Key Facts
- Hangul: 나쁘다 (nappeuda)
- Meaning: bad
- Part of speech: adjective (형용사)
- Level: A1
- Stem: 나쁘
- Class: ㅡ-drop
What Does 나쁘다 Mean?
나쁘다 covers two ideas. The first is poor quality or condition: 날씨가 나쁘다 (the weather is bad), 기분이 나쁘다 (a bad mood). The second is a moral judgment, as in 나쁜 사람 (a bad person). The thing described takes 이/가. Note that 기분이 나쁘다 means you are upset or annoyed, while 기분이 안 좋다 is a softer way of saying you do not feel great.
How Do You Pronounce 나쁘다?
The dictionary form is read as written; the double ㅃ is a tense p, said with tight lips and no puff of air. In the past 나빴어요 the ㅆ links to the next vowel: [나빠써요]. The formal present 나쁩니다 is said [나쁨니다], and the past modifier 나빴던 is said [나빧떤].
How Do You Use 나쁘다 in a Sentence?
오늘은 날씨가 나빠요.
The weather is bad today.
오늘은 sets the day and 날씨가 is the subject. 나빠요 is the polite present of the adjective.
어제는 기분이 나빴어요.
I was in a bad mood yesterday.
어제는 is the time and 기분이 is the subject. The past 나빴어요 shows the mood was bad, which is stronger than 'not great'.
나쁜 습관은 고치는 게 좋아요.
It is good to fix a bad habit.
The modifier 나쁜 sits directly before 습관은, so it works like an English adjective. The rest of the sentence gives advice.
How Does Nappeuda Conjugation Work?
나쁘다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 나빠요 | ||
| Polite past | 나빴어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 나쁠 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 나쁘겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 나쁩니다 | ||
| Formal past | 나빴습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 나쁠 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 나빠 | ||
| Casual past | 나빴어 | ||
| Casual future | 나쁠 거야 | ||
| Because / and then | 나빠서 | ||
| Conditional (if) | 나쁘면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 나쁜 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 나빴던 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 나쁠 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 안 나빠요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 나쁘지 않아요 |
| Form | Korean | Sound if different |
|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 나빠요 | — |
| Polite past | 나빴어요 | [나빠써요] |
| Polite future (plan) | 나쁠 거예요 | [나쁠꺼예요] |
| Polite future (guess) | 나쁘겠어요 | [나쁘게써요] |
| Formal present | 나쁩니다 | [나쁨니다] |
| Formal past | 나빴습니다 | [나빧씀니다] |
| Formal future | 나쁠 것입니다 | [나쁠꺼심니다] |
| Casual present | 나빠 | — |
| Casual past | 나빴어 | [나빠써] |
| Casual future | 나쁠 거야 | [나쁠꺼야] |
| Because / and then | 나빠서 | — |
| Conditional (if) | 나쁘면 | — |
| Modifier, present | 나쁜 | — |
| Modifier, past | 나빴던 | [나빧떤] |
| Modifier, future | 나쁠 | — |
| Short negative | 안 나빠요 | — |
| Long negative | 나쁘지 않아요 | [나쁘지 아나요] |
Is 나쁘다 Regular or Irregular?
나쁘다 is a ㅡ-drop adjective. When an 아/어 ending is added, the final ㅡ of the stem disappears, and the vowel before it decides between 아 and 어. Since the vowel before the ㅡ is ㅏ, you get 나빠요. Before consonant endings and 으-endings the ㅡ stays: 나쁜, 나쁘면, 나쁩니다. The lesson on ㅡ-drop verbs and adjectives explains the full pattern.
Common Mistake with 나쁘다
Wrong: ✗ 나쁘어요
Correct: ✓ 나빠요
Why: Learners add 어요 to the stem and keep the ㅡ. Because 나쁘다 is a ㅡ-stem, the ㅡ drops and the ending joins directly: 나빠요. The same drop gives 나빠서 and 나빴어요.
나쁘다 Versus 싫다 and 좋다
| Word | How it differs |
|---|---|
| 싫다 | 싫다 means to dislike or be unwilling; 나쁘다 judges something as bad in quality or morals. |
| 좋다 | 좋다 is the opposite: good. |
Talking about a Difficult Day
Two coworkers talk during a break after a tense meeting. One asks about the other’s mood; the reply puts yesterday and today in different frames.
Jisu
오늘 기분이 나빠요?
Oneul gibuni nappayo?
Are you in a bad mood today?
Alex
어제는 기분이 나빴어요.
Eojeneun gibuni nappasseoyo.
I was in a bad mood yesterday.
Jisu
회의 때문에요?
Hoeui ttaemuneyo?
Because of the meeting?
Alex
네. 그래도 오늘은 나쁘지 않아요.
Ne. Geuraedo oneureun nappeuji anayo.
Yes. Still, today isn’t bad.
기분이 names what is bad, so the question concerns mood rather than the person's character. 어제는 and 오늘은 contrast the days. 나쁘지 않아요 softens the final evaluation: the speaker says today is not bad, without claiming to feel wonderful. This is a useful difference when making small talk after a difficult event.
Which Phrases Are Stronger than They Look?
| Phrase | Literal idea | Everyday meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 기분이 나쁘다 | the feeling is bad | To feel upset, annoyed or offended. |
| 몸에 나쁘다 | bad for the body | Harmful to health. |
| 나쁜 습관 | a bad habit | An unwanted repeated behaviour. |
| 나쁘지 않다 | not bad | Acceptable or reasonably good, depending on tone. |
기분이 나쁘다 can refer to taking offence at someone's words. It is not a general label for every unpleasant emotion. 슬프다 names sadness more directly. A character saying they feel offended after an insulting remark may use 기분이 나쁘다 even without being sad.
몸에 나쁘다 changes the pattern slightly: 에 marks what something is bad for. The expression is about an effect on the body, rather than the body's current condition. In contrast, 몸이 아프다 reports pain or illness. Learn the whole combination so the particle helps you identify the intended relationship.
Where Will You Hear 나쁘다?
In dramas, 나쁜 사람 can be a serious moral judgment or an emotional complaint about someone's behaviour. Either way, it describes the person negatively. Adding a polite sentence ending does not remove that judgment. Naming the behaviour, such as a bad habit, keeps the criticism more specific.
In reviews and everyday evaluations, 나쁘지 않아요 can be restrained approval. Someone might use it about a meal or an idea they find acceptable. Tone and expectations determine how positive it feels: “not bad” can be mild praise, but it can also stop short of enthusiasm. The negative form does not automatically mean “excellent”.
Weather reports and small talk use 날씨가 나쁘다 for poor weather conditions. To say which condition is troublesome, add a specific detail about rain, wind or visibility. 나쁘다 alone evaluates the weather but does not tell the listener which problem to expect outside.
Why Do 나쁜 and 나빠요 Look Different?
나쁜 is the form placed directly before a noun. It keeps the stem vowel ㅡ and adds ㄴ: 나쁜 습관. 나빠요 closes a polite sentence and drops ㅡ before the vowel ending. You cannot predict one merely by removing 요 from the other; each form has its own grammatical job.
The same distinction matters when reading 나쁠 거예요. This form keeps ㅡ and usually predicts a bad condition. It is a forecast or expectation, rather than someone's plan to be bad. 나빴던 looks back at a past condition, while 나쁜 describes the quality attached to the noun in the present context.
The two negatives in the table are also useful to recognise: 안 나빠요 and 나쁘지 않아요. The first puts a separate 안 before the conjugated adjective. The second attaches 지 to the stem and writes 않아요 separately. In both, the statement denies “bad”; the strength of any praise comes from the situation.
Words for a More Exact Judgment
| Korean | Meaning | Useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 기분 | mood / feeling | Identifies your emotional state. |
| 습관 | habit | Names behaviour that happens repeatedly. |
| 슬프다 | to be sad | Specifies sadness rather than offence or annoyance. |
| 싫다 | to dislike / be unwelcome | Expresses preference rather than judging quality. |
The emotions vocabulary lesson helps you move from a broad evaluation to a more exact feeling. Something can be good in quality but still be something you dislike, so 좋다 and 싫다 can express different judgments about the same object.
Mini Drill: Choose the Adjective Form
- Complete the polite sentence: 날씨가 ____.
- Complete “a bad habit”: ____ 습관.
- Say “was bad” using the polite past.
- Write “not bad” using the long negative.
Show drill answers
- 나빠요. The vowel ending triggers ㅡ-drop.
- 나쁜 습관. The noun modifier keeps ㅡ.
- 나빴어요.
- 나쁘지 않아요, with a space before 않아요.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 기분이 나쁘다 always mean being sad?
- Which form belongs immediately before 사람: 나쁜 or 나빠요?
- Does 나쁘지 않아요 guarantee enthusiastic praise?
Show answers
- No. It often means being upset, annoyed or offended.
- 나쁜: 나쁜 사람.
- No. It may simply mean acceptable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Is It 나빠요 and Not 나쁘어요?
The ㅡ drops before 아/어, and the ㅏ before it gives 아. So 나쁘 + 아요 becomes 나빠요.
Is 기분이 나쁘다 the Same as Feeling Sad?
No. It means you are upset or in a bad mood. 기분이 안 좋다 is softer.
How Do I Say 'a Bad Person'?
Use the modifier 나쁜 before the noun: 나쁜 사람.
Is 나쁘다 the Opposite of 좋다?
Yes, for quality and for mood.
Which Words Are Related to 나쁘다?
What Should You Learn Next?
Learn 나쁘다 beside 좋다 and 싫다, then follow it with 나빠지다 for change over time and 못하다 for 'be poor at'. You can check other forms in the Korean verb conjugator or browse the Korean verb dictionary.