Key Facts
- Hangul: 심심하다 (simsimhada)
- Meaning: bored
- Part of speech: adjective (형용사)
- Level: A2
- Stem: 심심하
- Class: 하다 type
What Does 심심하다 Mean?
심심하다 is boredom through idleness: you are free, nothing is happening, and you want something to do. 너무 심심해요 is a very common complaint, and 심심해 is the casual version among friends. The word describes the person's state, so it does not suit a dull film or lecture. A second meaning is bland, as in 심심한 맛, close to 싱겁다.
How Do You Pronounce 심심하다?
No sound change affects the dictionary form, and the polite present 심심해요 is said as written. The past 심심했어요 is [심심해써요], the formal 심심합니다 is [심심함니다], and the long negative 심심하지 않아요 is [심심하지 아나요].
How Do You Use 심심하다 in a Sentence?
주말에 혼자 있어서 심심해요.
I'm alone on the weekend, so I'm bored.
주말에 혼자 있어서 심심해요 gives the reason 혼자 있어서 ('because I am alone') for the feeling, and 주말에 sets the time.
심심하면 영화를 봐요.
When I'm bored, I watch movies.
심심하면 영화를 봐요 uses the conditional 심심하면 for a habit: when bored, watch movies.
어제는 너무 심심했어요.
Yesterday I was so bored.
어제는 너무 심심했어요 puts the feeling in the past with 어제는 and the intensifier 너무.
Usage Notes for 심심하다
Telling a friend 심심해 is often a hint to meet up, so the word carries a social purpose beyond the feeling. The second meaning, as in 심심한 맛, is a bland taste close to 싱겁다, so the same word can describe an idle person or an under-seasoned dish. The subject settles which one is meant: with yourself as the subject use 심심하다, and with a film or lecture as the subject reach for 지루하다 or 재미없다.
How Does Simsimhada Conjugation Work?
심심하다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 심심해요 | ||
| Polite past | 심심했어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 심심할 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 심심하겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 심심합니다 | ||
| Formal past | 심심했습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 심심할 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 심심해 | ||
| Casual past | 심심했어 | ||
| Casual future | 심심할 거야 | ||
| Because / and then | 심심해서 | ||
| Conditional (if) | 심심하면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 심심한 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 심심했던 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 심심할 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 안 심심해요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 심심하지 않아요 |
| Form | Korean | Sound if different |
|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 심심해요 | — |
| Polite past | 심심했어요 | [심심해써요] |
| Polite future (plan) | 심심할 거예요 | [심심할꺼예요] |
| Polite future (guess) | 심심하겠어요 | [심심하게써요] |
| Formal present | 심심합니다 | [심심함니다] |
| Formal past | 심심했습니다 | [심심핻씀니다] |
| Formal future | 심심할 것입니다 | [심심할꺼심니다] |
| Casual present | 심심해 | — |
| Casual past | 심심했어 | [심심해써] |
| Casual future | 심심할 거야 | [심심할꺼야] |
| Because / and then | 심심해서 | — |
| Conditional (if) | 심심하면 | — |
| Modifier, present | 심심한 | — |
| Modifier, past | 심심했던 | [심심핻떤] |
| Modifier, future | 심심할 | — |
| Short negative | 안 심심해요 | — |
| Long negative | 심심하지 않아요 | [심심하지 아나요] |
Is 심심하다 Regular or Irregular?
심심하다 is a 하다 adjective built from the repeated syllables 심심. The 하다 part becomes 해요 in the polite present, so you get 심심해요, and 했어요 in the past. Consonant endings leave 하 alone: 심심하지 않아요. The pattern is the one explained in 하다 to 해요.
Common Mistake with 심심하다
Wrong: ✗ 심심하는 날
Correct: ✓ 심심한 날
Why: 심심하다 is an adjective, so before a noun it takes -한: 심심한 날 is a day with nothing to do. The -하는 ending is for verbs. For a dull film or lecture, the word you need is 지루하다 or 재미없다.
심심하다 Versus 지루하다 and 재미없다
| Word | How it differs |
|---|---|
| 지루하다 | 지루하다 means tedious, and it describes the dull thing. 심심하다 is the person with nothing to do. |
| 재미없다 | 재미없다 describes a thing without fun, not the person's state. |
A Rainy Afternoon with Nothing to Do
Two friends are messaging on a rainy day. One has finished everything at home and wants some company rather than another empty afternoon.
Jisu
집에 혼자 있어서 심심해요.
Jibe honja isseoseo simsimhaeyo.
I’m bored because I’m home alone.
Alex
저도 어제 심심했어요.
Jeodo eoje simsimhaesseoyo.
I was bored yesterday too.
Jisu
심심하면 같이 영화를 봐요.
Simsimhamyeon gachi yeonghwareul bwayo.
If you’re bored, let’s watch a movie together.
Alex
좋아요. 같이 봐요.
Joayo. Gachi bwayo.
Sounds good. Let’s watch together.
심심해요 names a present feeling, 심심했어요 recalls yesterday, and 심심하면 sets a condition for an invitation. The speaker’s lack of activity is the problem. Nothing here says that the film will be dull; watching it is the proposed cure for boredom.
Phrases for Passing the Time
너무 심심해요 means “I’m so bored”. With no subject stated, a message to a friend normally describes the writer. The listener does not need a noun meaning “boredom” or a separate verb meaning “feel”. 심심해요 can be a complete report of your current state.
심심해서 describes boredom as a reason for doing something. Someone might contact a friend, open a game, or take a walk because there is nothing else to do. Compare 심심하면, “if you are bored”: the first explains an action, while the second sets up a possible situation. Neither form says the activity itself is boring.
심심풀이 means something done to pass the time. It names the small activity or diversion, rather than the bored person. A puzzle can be a 심심풀이 even if the person enjoys solving it. The point is filling spare time, with no need to claim that the activity is a serious hobby.
You may also meet 입이 심심하다. Literally the mouth is “bored”; in a snack context, the speaker wants something to nibble on. It need not mean they need a full meal. Context matters, since the expression can also concern wanting to talk; the Korean Basic Dictionary entry for 입 lists both uses.
Bored, Lonely, or Simply Free?
Being alone can lead to 심심하다, but being alone is not the meaning of the word. Someone with plenty to read or do may be alone and perfectly occupied. Someone surrounded by people may still have nothing interesting to do. The relevant question is whether there is an activity to fill the time.
외롭다 describes loneliness, the feeling of lacking companionship or connection. 한가하다 describes having spare time or being free of work. You can be 한가하다 and pleased about it. 심심하다 adds the feeling that the empty time needs filling. These distinctions help you choose between offering company and suggesting an activity.
지루하다 suits an experience that feels tedious or drawn out. 재미없다 says something is not fun or interesting. If a lecture drags on, those words identify the problem with the experience. If your lecture was canceled and you have an empty hour, 심심하다 describes the idle feeling that might follow.
Where Will You Hear 심심하다?
Text messages and relaxed conversation use 심심해 or 심심해요 when someone hopes to chat, play, or meet. The sentence can be a gentle opening to an invitation, but it is not itself a promise to meet. A friend can respond by suggesting something, as in the rainy-day dialogue.
In food descriptions, 심심한 맛 has a different focus: a mild, lightly seasoned taste. The food noun tells you that the conversation has moved away from boredom. In that setting, the phrase may be approving rather than a complaint about a dish being tasteless.
Why Is the Modifier 심심한?
심심하다 ends in 하다, but it describes a state. Its present modifier is 심심한, as in 심심한 날. The action-verb ending 하는 would change the pattern incorrectly. The ending 해요 alone cannot tell you whether a 하다 word describes an action or a state; its meaning matters too.
Choose the Feeling You Mean
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 한가하다 | to have free time | An empty schedule can be welcome. |
| 외롭다 | lonely | Points to a need for companionship. |
| 지루하다 | tedious / bored by something | Fits a long, dull experience. |
| 심심풀이 | pastime / diversion | Names something that fills spare time. |
The emotion adjective lesson compares 심심하다 with 지루하다 and teaches 외롭다 alongside other ways to describe your day.
Mini Drill: a State with 하다
- Give the polite present of 심심하다.
- Describe “a day with nothing to do”: ____ 날.
- Give the because-form.
- Give the polite past.
Show drill answers
- 심심해요.
- 심심한 날.
- 심심해서.
- 심심했어요.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 심심해요 necessarily mean “I’m lonely”?
- Which word means having free time without necessarily being bored?
- In a snack conversation, what can 입이 심심하다 suggest?
Show answers
- No. It describes having nothing to do; loneliness is 외롭다.
- 한가하다.
- Wanting something to nibble on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Say a Movie Is 심심하다?
Not in the sense of dull. Use 지루하다 or 재미없다 for a boring movie.
What Does 심심한 맛 Mean?
It means a bland taste, close to 싱겁다.
How Do I Say 'I'm Bored' to a Friend?
Say 심심해, the casual form.
Is 심심하다 a Verb?
No. It is an adjective of the 하다 type, so it ends in 해요.
Which Words Are Related to 심심하다?
What Should You Learn Next?
Next read 지루하다 for tedious things and 재미없다 for the opposite of fun. 외롭다 and 한가하다 cover related states of the idle. The Korean verb conjugator tests other stems, and the Korean verb dictionary lists the rest of the family.