형편없어
hyuhng-pyuh-nuhp-ssuh
hyeongpyeoneopsseo
descriptive
형편없다
To say terrible, awful (of a very poor quality) politely in the present tense, use 형편없어요 (hyuhng-pyuh-nuhp-ssuh-yoh) · hyeongpyeoneopsseoyo. Below is the full conjugation of 형편없다 across the three tenses and three everyday speech levels.
Grammar note (descriptive): Descriptive verbs (형용사) function like adjectives in Korean and conjugate the same way as regular action verbs. They cannot take the progressive -고 있어요 or imperative forms. 좋다 (to be good) → 좋아요; 크다 (to be big) → 커요 (으-irregular).
Conjugation table
pron. = pronunciation guide · RR = Revised Romanization
| Tense | Casual (반말) | Polite (요) | Formal (합니다) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | 형편없어요 hyuhng-pyuh-nuhp-ssuh-yoh hyeongpyeoneopsseoyo | 형편없습니다 hyuhng-pyuh-nuhp-seum-nee-dah hyeongpyeoneoseumnida | |
| Past | 형편없었어 hyuhng-pyuh-nuhp-ssuh-ssuh hyeongpyeoneopsseosseo | 형편없었어요 hyuhng-pyuh-nuhp-ssuh-ssuh-yoh hyeongpyeoneopsseosseoyo | 형편없었습니다 hyuhng-pyuh-nuhp-ssuh-sseum-nee-dah hyeongpyeoneopsseosseumnida |
| Future | 형편없을 거야 hyuhng-pyuh-nuhp-sseul guh-yah hyeongpyeoneopsseul geoya | 형편없을 거예요 hyuhng-pyuh-nuhp-sseul guh-yae-yoh hyeongpyeoneopsseul geoyeyo | 형편없을 겁니다 hyuhng-pyuh-nuhp-sseul guhm-nee-dah hyeongpyeoneopsseul geomnida |
Other useful forms
Honorific / Command Polite (-(으)세요)
형편없으세요
hyuhng-pyuh-nuhp-sseu-sae-yoh
hyeongpyeoneopsseuseyo
Suggestion / Let's Polite (요)
형편없어요
hyuhng-pyuh-nuhp-ssuh-yoh
hyeongpyeoneopsseoyo
Question Polite (요)
형편없어요?
hyuhng-pyuh-nuhp-ssuh-yoh-?
hyeongpyeoneopsseoyo?
Connective "and" — (고)
형편없고
hyuhng-pyuh-nuhp-goh
hyeongpyeoneogo
Conditional "if" — (면)
형편없으면
hyuhng-pyuh-nuhp-sseu-myuhn
hyeongpyeoneopsseumyeon
Progressive (고 있어요)
형편없고 있어요
hyuhng-pyuh-nuhp-goh ee-ssuh-yoh
hyeongpyeoneogo isseoyo
Want to (고 싶어요)
형편없고 싶어요
hyuhng-pyuh-nuhp-goh shee-puh-yoh
hyeongpyeoneogo sipeoyo
Can / Able to ((으)ㄹ 수 있어요)
형편없을 수 있어요
hyuhng-pyuh-nuhp-sseul soo ee-ssuh-yoh
hyeongpyeoneopsseul su isseoyo
Because / So (아/어서)
형편없어서
hyuhng-pyuh-nuhp-ssuh-suh
hyeongpyeoneopsseoseo
Noun form — (기)
형편없기
hyuhng-pyuh-nuhp-gee
hyeongpyeoneogi
Noun form — (음)
형편없음
hyuhng-pyuh-nuhp-sseum
hyeongpyeoneopsseum