Key Facts
- Hangul: 예의 바르다 (yeui bareuda)
- Meaning: polite
- Level: B1
- Part of speech: adjective phrase
- Stem: 바르
- Conjugation class: 르-irregular
- Grammar: Two words: the first is 예의 (manners), the second is 바르다 (to be right).
- Usage: Common in praising children and young people.
What Does 예의 바르다 Mean?
예의 바르다 describes a well-mannered person who behaves respectfully, as in 예의 바른 학생 (a polite student). It is written with a space, as 예의 + 바르다, literally 'manners are right'.
Korean uses it to praise children and young people who greet elders properly. The conjugation applies to the second word only.
How Do You Pronounce 예의 바르다?
Keep 예의 and 바르다 spaced in writing, but let the phrase flow naturally in speech. The formal present 예의 바릅니다 is read [예의 바름니다] and the polite past 예의 발랐어요 is [예의 발라써요].
How Do You Use 예의 바르다 in a Sentence?
그 학생은 정말 예의 발라요.
That student is really polite.
그 학생은 is the topic; 정말 adds emphasis, and 예의 발라요 has the doubled ㄹ.
예의 바른 아이를 칭찬했어요.
I praised the well-mannered child.
예의 바른 is the modifier; 칭찬했어요 says the speaker praised the child.
아이가 예의 발라서 기뻐요.
The child is polite, so I am pleased.
예의 발라서 gives the reason, and 기뻐요 expresses the feeling.
How Does Yeui Bareuda Conjugation Work?
Only 바르다 changes. It is a 르-irregular word: before 아/어 the ㅡ drops and ㄹ doubles, so 예의 발라요, 예의 발랐어요 and 예의 발라서. Before consonants it stays regular: 예의 바르지, 예의 바른, 예의 바릅니다. The long negative 예의 바르지 않아요 is a clear way to negate the whole description.
예의 바르다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 예의 발라요 | ||
| Polite past | 예의 발랐어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 예의 바를 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 예의 바르겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 예의 바릅니다 | ||
| Formal past | 예의 발랐습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 예의 바를 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 예의 발라 | ||
| Casual past | 예의 발랐어 | ||
| Casual future | 예의 바를 거야 | ||
| Honorific polite | 예의 바르세요 | ||
| Because / and then | 예의 발라서 | ||
| If (conditional) | 예의 바르면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 예의 바른 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 예의 발랐던 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 예의 바를 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 예의 바르지 않아요 |
No want-to row: -고 싶다 suits verbs.
The table gives the long negative 예의 바르지 않아요, which keeps the phrase intact.
Sound Changes
| Form | Korean | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Polite past | 예의 발랐어요 | [예의 발라써요] |
| Polite future | 예의 바를 거예요 | [예의 바를꺼예요] |
| Polite future guess | 예의 바르겠어요 | [예의 바르게써요] |
| Formal present | 예의 바릅니다 | [예의 바름니다] |
| Formal past | 예의 발랐습니다 | [예의 발랃씀니다] |
| Formal future | 예의 바를 것입니다 | [예의 바를꺼심니다] |
| Casual past | 예의 발랐어 | [예의 발라써] |
| Casual future | 예의 바를 거야 | [예의 바를꺼야] |
| Past modifier | 예의 발랐던 | [예의 발랃떤] |
| Long negative | 예의 바르지 않아요 | [예의 바르지 아나요] |
예의 바르다 Forms to Reach for First
- Politely (polite): 예의 발라요
- Earlier, in the past (polite): 예의 발랐어요
- Giving the reason (polite): 예의 발라서
- If the condition holds (polite): 예의 바르면
- Before a noun (polite): 예의 바른, or 예의 발랐던 for the past
- Denying it (polite): 예의 바르지 않아요
- Honorific, about a respected person (polite): 예의 바르세요
Common Mistake
Wrong: ✗ 예의 바르어요
Correct: ✓ 예의 발라요
Why: Many learners treat 바르다 as regular and add the vowel directly, giving 바르어요. A 르 stem doubles its ㄹ first, so the correct form is 발라요.
When Does 예의 바르다 Fit Best?
Use 예의 바르다 for correct manners such as greetings and respect to elders. For kindness and helpfulness, use 친절하다.
What Is Easy to Confuse with 예의 바르다?
| Word | How to tell it from 예의 바르다 |
|---|---|
| 무례하다 | The opposite: 무례하다 is rude, while 예의 바르다 is well-mannered. |
| 친절하다 | 친절하다 is about being kind and helpful; 예의 바르다 is about correct manners such as greetings and respect to elders. |
A Parent Speaks with a Teacher
A teacher has noticed a child greeting people respectfully. The parent and teacher discuss the child’s manners, rather than school marks.
Teacher
아이가 참 예의 발라요.
Aiga cham yeui ballayo.
Your child is very well-mannered.
Parent
집에서도 예의 바른 아이예요.
Jibeseodo yeui bareun aiyeyo.
They’re well-mannered at home too.
Teacher
네. 예의 발라서 친구들도 좋아해요.
Ne. Yeui ballaseo chingudeuldo joahaeyo.
Yes. Their friends like them because they’re well-mannered.
예의 발라요 gives the teacher’s assessment. 예의 바른 modifies 아이, while 예의 발라서 introduces the reason for the friends’ reaction. The noun 예의 stays unchanged in all three lines. Only the descriptive word at the end takes a new ending.
Phrases about Manners That Learners Meet
| Phrase | Meaning | What it focuses on |
|---|---|---|
| 예의 바른 학생 | a well-mannered student | A person's respectful behaviour. |
| 예의 바른 태도 | a respectful attitude | The manner shown in a situation. |
| 예의를 지키다 | to observe proper manners | Keeping to expected standards of conduct. |
| 예의가 없다 | to have no manners | A direct criticism of someone's behaviour. |
예의 바르다 literally describes manners as “right” or “proper”. In use, it means well-mannered. It is a description of a person or attitude, rather than a claim that the person is correct about a fact. A student can give the wrong answer while still being 예의 바른.
예의를 지키다 makes manners something a person observes. The noun takes the object marker 를 because 지키다 means to keep or observe something. In 예의가 없다, the same noun takes 가. This contrast helps you recognise 예의 as a separate noun instead of trying to conjugate it.
Calling someone 예의가 없다 is stronger than quietly describing a greeting as awkward. In a drama argument, the phrase can challenge how a younger person has spoken to an elder. It judges conduct and may sound accusatory. Understanding it is useful even when you would choose a gentler way to raise a concern.
Where Will You Hear This Description?
Parents, teachers and older relatives use 예의 바르다 when discussing greetings, respectful speech and considerate conduct. A school comment about an 예의 바른 학생 praises manners. It does not report the student's grades, speed of learning or attendance record.
The phrase also appears in descriptions of service and workplace interactions. A respectful attitude and practical helpfulness are separate qualities: a staff member might speak courteously yet be unable to solve a problem. 친절하다 is useful when kindness or helpfulness is the main point of your comment.
When speaking directly to a senior colleague, a statement judging their manners can feel like an evaluation from above. With children, the praise has a more familiar role. The words themselves are neutral, but the relationship affects how a personal assessment lands.
Why Do 발라요 and 바른 Look Different?
In 바르다, the vowel before 르 is ㅏ. Before 아요, 르 loses ㅡ and adds ㄹ to the preceding syllable: 바르 becomes 발라, giving 예의 발라요. The same change gives 예의 발랐어요 and 예의 발라서. The extra ㄹ belongs to this vowel-ending pattern.
The modifier 예의 바른 does not go through that change. Keep 바르 and add ㄴ. Likewise, the conditional is 예의 바르면, so it keeps 르. Matching an ending to its trigger is more reliable than replacing every occurrence of 바르 with 발라.
Keep the space after 예의 in the forms on this page, including 예의 바른 and 예의 발랐어요. Endings attach to 바르다; they do not attach to 예의. For a negative description, 예의 바르지 않아요 keeps the phrase easy to recognise. The separate noun expression 예의가 없다 is another common way to criticise a lack of manners.
Related Words for Describing Behaviour
| Related word | Meaning | Useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 예의 | manners, courtesy | The noun inside the phrase. |
| 인사 | greeting | A concrete behaviour people may praise. |
| 친절하다 | kind, helpful | Focuses on kindness or assistance. |
| 무례하다 | rude | A stronger negative judgment about conduct. |
The personality vocabulary lesson helps separate manners from kindness and diligence. For a description of a student, choose the trait that matches the example you can actually give.
Mini Drill: Only Change 바르다
- Give the polite present of 예의 바르다.
- Complete “a well-mannered student”: 예의 ___ 학생.
- Change the phrase to the polite past.
- Give its long negative in polite speech.
Show drill answers
- 예의 발라요.
- 예의 바른 학생.
- 예의 발랐어요.
- 예의 바르지 않아요.
Quick Self-Test
- Which word in the phrase takes endings?
- Does 예의 바른 학생 mean the student gets high marks?
- What does 예의를 지키다 mean?
Show answers
- 바르다; 예의 stays unchanged.
- No. It praises the student's manners.
- To observe proper manners.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Polite Present of 예의 바르다?
예의 발라요.
Is There a Short Negative with 안?
For this phrase, use the clear long negative 예의 바르지 않아요.
Which Word Changes in the Phrase?
Only 바르다. 예의 stays the same.
What Is the Opposite?
무례하다, meaning rude.
Which Words Are Related to 예의 바르다?
What Should You Learn Next?
Compare it with 무례하다, and read the 르-irregular lesson to see 몰라요 and other verbs that follow the same pattern. The pattern is explained in 르-irregular verbs and adjectives. Then run another word through the Korean verb conjugator or browse the Korean verb dictionary.