적어
chuh-guh
jeogeo
descriptive
적다
To say to be little, to be few politely in the present tense, use 적어요 (chuh-guh-yoh) · jeogeoyo. Below is the full conjugation of 적다 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 | 적어요 chuh-guh-yoh jeogeoyo | 적습니다 chuhg-sseum-nee-dah jeoksseumnida | |
| Past | 적었어 chuh-guh-ssuh jeogeosseo | 적었어요 chuh-guh-ssuh-yoh jeogeosseoyo | 적었습니다 chuh-guh-sseum-nee-dah jeogeosseumnida |
| Future | 적을 거야 chuh-geul guh-yah jeogeul geoya | 적을 거예요 chuh-geul guh-yae-yoh jeogeul geoyeyo | 적을 겁니다 chuh-geul guhm-nee-dah jeogeul geomnida |
Other useful forms
Honorific / Command Polite (-(으)세요)
적으세요
chuh-geu-sae-yoh
jeogeuseyo
Suggestion / Let's Polite (요)
적어요
chuh-guh-yoh
jeogeoyo
Question Polite (요)
적어요?
chuh-guh-yoh-?
jeogeoyo?
Connective "and" — (고)
적고
chuhg-ggoh
jeokkko
Conditional "if" — (면)
적으면
chuh-geu-myuhn
jeogeumyeon
Progressive (고 있어요)
적고 있어요
chuhg-ggoh ee-ssuh-yoh
jeokkko isseoyo
Want to (고 싶어요)
적고 싶어요
chuhg-ggoh shee-puh-yoh
jeokkko sipeoyo
Can / Able to ((으)ㄹ 수 있어요)
적을 수 있어요
chuh-geul soo ee-ssuh-yoh
jeogeul su isseoyo
Because / So (아/어서)
적어서
chuh-guh-suh
jeogeoseo
Noun form — (기)
적기
chuhg-ggee
jeokkki
Noun form — (음)
적음
chuh-geum
jeogeum