Key Facts
- Hangul: 마르다 (mareuda)
- Meaning: thin
- Level: A2
- Part of speech: verb
- Stem: 마르
- Conjugation class: 르-irregular
- Grammar: The person takes 이/가 or 은/는 (동생이 말랐어요).
- Usage: State is usually expressed with the past form: 말랐어요 means 'is thin'. The modifier is 마른. 르 irregular: 말라요.
What Does 마르다 Mean?
마르다 means thin in the sense of skinny: 마른 사람 is a thin person. It is a dictionary verb that describes a resulting state, so the usual way to say that someone is thin is the past form: 동생이 말랐어요. The person takes 이/가 or 은/는.
How Do You Pronounce 마르다?
마르다 is read as written. In the polite forms, the ㅡ of 르 drops and ㄹ doubles, so you get 말라요 and 말랐어요, the second spoken [말라써요]. The formal present 마릅니다 is [마름니다], with ㅂ turning into ㅁ before ㄴ, and the formal past 말랐습니다 is [말랃씀니다].
How Do You Use 마르다 in a Sentence?
제 동생은 많이 말랐어요.
My younger sibling is very thin.
제 동생은 is the topic, and 말랐어요 says the sibling is thin as a state.
마른 사람이 많아요.
There are many thin people.
마른 is the modifier, and 마른 사람이 많아요 says there are many thin people.
너무 말라서 걱정돼요.
You are so thin that I worry.
너무 말라서 gives the reason, and 걱정돼요 is the worry it causes.
The set shows the state form 말랐어요, the modifier 마른 and the because-form 말라서.
How Does Mareuda Conjugation Work?
마르다 is a 르-irregular verb. Before 아 or 어 the ㅡ of 르 drops and ㄹ doubles: 마르 + 아요 becomes 말라요, 말랐어요 and 말라서. Before a consonant or an 으-ending the stem is regular: 마릅니다, 마르세요, 마르면. For the thin state, use the past 말랐어요 and the modifier 마른. The rule behind this class is in the lesson on 르-irregular verbs and adjectives.
마르다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 말라요 | ||
| Polite past | 말랐어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 마를 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 마르겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 마릅니다 | ||
| Formal past | 말랐습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 마를 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 말라 | ||
| Casual past | 말랐어 | ||
| Casual future | 마를 거야 | ||
| Want to (polite) | 마르고 싶어요 | ||
| Honorific polite | 마르세요 | ||
| Because / and then | 말라서 | ||
| If (conditional) | 마르면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 마르는 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 마른 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 마를 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 안 말라요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 마르지 않아요 |
Sound Changes
| Form | Korean | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Polite past | 말랐어요 | [말라써요] |
| Polite future (plan) | 마를 거예요 | [마를꺼예요] |
| Polite future guess | 마르겠어요 | [마르게써요] |
| Formal present | 마릅니다 | [마름니다] |
| Formal past | 말랐습니다 | [말랃씀니다] |
| Formal future | 마를 것입니다 | [마를꺼심니다] |
| Casual past | 말랐어 | [말라써] |
| Casual future | 마를 거야 | [마를꺼야] |
| Want to | 마르고 싶어요 | [마르고 시퍼요] |
| Long negative | 마르지 않아요 | [마르지 아나요] |
Common Mistake with 마르다
Wrong: ✗ 마르어요
Correct: ✓ 말라요
Why: This is a 르-irregular verb: 마르 + 아요 becomes 말라요 with ㄹ doubled. The form 마르어요 does not exist.
Saying Someone Is Thin
The state is usually said in the past: 말랐어요 means 'is thin'. 말라요 describes the change in progress, becoming thinner. The modifier for the thin state is 마른, so 마른 사람 is a thin person.
What Is Easy to Confuse with 마르다?
| Word | How to tell it from 마르다 |
|---|---|
| 날씬하다 | 날씬하다 is slim and attractive; 마르다 is thin, possibly too thin. |
| 뚱뚱하다 | The opposite: 뚱뚱하다 means fat. |
날씬하다 is slim and attractive. 마르다 is thin, possibly too thin.
Discussing a Photo at a Clothing Fitting
A customer shows a friend an old photo while trying on a jacket. The friend comments on the difference in appearance.
Friend
이 사진에서는 많이 말랐어요.
I sajineseoneun mani mallasseoyo.
You were very thin in this photo.
Customer
네. 너무 말라서 옷이 컸어요.
Ne. Neomu mallaseo osi keosseoyo.
Yes. I was so thin that my clothes were too big.
Friend
지금은 이 옷이 잘 맞아요.
Jigeumeun i osi jal majayo.
These clothes fit you well now.
말랐어요 describes the person's thin state. The photo supplies a past time, but the same form can describe someone's current build when no earlier time is specified. 말라서 connects thinness with the clothes being too large; it gives a reason rather than a separate time.
The final line uses 맞아요, “fit”, to return to the practical question of the jacket.
Which Phrases Describe Thinness Naturally?
| Phrase | Meaning | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| 마른 사람 | A thin person | Names someone's build before a noun. |
| 마른 체형 | A thin build | Focuses on body type, useful in clothing descriptions. |
| 너무 말랐어요 | Someone is too thin | Adds the speaker's judgment that it is excessive. |
| 살이 빠지다 | To lose weight | Describes a change, rather than thinness alone. |
살이 빠지다 does not prove that someone is now thin. A person can lose weight and still have a larger build. Likewise, someone described as 마른 사람 may have had that build for years, without any recent weight loss.
마른 체형 is useful when reading a clothing guide or describing which cut fits a particular build. 체형 means body shape or body type. The phrase describes a category; it does not establish a person's health, eating habits or reason for being thin.
Why Does “Is Thin” Often Use 말랐어요?
The 었/았 form can describe a resulting state that still holds now. For this sense of 마르다, 말랐어요 is the natural everyday way to say that someone is thin. English may use a present adjective even though Korean uses a form that looks past.
An explicit time phrase changes the interpretation. In the dialogue, 이 사진에서는 points to the appearance in a particular photo. Without that frame, a comment such as 많이 말랐어요 can describe the person standing in front of you or notice that they have become thinner.
마른 is the matching form before a noun when describing the thin state. The table also includes 마르는, the present action modifier; that form points to an ongoing change. For the simple description “a thin person”, choose 마른 사람, rather than copying the present-action row automatically.
Where Will You Hear 마르다, and When Is It Sensitive?
Family members or close friends may use 너무 말랐어요 when expressing concern. In a drama, the line can suggest worry or unwanted scrutiny, depending on the relationship and tone. The word alone does not tell you whether the comment is caring or hurtful.
In clothing descriptions, 마른 체형 can help explain why a garment hangs loosely or why a particular size fits. When speaking directly to someone you do not know well, a comment about their body may feel intrusive. A practical comment about whether the garment fits can be easier to receive.
날씬하다 is more likely to sound like a compliment about being slim. That difference does not make 마르다 a diagnosis or 날씬하다 a statement about health. Neither word by itself tells you how a person feels or whether their weight has changed intentionally.
Keep the 르 Change Separate from the Meaning
Before 아/어, 마르 changes to 말라: 말라요, 말랐어요 and 말라서. The vowel before 르 is ㅏ, which selects 아. Before other endings, the stem can stay 마르, as in 마르면 and 마릅니다. The presence of 르 alone does not mean every ending needs an extra ㄹ.
마르다 also has the familiar meaning “to dry”. The subject helps you choose: laundry and wet surfaces point to drying; a person's build points to thinness. In this entry's body-description sense, avoid translating every past-looking form as “used to be thin”.
Words for Build and Clothing Fit
| Korean | Meaning | A useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 체형 | body type; build | Names the shape being described. |
| 날씬하다 | slim | Often carries a positive judgment. |
| 살이 빠지다 | to lose weight | Names a change, not a body type. |
| 맞다 | to fit | Lets you discuss the garment's fit directly. |
The clothing vocabulary lesson gives garment names for discussing fit without relying only on descriptions of the wearer.
Mini Drill: State or Change?
- Say “is thin” with the usual polite state form.
- Fill the gap: ____ 사람, “a thin person”.
- Give the because-form from 마르다.
- Give the formal present without adding the doubled ㄹ.
Show drill answers
- 말랐어요. Context determines whether an earlier time is intended.
- 마른 사람.
- 말라서.
- 마릅니다. The 르 change applies before 아/어 endings.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 말랐어요 always mean the person is no longer thin?
- Does 살이 빠지다 necessarily mean someone is now skinny?
- Which word is more likely to sound complimentary: 마르다 or 날씬하다?
Show answers
- No. It commonly describes a thin state that holds now.
- No. It describes weight loss, without specifying the resulting build.
- 날씬하다, though the relationship and context still matter.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Say 'My Sibling Is Very Thin'?
제 동생은 많이 말랐어요.
Why Is It 말랐어요 and Not 마르어요?
마르다 is 르-irregular: the ㅡ drops and ㄹ doubles before 아 or 어.
How Do You Say 'a Thin Person'?
마른 사람.
What Is the Formal Present?
마릅니다.
What Is the Difference between 마르다 and 날씬하다?
마르다 is thin and can sound unhealthy; 날씬하다 is slim in a good way.
Which Words Are Related to 마르다?
What Should You Learn Next?
Compare 날씬하다 and 뚱뚱하다, and see the 르-irregular lesson for 모르다 and the rest of the class. Once you know how to say "thin", put another word through the Korean verb conjugator to compare the pattern, or browse more entries in the Korean verb dictionary.