Key Facts
- Hangul: 곱다 (gopda)
- Meaning: to be pretty; to be fine
- Level: B1
- Part of speech: adjective
- Stem: 곱
- Conjugation class: ㅂ-irregular
- Grammar: A descriptive word, so the subject takes 이/가 (손이 고와요).
- Polite present and past: 고와요, 고왔어요
What Does 곱다 Mean?
곱다 describes something delicate and pleasant: 고운 얼굴 (a lovely face) or 고운 가루 (fine powder). A second sense is soft and gentle, used for smooth manners or a voice, as in 말씨가 곱다.
The tone is warm and slightly literary. It is often used for an older woman's skin, a hanbok or a gentle voice. The subject takes 이/가: 손이 고와요. A homograph 곱다 means numb with cold (곱아요) and is a different word.
How Do You Pronounce 곱다?
The dictionary form is read [곱따]. Before consonants the ㅂ stays: 곱습니다 is [곱씀니다] and 곱지 않아요 is [곱찌 아나요]. Before a vowel the ㅂ becomes 오 and joins 아, so 고왔어요 is [고와써요].
How Do You Use 곱다 in a Sentence?
할머니 손이 참 고와요.
Grandmother's hands are really lovely.
할머니 손이 참 고와요 praises grandmother's hands; 참 means really.
고운 한복을 입었어요.
I wore a lovely hanbok.
고운 한복을 입었어요 puts the modifier 고운 before 한복을, and 입었어요 is the past of wearing.
한복 색이 정말 고왔어요.
The colour of the hanbok was really beautiful.
한복 색이 정말 고왔어요 describes the colour in the past, with 정말 adding emphasis.
The ㅂ turns into 오 before 아 (고와요, 고왔어요) and into 우 before the modifier ending (고운).
How Does Gopda Conjugation Work?
곱다 is a ㅂ-irregular adjective, but with a twist. Most ㅂ words turn into 워, whereas 곱다 takes 와, like 돕다 (도와요): 고와요, 고왔어요, 고와서. Before 으-type endings it is 우, as in 고우면 and 고우세요, and the modifier is 고운. The ㅂ stays before consonants: 곱습니다, 곱지 않아요.
Negatives: 안 고와요 or 곱지 않아요. The honorific polite form is 고우세요.
곱다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 고와요 | ||
| Polite past | 고왔어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 고울 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 곱겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 곱습니다 | ||
| Formal past | 고왔습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 고울 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 고와 | ||
| Casual past | 고왔어 | ||
| Casual future | 고울 거야 | ||
| Honorific polite | 고우세요 | ||
| Because / and then | 고와서 | ||
| If (conditional) | 고우면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 고운 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 고왔던 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 고울 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 안 고와요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 곱지 않아요 |
There is no want-to row for 곱다: that ending attaches to verbs, not to descriptive words.
Sound Changes
| Form | Korean | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Polite past | 고왔어요 | [고와써요] |
| Polite future | 고울 거예요 | [고울꺼예요] |
| Polite future guess | 곱겠어요 | [곱께써요] |
| Formal present | 곱습니다 | [곱씀니다] |
| Formal past | 고왔습니다 | [고왇씀니다] |
| Formal future | 고울 것입니다 | [고울꺼심니다] |
| Casual past | 고왔어 | [고와써] |
| Casual future | 고울 거야 | [고울꺼야] |
| Past modifier | 고왔던 | [고왇떤] |
| Long negative | 곱지 않아요 | [곱찌 아나요] |
Common Mistake
Wrong: ✗ 고워요
Correct: ✓ 고와요
Why: Most ㅂ adjectives take 워, so learners expect 고워요. Only the one-syllable stems 곱다 and 돕다 take 와; longer ㅂ words take 워 even when ㅗ comes before the ㅂ.
How Does 곱다 Differ from 예쁘다?
예쁘다 is the everyday word for pretty. 곱다 is gentler and softer, for fine things such as silk, skin or a voice. 아름답다 is grander, and 부드럽다 is soft in texture.
What Is Easy to Confuse with 곱다?
| Word | How to tell it from 곱다 |
|---|---|
| 예쁘다 | The everyday word for pretty. 곱다 is gentler and softer, for fine things like silk, skin or a voice. |
| 곱다 (numb) | The homograph meaning numb from cold, 곱아요, is a different, regular word. |
Choosing a Hanbok for a Family Photo
A customer is comparing colours at a hanbok shop. The assistant uses 곱다 to praise a soft, pleasing colour. The customer recalls a hanbok worn for an earlier photograph.
Customer
이 한복 색이 참 고와요.
I hanbok saegi cham gowayo.
The colour of this hanbok is lovely.
Assistant
고운 색을 좋아하세요?
Goun saegeul joahaseyo?
Do you like delicate, pretty colours?
Customer
네. 지난번 한복 색도 고왔어요.
Ne. Jinanbeon hanbok saekdo gowasseoyo.
Yes. The colour of my last hanbok was lovely too.
The first line comments on the colour now, 고운 puts the description before 색, and 고왔어요 looks back. The assistant asks about the customer’s taste rather than assuming that a pleasing colour must be bright. 곱다 describes the impression, not a particular shade.
Common Combinations: Beauty, Texture and Kind Speech
| Expression | Literal idea | Meaning in use |
|---|---|---|
| 고운 피부 | fine skin | Skin with a smooth, pleasing appearance. |
| 고운 가루 | fine powder | Powder with small, fine particles. |
| 고운 말 | beautiful or gentle words | Kind, considerate language. |
| 마음씨가 곱다 | one's disposition is lovely | Someone is kind-hearted. |
The noun tells you which sense to choose. 고운 가루 concerns particle size, so “beautiful powder” misses the practical meaning in a recipe. 고운 말 concerns the way people speak to one another; the praise is about kindness, not the visual shape of the letters. These uses are included in the Korean Basic Dictionary entry for 곱다.
For a familiar proverb, listen for 가는 말이 고와야 오는 말이 곱다. Literally, the words going out must be kind for the words coming back to be kind. Its everyday lesson is that speaking kindly encourages a kind response. The repeated 말 refers to speech, not a horse, and 곱다 carries the gentle-manner sense.
Where Will You Meet 곱다 outside a Word List?
In a clothing shop or a family conversation, 곱다 can praise a hanbok's colour, fabric or the appearance of the person wearing it. It often feels tender or admiring. 예쁘다 is a broader everyday choice for “pretty”, so you need not replace every compliment with 곱다 just because both can describe beauty.
In food preparation, fine powder and coarse salt lead to opposite practical instructions. 고운 가루 has small particles; 굵은 소금 has large grains. Here the adjective tells you about texture. A food being finely ground does not tell you whether its flavour is mild, sweet or delicious.
In advice to children, 고운 말 points to respectful, kind wording. In a description of a singer, a lovely voice can also be 곱다. Listen to the noun beside the adjective before deciding whether “fine”, “lovely” or “gentle” is the best English translation.
What Makes 고와요 and 고운 Easy to Mix Up?
고와요 ends a polite sentence; 고운 must be followed by a noun. In the shop dialogue, 색이 고와요 is a complete comment, while 고운 색 is a noun phrase meaning “a lovely colour”. The change from 와 to 우 is part of the form, so memorising only the sound of 고와요 can lead you astray before a noun.
곱습니다 keeps ㅂ because -습니다 starts with a consonant. The same spelling principle gives 곱지 않아요 for “not lovely/fine”. The meaning decides which dictionary word you need first: the separate cold-numbness word has regular 곱아요, so that form cannot substitute for 고와요 in a compliment.
Words to Choose a More Precise Description
| Korean | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 예쁘다 | pretty | A broad everyday compliment about appearance. |
| 아름답다 | beautiful | Suits beauty that feels impressive or moving. |
| 부드럽다 | soft; gentle | Useful when texture or gentleness is the focus. |
| 굵다 | thick; coarse | Helps contrast coarse grains with fine powder. |
The descriptive verb lesson explains how these Korean adjectives describe a subject and modify nouns.
Mini Drill: Choose the Form
- Describe a colour politely: 색이 ___.
- Put 곱다 before 한복: ___ 한복.
- Recall a lovely colour: 색이 ___ (polite past).
- Use the formal present of the beauty sense: ___.
Show drill answers
- 고와요. This word takes 와, not 워.
- 고운 한복. The modifier uses 우.
- 고왔어요. The past keeps 와.
- 곱습니다. The consonant ending keeps ㅂ.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 고운 가루 primarily describe flavour or particle size?
- What does 고운 말 praise?
- Which form means lovely: 고와요 or the separate regular 곱아요?
Show self-test answers
- Particle size: the powder is fine.
- Kind, considerate speech.
- 고와요. 곱아요 belongs to the cold-numbness word.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Polite Present of 곱다?
고와요, with 와 rather than 워.
Which Other Word Shares the 와 Pattern?
돕다, whose polite form is 도와요.
Does 곱다 Also Mean Numb?
A separate word 곱다 means numb with cold and is regular (곱아요). This entry covers the pretty and gentle word.
What Is the Modifier?
고운, as in 고운 한복.
Which Words Are Related to 곱다?
What Should You Learn Next?
Compare 곱다 with 예쁘다 and 아름답다, then practise 돕다 for the same 와 pattern. The rule behind this entry is explained in ㅂ-irregular verbs and adjectives. To test other words, use the Korean verb conjugator, or browse the Korean verb dictionary.