Key Facts
- Hangul: 파랗다 (parata)
- Pronunciation: [파라타]
- Meaning: to be blue
- Level: A1
- Stem: 파랗
- Conjugation class: ㅎ-irregular
- Grammar: descriptive
What Does 파랗다 Mean?
파랗다 describes the blue of the sky or the sea: 파란 하늘 (a blue sky). The examples add a sea that was very blue and a blue hat. Korean also uses it for the traffic light: 파란불 (blue light) is the word for a green signal.
The colour as a noun is 파란색, and 푸르다 is the related word for blue-green: grass, trees and a clear sky. Because it is descriptive, the subject takes 이/가: 하늘이 파래요.
Colour words come in two shapes. The noun 파란색 names the colour itself, while 파랗다 describes a thing as blue. As a sentence ending the verb becomes 파래요, and in front of a noun the modifier 파란 is used. Sky, sea and hats all follow this one pattern.
How Do You Pronounce 파랗다?
파랗다 is read [파라타], with ㅎ + ㄷ merging into ㅌ. 파랬어요 is [파래써요], 파랗습니다 is [파라씀니다] and 파랗지 않아요 is [파라치 아나요]. The initial ㅍ is aspirated, with a puff of air.
How Do You Use 파랗다 in a Sentence?
오늘 하늘이 파래요.
The sky is blue today.
파래요 with 오늘 하늘이: the sky today is blue.
바다가 아주 파랬어요.
The sea was very blue.
파랬어요 with 바다가 아주: the sea was very blue, and 아주 intensifies the colour.
파란 모자가 예뻐요.
The blue hat is pretty.
파란 before 모자가 gives 'the blue hat'; the sentence goes on to say it is pretty.
How Does Parata Conjugation Work?
Before 아/어 the stem 파랗 loses ㅎ and the vowel becomes ㅐ: 파래요, 파랬어요, 파래서. With 으 endings, only ㅎ drops: 파라면, 파라세요, 파란. The future is 파랄 거예요. Consonant endings keep ㅎ: 파랗습니다, 파랗지 않아요.
파랗다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 파래요 | ||
| Polite past | 파랬어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 파랄 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 파랗겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 파랗습니다 | ||
| Formal past | 파랬습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 파랄 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 파래 | ||
| Casual past | 파랬어 | ||
| Casual future | 파랄 거야 | ||
| Honorific polite | 파라세요 | ||
| Because / and then | 파래서 | ||
| If (conditional) | 파라면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 파란 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 파랬던 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 파랄 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 안 파래요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 파랗지 않아요 |
Sound Changes
| Form | Korean | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Polite past | 파랬어요 | [파래써요] |
| Future plan | 파랄 거예요 | [파랄꺼예요] |
| Future guess | 파랗겠어요 | [파라케써요] |
| Formal now | 파랗습니다 | [파라씀니다] |
| Formal past | 파랬습니다 | [파랟씀니다] |
| Formal future | 파랄 것입니다 | [파랄꺼심니다] |
| Casual past | 파랬어 | [파래써] |
| Casual future | 파랄 거야 | [파랄꺼야] |
| Modifier past | 파랬던 | [파랟떤] |
| Long negative | 파랗지 않아요 | [파라치 아나요] |
Common Mistake
Wrong: ✗ 파랗어요
Correct: ✓ 파래요
Why: 파랗다 is a ㅎ irregular adjective: ㅎ drops and the vowel changes to ㅐ, giving 파래요 and 파란. Do not attach the noun and the verb: 파란색 is the noun for the colour, while the verb takes endings.
How It Differs from Similar Words
| Word | How to tell it from 파랗다 |
|---|---|
| 푸르다 | 푸르다 is blue-green, used for grass, trees and clear skies; 파랗다 is a clear, true blue. |
| 파란색 | 파란색 is the noun 'blue'; 파랗다 is the descriptive verb 'to be blue'. |
Choosing a Hat in a Shop
A customer wants the blue hat displayed beside a red one. The assistant helps identify the right item.
Customer
파란 모자 있어요?
Paran moja isseoyo?
Do you have a blue hat?
Assistant
네, 이 모자는 파래요.
Ne, i mojaneun paraeyo.
Yes, this hat is blue.
Customer
사진에서는 더 파랬어요.
Sajineseoneun deo paraesseoyo.
It looked bluer in the photo.
Assistant
빨간 모자도 있어요.
Ppalgan mojado isseoyo.
We also have a red hat.
파란 identifies the hat before the noun, 파래요 describes it at the end of a sentence, and 파랬어요 compares its appearance in the earlier photo. 더 means “more”, so it can express a stronger impression of the colour without naming a new shade.
Blue Skies, Green Lights and Colour Names
파란 하늘 and 파란 바다 are ordinary combinations for a blue sky and blue sea. 파란 is attached to the following noun by meaning, but there is a space between the words. The spelling 파란 has no ㅎ because it is the modifier of the irregular adjective.
파란불 is the conventional traffic expression for a green signal. It is written as one word. The expression is useful to recognize in directions and street conversations, but it does not mean every green object should be called 파랗다. When identifying a green shirt or green paint, 초록색 or 녹색 gives the colour directly.
For shopping, 파란색 is the colour noun you may see in product options. A colour option does not need a whole sentence, so a label can simply name the colour. In conversation, 파래요 supplies the description “it is blue”. Keeping the noun and adjective separate in your mind helps when moving from a product label to a spoken answer.
Where Will You Hear 파랗다?
Weather conversations and travel descriptions often use 파래요 for the sky or sea. The word describes the visible colour; it does not itself mean that the weather is warm or the water is safe for swimming. A blue sky can appear on a cold day too.
Clothing descriptions often use 파란 before the garment name. A shop assistant can identify a hat, shirt or bag this way without ending the phrase with a verb. In a full sentence, the garment may become the topic, followed by 파래요. The scene above shows both choices during the same purchase.
A face can also be described as 파랗다 when someone looks very cold or frightened. The National Institute of Korean Language’s 파랗다 entry includes this use for a face or lips affected by cold or fright. The description concerns a bluish or pale appearance, rather than bright blue paint. Context distinguishes this from a literal colour description. For a direct description of ordinary paleness, 창백하다 is a more specific related word.
Which Part of the ㅎ Pattern Changes?
파래요 and 파란 both lose ㅎ, but only 파래요 has the vowel ㅐ. Learning “delete ㅎ” by itself does not explain the whole pattern. The ending determines whether you get 파래 or 파라 before the rest of the ending is attached. The conditional 파라면 and modifier 파란 keep ㅏ.
The formal 파랗습니다 retains ㅎ in writing even though its pronunciation differs from its spelling. A formal ending changes the style of the statement; it does not make the colour stronger or darker. The honorific cell in a table is also not a shopping request: describing a blue hat does not require honoring the hat.
| Related word | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 파란색 | blue | A noun used in colour choices and labels. |
| 초록색 | green | Useful when naming an ordinary green object. |
| 남색 | navy / indigo | Names a darker blue shade more precisely. |
| 하늘색 | sky blue | A light blue colour name. |
The colours vocabulary lesson teaches the wider set of colour names, including the nouns used on product labels.
Mini Drill: Describe Blue Things
- Give the polite present of 파랗다.
- Give the polite past.
- Complete “a blue hat”: ____ 모자.
- Give the conditional form from the table.
Show drill answers
- 파래요.
- 파랬어요.
- 파란 모자.
- 파라면. This form keeps ㅏ rather than changing to ㅐ.
Quick Self-Test
- What colour does 파란불 refer to in traffic?
- Which is a noun: 파란색 or 파랗다?
- Does 파란 하늘 necessarily mean warm weather?
Show answers
- A green signal.
- 파란색. 파랗다 is the descriptive verb.
- No. The phrase describes the sky’s colour.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Polite Present of 파랗다?
It is 파래요.
What Is the Difference between 파랗다 and 푸르다?
파랗다 is a clear, true blue; 푸르다 is blue-green, used for grass, trees and clear skies.
Why Are Traffic Lights Called 파란불?
Korean says 'blue light' even for a green signal, but 파랗다 itself describes the sky and sea.
Is 파란색 a Verb?
No. 파란색 is the noun 'blue'; 파랗다 is the descriptive verb 'to be blue'.
Which Words Are Related to 파랗다?
What Should You Learn Next?
Continue with 푸르다 for blue-green, the blue-in-Korean page for the colour noun, and 빨갛다, 노랗다 and 하얗다.
The ㅎ-irregular lesson explains the pattern behind 파래요, and the conjugator checks any other form. The dictionary lists the rest.