?
No. 기쁘다 is a feeling of gladness, while 좋아하다 is liking something.
How Do I Describe Someone Else's Joy?
Use 기뻐하다, as in 기뻐하는 모습.
How Do I Say 'a Happy Day'?
Use the modifier: 기쁜 날.
Which Words Are Related to 기쁘다?
What Should You Learn Next?
Compare 행복하다 for lasting happiness, then see 슬프다 as the opposite and 좋아하다 for liking. The greetings pages show where 만나서 기뻐요 fits among other first-meeting phrases. The Korean verb conjugator tests other stems, and the Korean verb dictionary lists the rest of the family.