높아
noh-pah
nopa
descriptive
높다
To say to be high, to be tall politely in the present tense, use 높아요 (noh-pah-yoh) · nopayo. Below is the full conjugation of 높다 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 | 높아요 noh-pah-yoh nopayo | 높습니다 nohp-sseum-nee-dah nopseumnida | |
| Past | 높았어 noh-pah-ssuh nopasseo | 높았어요 noh-pah-ssuh-yoh nopasseoyo | 높았습니다 noh-pah-sseum-nee-dah nopasseumnida |
| Future | 높을 거야 noh-peul guh-yah nopeul geoya | 높을 거예요 noh-peul guh-yae-yoh nopeul geoyeyo | 높을 겁니다 noh-peul guhm-nee-dah nopeul geomnida |
Other useful forms
Honorific / Command Polite (-(으)세요)
높으세요
noh-peu-sae-yoh
nopeuseyo
Suggestion / Let's Polite (요)
높아요
noh-pah-yoh
nopayo
Question Polite (요)
높아요?
noh-pah-yoh-?
nopayo?
Connective "and" — (고)
높고
nohp-goh
nopgo
Conditional "if" — (면)
높으면
noh-peu-myuhn
nopeumyeon
Progressive (고 있어요)
높고 있어요
nohp-goh ee-ssuh-yoh
nopgo isseoyo
Want to (고 싶어요)
높고 싶어요
nohp-goh shee-puh-yoh
nopgo sipeoyo
Can / Able to ((으)ㄹ 수 있어요)
높을 수 있어요
noh-peul soo ee-ssuh-yoh
nopeul su isseoyo
Because / So (아/어서)
높아서
noh-pah-suh
nopaseo
Noun form — (기)
높기
nohp-gee
nopgi
Noun form — (음)
높음
noh-peum
nopeum