많아
mahn-ah
maa
descriptive
많다
To say many, much, a lot, plentiful politely in the present tense, use 많아요 (mahn-ah-yoh) · maayo. Below is the full conjugation of 많다 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 | 많아요 mahn-ah-yoh maayo | 많습니다 mahn-seum-nee-dah maseumnida | |
| Past | 많았어 mahn-ah-ssuh maasseo | 많았어요 mahn-ah-ssuh-yoh maasseoyo | 많았습니다 mahn-ah-sseum-nee-dah maasseumnida |
| Future | 많을 거야 mahn-eul guh-yah maeul geoya | 많을 거예요 mahn-eul guh-yae-yoh maeul geoyeyo | 많을 겁니다 mahn-eul guhm-nee-dah maeul geomnida |
Other useful forms
Honorific / Command Polite (-(으)세요)
많으세요
mahn-eu-sae-yoh
maeuseyo
Suggestion / Let's Polite (요)
많아요
mahn-ah-yoh
maayo
Question Polite (요)
많아요?
mahn-ah-yoh-?
maayo?
Connective "and" — (고)
많고
mahn-goh
mago
Conditional "if" — (면)
많으면
mahn-eu-myuhn
maeumyeon
Progressive (고 있어요)
많고 있어요
mahn-goh ee-ssuh-yoh
mago isseoyo
Want to (고 싶어요)
많고 싶어요
mahn-goh shee-puh-yoh
mago sipeoyo
Can / Able to ((으)ㄹ 수 있어요)
많을 수 있어요
mahn-eul soo ee-ssuh-yoh
maeul su isseoyo
Because / So (아/어서)
많아서
mahn-ah-suh
maaseo
Noun form — (기)
많기
mahn-gee
magi
Noun form — (음)
많음
mahn-eum
maeum