8.4. More on Adverbs

Adverbs are words that modify verbs (fast in runs fast, 빨리 in 빨리 먹어요). Manner adverbs answer the question how? or in what manner? Time adverbs answer the question when?, place adverbs answer the question where? and degree adverbs are words like very, a little, etc. As you have seen, adverbs like these typically appear just before the verb they modify, and they never serve as subjects or objects.

When different types of adverb cooccur, they tend to follow the order time, place, degree and manner:

  1. 만호씨는 요즘 집에서 담배를 아주 많이 피워요.
    Lately Manho smokes a lot at home.

Here are some useful adverbs in Korean:

Manner Adverbs

    잘 well; often, a lot

    혼자(서) alone, by oneself

    함께 together

    많이 lots

    같이 like; together

    빨리 fast

    깨끗이 neatly

    천천히 slowly

    안녕히 at peace = in good health

    열심히 diligently

Time Adverbs

    아직 still, yet

    일찍 early

    지금 now

    먼저 first (of all)

    늘 always

    항상 always

    언제나 always

    요즘 nowadays, lately

    보통 usually, normally

    가끔 sometimes

Place Adverbs

    [We have not learned any place adverbs yet.]

Degree Adverbs

    참 very; truly

    좀, 조금 a little (bit)

    주로 mainly, for the most part

    너무 too much so, very

    아주 very

Notice that some of the adverbs listed above end in -이 or -히. It is not always predictable when you can create an adverb like this from a verb base, and you should not attempt to create such adverbs on your own.

Some of the adverbs overlap in meaning: 잘 and 많이 share the meaning many, much, a lot, but only 잘 means well and often in addition (often is also expressed by the adverb 자주). The adverb 많이 and the descriptive verb 많아요 should not be confused with each other. The verb means there is much, there are many or (someone) has much/many; it is equivalent to 많이 있어요. The opposite of 많아요 is 적어요 there is little, there are few or [someone] has little/few:

  1. 교환학생이 많아요. = 교환학생이 많이 있어요.
    There are a lot of exchange students.
  2. 수진씨는 말이 적어요. 그런데 동호씨는 말이 많아요.
    Sujin doesn’t say much. But Tongho talks too much.
  3. 교회에는 주로 일요일에 나가요.
    I go to church mostly on Sundays.
  4. A. 한국음식을 자주 드세요?
    Do you eat Korean food often?
    B. 가끔 먹어요.
    Sometimes.
  5. A. 아직도 수영을 매일 하세요?
    Do you still swim every day?
    B. 아니오. 요즘 너무 바빠요.
    No. Lately I’m too busy.
    A. 보통 혼자 하세요?
    Do you usually do it alone?
    B. 아니오, 친구랑 같이 다녀요.
    No. I go with a friend

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