Key Facts
- Hangul: 신기하다 (singihada)
- Meaning: amazing/curious
- Part of speech: adjective (형용사)
- Level: B1
- Stem: 신기하
- Class: 하다 type
What Does 신기하다 Mean?
신기하다 is a positive reaction to something that seems wonderfully strange. 정말 신기해요! is what you say when you see something new for the first time. The amazing thing takes 이/가, as in 이 기계가 신기해요, and the person feeling it takes 은/는. Children and travelers use it constantly, and it works for gadgets, tricks, animals and coincidences.
How Do You Pronounce 신기하다?
No spelling in the stem triggers a sound change, so you read it as written. The formal 신기합니다 is [신기함니다], and the past 신기했어요 is [신기해써요]. The planned future 신기할 거예요 is read [신기할꺼예요].
How Do You Use 신기하다 in a Sentence?
이 기계는 정말 신기해요.
This machine is really amazing.
이 기계는 points to the machine, and 정말 strengthens the wonder. It is a friendly compliment on the device.
신기한 물건을 봤어요.
I saw a curious, amazing object.
신기한 sits before 물건을, so the phrase describes an object you saw. The past 봤어요 tells of the moment of seeing.
처음 봐서 신기했어요.
It was my first time seeing it, so it was fascinating.
처음 봐서 means "because it was my first time seeing it". The past tense recalls how fascinating it was.
Usage Notes for 신기하다
The adverb 신기하게 means "amazingly" and is handy in stories. The word is mild and friendly, with no hint of suspicion; that distinguishes it from 이상하다. A good rule of thumb is that 신기하다 leans toward delight, even when the thing is odd. You can say it to a host who shows you something clever, and it will be taken as praise.
How Does Singihada Conjugation Work?
신기하다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 신기해요 | ||
| Polite past | 신기했어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 신기할 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 신기하겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 신기합니다 | ||
| Formal past | 신기했습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 신기할 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 신기해 | ||
| Casual past | 신기했어 | ||
| Casual future | 신기할 거야 | ||
| Because / and then | 신기해서 | ||
| Conditional (if) | 신기하면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 신기한 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 신기했던 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 신기할 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 안 신기해요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 신기하지 않아요 |
| Form | Korean | Sound if different |
|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 신기해요 | — |
| Polite past | 신기했어요 | [신기해써요] |
| Polite future (plan) | 신기할 거예요 | [신기할꺼예요] |
| Polite future (guess) | 신기하겠어요 | [신기하게써요] |
| Formal present | 신기합니다 | [신기함니다] |
| Formal past | 신기했습니다 | [신기핻씀니다] |
| Formal future | 신기할 것입니다 | [신기할꺼심니다] |
| Casual present | 신기해 | — |
| Casual past | 신기했어 | [신기해써] |
| Casual future | 신기할 거야 | [신기할꺼야] |
| Because / and then | 신기해서 | — |
| Conditional (if) | 신기하면 | — |
| Modifier, present | 신기한 | — |
| Modifier, past | 신기했던 | [신기핻떤] |
| Modifier, future | 신기할 | — |
| Short negative | 안 신기해요 | — |
| Long negative | 신기하지 않아요 | [신기하지 아나요] |
Is 신기하다 Regular or Irregular?
The pattern is the plain 하다 pattern. The stem 신기하 contracts 하 into 해 before 아 or 어 endings, giving 신기해요, 신기해서 and 신기했어요. With -ㅂ니다, -면 and -지, the full 하 is kept: 신기합니다, 신기하면, 신기하지 않아요. All the work is done by the ending. A full walkthrough of this contraction is in the 하다 to 해요 lesson.
Common Mistake with 신기하다
Wrong: ✗ 신기를 해요
Correct: ✓ 신기해요
Why: 신기 is not a noun you can attach 를 to in this meaning. The adjective conjugates directly as 신기해요.
신기하다 Versus 궁금하다 and 이상하다
| Word | How it differs |
|---|---|
| 궁금하다 | 궁금하다 is wanting to find out. 신기하다 is wonder at something new or unusual. |
| 이상하다 | 이상하다 is odd or suspicious. 신기하다 is positive wonder or mild curiosity. |
Watching a Robot Draw a Portrait
Two visitors are looking at a drawing robot in an exhibition. One saw it on a previous visit and now shows it to a friend.
Jisu
이 기계는 정말 신기해요.
I gigyeneun jeongmal singihaeyo.
This machine is really fascinating.
Alex
저도 처음 봤을 때 신기했어요.
Jeodo cheoeum bwasseul ttae singihaesseoyo.
I found it fascinating when I first saw it too.
Jisu
이렇게 신기한 기계는 처음 봐요.
Ireoke singihan gigyeneun cheoeum bwayo.
I’ve never seen such a fascinating machine before.
Alex
그림도 그려요.
Geurimdo geuryeoyo.
It draws pictures too.
신기해요 gives an immediate reaction. 신기했어요 remembers the first encounter, and 신기한 describes the machine before its noun. The fascination comes from what the device can do. Translating every line as “amazing” is possible, but “fascinating” captures the sense of wondering how it works.
Expressions of Wonder You Will Actually Use
정말 신기해요 means “that’s really fascinating” or “that’s amazing”. 정말 strengthens the reaction. It fits a clever device, an unfamiliar natural phenomenon, or a trick whose method you cannot see. The phrase expresses wonder; it does not explain what caused the effect.
신기한 일 means an amazing or curious event. It is useful for coincidences as well as impressive sights. Two friends unexpectedly meeting far from home can find the situation 신기하다 without believing anything supernatural happened. The adjective reports how striking the event feels to them.
신기한 물건 means a curious or fascinating object. The Korean Basic Dictionary entry for 신기하다 connects the word with something unusual enough to produce wonder. In English, “a curious object” uses curious to mean unusual; it does not mean that the object wants to ask questions.
신기하게 adds “amazingly” or “in a fascinating way” to a description. The existing noun modifier 신기한 and the adverb 신기하게 have different jobs: one describes a thing, and the other describes how something happens or appears. Pick the shape that matches the next part of the sentence.
Curious about Something, or Fascinated by It?
궁금하다 means you want to know an answer. 신기하다 means something strikes you as remarkable or wonderfully unusual. At a robot demonstration, you might first react with 신기해요, then become curious about the mechanism. The second feeling is a desire for information; the first is the reaction to what you see.
이상하다 points toward something strange, unexpected, or wrong. 신기하다 usually sounds more welcoming. A sound from a machine that seems broken calls for a different description from a robot drawing a convincing portrait. Your choice tells the listener whether you are impressed or concerned.
놀라다 describes being surprised or startled. Surprise can be pleasant or frightening, while 신기하다 focuses on the fascinating quality of the thing or event. A sudden bang can startle you without being fascinating. A slow demonstration can fascinate you without making you jump.
Where Will You Hear 신기하다?
Travel videos, science demonstrations, magic shows, and everyday discoveries give speakers reasons to say 신기해요. In a drama, it also fits a surprising coincidence or an unfamiliar skill. The word is especially useful when the experience feels new to the speaker, even if it is ordinary to someone else.
When someone shows you a device they made, 신기해요 can express friendly interest. Used about a person or their ordinary customs, it can sound as though you are treating them as a curiosity. Name the particular skill, object, or event that fascinates you rather than making the whole person the object of wonder.
The 하다 Ending Does Not Make This an Action Verb
신기하다 describes a quality or reaction, so the present modifier is 신기한. Compare that with an action verb’s 하는 pattern. The polite form 신기해요 has the same 해요 ending as many action verbs, but that shared contraction does not change its grammar.
Write 신기해요 as one word. In this meaning, 신기 is not a separate task that someone performs with 하다. The wrong form 신기를 해요 inserts an object marker where the adjective needs to conjugate directly. Keep the whole dictionary form together when adding an ending.
Words for Discovery and Surprise
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 궁금하다 | curious / wanting to know | Use when an answer or explanation is missing. |
| 놀라다 | to be surprised | Focuses on the person’s sudden reaction. |
| 새롭다 | new / fresh | Something new need not be amazing. |
| 이상하다 | strange | May suggest that something seems wrong. |
The emotion adjective lesson places 신기하다 alongside other reactions and gives adjective forms for describing how an experience feels.
Mini Drill: Describe the Discovery
- Give the polite present of 신기하다.
- Complete “a fascinating object”: ____ 물건.
- Give the polite past.
- Give the because-form.
Show drill answers
- 신기해요, written as one word.
- 신기한 물건.
- 신기했어요.
- 신기해서.
Quick Self-Test
- Which word means wanting an answer: 궁금하다 or 신기하다?
- Does 신기하다 require a supernatural event?
- Why does 신기한 물건 use 한 rather than 하는?
Show answers
- 궁금하다.
- No. An ordinary but unfamiliar device or coincidence can produce wonder.
- 신기하다 is an adjective describing the object.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Say Wow, That's Amazing?
Say 정말 신기해요! when you first see something new.
Is 신기하다 Always Positive?
It leans positive, a mix of wonder and mild curiosity. For something odd or suspicious, use 이상하다.
How Do I Say Amazingly?
Use the adverb 신기하게.
Can I Say 신기를 해요?
No. Say 신기해요, because the adjective conjugates directly.
Which Words Are Related to 신기하다?
What Should You Learn Next?
Read 궁금하다 and 하다 for wanting to know and 이상하다 for something odd, then 놀라다 for surprise and 새롭다 for newness. Test other stems in the Korean verb conjugator, or browse the Korean verb dictionary.