Key Facts
- Hangul: 너무; Revised Romanization: neomu
- Part of speech: adverb
- Origin: native
- Register: Neutral. Traditionally 'too much', but colloquially used as 'very'.
Too in Korean: How Do You Pronounce 너무?
Two syllables: neo-mu, with no sound change between them. The first vowel ㅓ is an open, unrounded "uh", not the rounded o of English "no"; only the second vowel, ㅜ, rounds the lips.
Example Sentences with 너무
커피가 너무 뜨거워요.
Keopiga neomu tteugeowoyo
The coffee is too hot.
A negative reading: the coffee is 뜨거워요 (hot), and 너무 says it is hotter than comfortable.
너무 고마워요.
Neomu gomawoyo
Thank you so much.
A positive reading. 고마워요 means thank you, so 너무 here is "so much", not an excess.
오늘 너무 피곤해요.
Oneul neomu pigonhaeyo
I am so tired today.
Here 너무 simply intensifies: "so tired". 피곤해요 means tired, and 오늘 sets the time. The adverb sits directly before the adjective.
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 너무 많다 | to be too many |
| 너무 좋다 | to be so good |
| 너무하다 | to be too much |
너무 많다 is the classic excess phrase. 너무 좋다 shows the positive use, and 너무하다 turns the word into a verb meaning to go too far.
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ reading 너무 고마워요 as a complaint ("too thankful")
Correct: ✓ 너무 고마워요 = "Thank you so much."
Why: Learners think 너무 is always negative. In everyday Korean it often means "really" or "so" in a positive sentence. The National Institute of Korean Language’s usage note confirms that both positive and negative contexts are accepted.
너무 Compared with Similar Words
아주 is a plain "very" with no sense of excess, while 매우 is the formal "very". 지나치게 is the formal "excessively", which keeps the negative edge that 너무 sometimes loses.
| Word | Meaning | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|---|
| 너무 | too (much) | This page's word |
| 아주 | very | Plain 'very', no sense of excess. |
| 매우 | very | Formal 'very'. |
| 지나치게 | excessively | Formal 'excessively'. |
At a Café: a Drink Is Too Hot
A customer has just received coffee. The employee responds to a problem, and the customer ends with a positive use of the same adverb.
Customer
커피가 너무 뜨거워요.
Keopiga neomu tteugeowoyo.
The coffee is too hot.
Employee
얼음 좀 드릴까요?
Eoreum jom deurilkkayo?
Would you like some ice?
Customer
네, 조금만 주세요.
Ne, jogeumman juseyo.
Yes, just a little, please.
Employee
여기 있어요.
Yeogi isseoyo.
Here you are.
Customer
너무 고마워요.
Neomu gomawoyo.
Thank you so much.
The opening 너무 describes uncomfortable excess. At the end, 너무 strengthens gratitude. Nothing about the adverb’s spelling changes: 뜨거워요 and 고마워요 tell you which reading fits. 조금만 asks for only a little, so the employee can adjust the amount rather than guess.
Does English “Too” Always Mean 너무?
너무 covers degree: something is too hot, too expensive, or very pleasing. English also uses “too” to mean “also”. For that meaning, Korean often attaches 도 to a noun. 저도 means “me too” or “I also”. It does not describe an excessive amount of “me”.
Compare the jobs of the two forms: 너무 intensifies the following description or action, while 도 adds a person or thing to the statement. If someone says they like coffee and you share that preference, 저도 is the useful reply. 너무 by itself would not express “I do too”.
Where Will You Hear 너무?
In everyday conversation and drama dialogue, 너무 can carry enthusiasm, frustration, gratitude, or surprise. 너무 좋아요 means “It’s so good” or “I like it so much”. 너무 비싸요 usually means “It’s too expensive”. Listen to the adjective and the situation rather than assigning a negative meaning to every occurrence.
Reviews and personal messages also use the positive sense. A compliment with 너무 예뻐요 means “It’s so pretty” or “You’re so pretty”, depending on what is being described. The missing subject comes from the conversation. 너무 does not tell you whether the praise concerns a person, a dress, or a photograph.
For a restrained report or formal description, 매우 or 아주 may express “very” more directly. If the precise point is harmful excess, 지나치게 makes that meaning explicit. The polite ending on the sentence addresses the listener; choosing 너무 is a separate decision about intensity and tone.
Why Does Spacing Matter in 너무하다?
너무 많이 means “too much” or “so much” before an action. 많이 supplies the idea of a large amount, while 너무 adds intensity. 너무 많다 describes there being too many or too much of something. Learn the whole phrase so that the English word “much” does not leave you guessing which Korean form to use.
너무하다 is one word meaning to go too far or be excessive. 너무해요 can express “That’s too much” about someone’s behaviour. It may sound reproachful, even with 요. By contrast, 너무 해요 with a space leaves 너무 as an adverb before 해요; the surrounding sentence would need to explain what action is being done too much.
Related Words for Adjusting Intensity
| Korean | Meaning | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| 조금 | a little | A small amount, useful when asking for a change. |
| 많이 | much; a lot | Quantity or extent, as in 너무 많이. |
| 정말 | really | Strong feeling or emphasis on truth. |
| 도 | also; too | Addition, rather than excessive degree. |
The quantity words lesson connects 너무 with amount and degree words. Start by deciding whether your English “too” means excess or addition, then choose the Korean pattern that matches the message.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 너무 고마워요 normally complain about excessive gratitude?
- Which fits “me too”: 저도 or 너무?
- What is the meaning of the single word 너무하다?
Show answers
- No. It means “Thank you so much”.
- 저도. 도 adds the speaker to the statement.
- To go too far or be too much, often about behaviour.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "too" in Korean?
Too in Korean, as in "too much", is 너무 (neomu): 커피가 너무 뜨거워요 means "The coffee is too hot." For "too" meaning "also", Korean uses a different word.
Can 너무 mean very?
Yes. In everyday speech 너무 often means "very" or "so", as in 너무 좋다 (so good) and 너무 고마워요 (thank you so much).
What is the formal word for very?
매우 is the formal "very" used in writing and announcements. 아주 is the neutral spoken choice.
What does 너무하다 mean?
너무하다 means "to go too far" or "to be too much", usually about someone's behaviour. It is 너무 turned into a verb with 하다.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: quantity words list. 너무 appears there with the other degree words.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Compare with the very page. 매우 is the formal alternative.