The adverbs that show how a speaker feels about what is being said.
Many of these adverbs do the work English does with tone of voice or a whole clause: 굳이 means “go to the trouble of”, 막상 “when it actually came to it”, 하마터면 “it was a close thing”. Several only work with a particular ending, and that pairing is half the word: 결코 and 도저히 need a negative, 하마터면 needs 뻔하다, 비록 needs -지만 or -아도. Learn them inside their sentence, not on their own.
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Adverb (40)
점점gradually; more and moreAdverb3
날씨가 점점 추워지고 있어요.The weather is getting colder and colder.
차차little by little; in due courseAdverb4
처음엔 힘들어도 차차 익숙해질 거예요.It may be hard at first, but you will get used to it bit by bit.
점차graduallyAdverb4
이 지역의 인구가 점차 줄어들고 있습니다.The population of this area is gradually decreasing.
Formal and written; in conversation 점점.
결코never; by no meansAdverb4
그날 받은 도움은 결코 잊지 않을 거예요.I will never forget the help I got that day.
Always with a negative: 결코 잊지 않아요, 결코 쉽지 않아요.
반드시without fail; definitelyAdverb3
약은 반드시 식후에 드세요.Be sure to take the medicine after meals.
Stronger and more formal than 꼭.
상당히considerably; quiteAdverb4
이 문제는 생각보다 상당히 복잡해요.This problem is considerably more complicated than I thought.
대체로generally; on the wholeAdverb4
이 식당 음식은 대체로 맛있지만 좀 비싸요.The food at this restaurant is generally good, but a bit expensive.
비록although; even thoughAdverb4
비록 작은 집이지만 우리 가족에게는 소중해요.Even though it is a small house, it is precious to our family.
Announces a concession; the clause still needs -지만, -아도 or -더라도.
마침내at last; finallyAdverb4
삼 년 동안 준비한 끝에 마침내 가게를 열었어요.After three years of preparation, I finally opened my shop.
More formal than 드디어, which sounds more relieved.
비로소only then; not untilAdverb4
부모가 되고 나서야 비로소 부모님의 마음을 알게 됐어요.Only after becoming a parent did I understand how my parents felt.
Usually after -고 나서야 or -아야.
도저히(cannot) possibly; no wayAdverb4
너무 피곤해서 오늘은 도저히 운동할 수 없어요.I am so tired I simply cannot exercise today.
Only with a negative: 못 하다, -ㄹ 수 없다.
저절로by itself; automaticallyAdverb4
이 노래를 들으면 저절로 웃음이 나요.When I hear this song, I cannot help smiling.
함부로carelessly; thoughtlesslyAdverb4
남의 물건을 함부로 만지면 안 돼요.You must not touch other people’s things without asking.
더욱even more; all the moreAdverb3
비가 그친 뒤에 공기가 더욱 맑아졌어요.After the rain stopped, the air became even clearer.
A more written 더.
오로지solely; nothing butAdverb4
그는 지난 일 년 동안 오로지 시험 준비만 했어요.For the past year he has done nothing but prepare for the exam.
겨우barely; only justAdverb3
아침에 늦게 일어나서 겨우 버스를 탔어요.I got up late this morning and only just caught the bus.
Also “a mere”: 겨우 천 원, only a thousand won.
간신히narrowly; with great difficultyAdverb4
비행기 출발 오 분 전에 간신히 공항에 도착했어요.I barely made it to the airport five minutes before the plane left.
하마터면nearly; very nearlyAdverb4
길이 미끄러워서 하마터면 넘어질 뻔했어요.The road was slippery, and I very nearly fell.
Goes with 뻔했다 after a verb: something bad almost happened.
아예altogether; from the startAdverb3
숙제가 너무 어려워서 아예 손도 못 댔어요.The homework was so hard that I could not even make a start on it.
차라리rather; would soonerAdverb3
이렇게 막힐 바에는 차라리 걸어가는 게 낫겠어요.Rather than sit in traffic like this, it would be better to walk.
어차피anyway; in any caseAdverb3
어차피 늦었으니까 천천히 가요.We are late anyway, so we may as well take our time.
굳이go out of one’s way to; insist onAdverb4
가까운 데니까 굳이 택시를 탈 필요 없어요.It is close, so there is no need to bother taking a taxi.
Said [구지].
과연indeed; sure enoughAdverb4
그 영화는 과연 소문대로 재미있었어요.That film was every bit as good as people said.
In a question it doubts: 과연 될까요?, “will it really work?”
도리어instead; on the contraryAdverb4
도와주려다가 도리어 일을 더 복잡하게 만들었어요.I tried to help but only made things more complicated instead.
Close to 오히려: the opposite of what was intended.
막상when it actually comes to itAdverb4
혼자 여행을 가려고 했는데 막상 떠나려니까 좀 무서웠어요.I was going to travel alone, but when it actually came to leaving I was a little scared.
아무래도it seems after all; whichever way you look at itAdverb3
아무래도 오늘은 비가 올 것 같아요.It looks like it is going to rain today after all.
무려no fewer than; as many asAdverb4
그 콘서트에는 무려 오만 명이 모였어요.No fewer than fifty thousand people gathered at the concert.
Stresses that a number is surprisingly large; 불과 stresses that it is small.
불과only; a mereAdverb4
사고가 난 곳은 우리 집에서 불과 몇 미터 떨어진 곳이었어요.The accident happened only a few metres from our house.
고작only; at mostAdverb4
하루 종일 일했는데 고작 이만 원밖에 못 받았어요.I worked all day and got a mere twenty thousand won.
Sounds disappointed, more than 겨우.
대충roughly; sloppilyAdverb3
시간이 없어서 방을 대충 치웠어요.I had no time, so I tidied my room roughly.
제대로properly; as it should beAdverb3
어제 잠을 제대로 못 자서 머리가 아파요.I did not sleep properly last night, so I have a headache.
즉시immediately; at onceAdverb4
문제가 생기면 즉시 저에게 알려 주세요.If a problem comes up, let me know immediately.
한꺼번에all at onceAdverb4
일이 한꺼번에 몰려서 정신이 없어요.Everything has piled up at once, and I do not know whether I am coming or going.
실컷to one’s heart’s contentAdverb4
시험이 끝나면 하루 종일 실컷 자고 싶어요.When the exams are over, I want to sleep as much as I like all day.
골고루evenly; a bit of everythingAdverb4
건강하려면 음식을 골고루 먹어야 해요.To stay healthy, you should eat a bit of everything.
여전히still; as beforeAdverb3
십 년 만에 만났는데 그 친구는 여전히 밝았어요.We met for the first time in ten years, and my friend was as cheerful as ever.
Unchanged over time; still not done is 아직.
끝내in the end; to the lastAdverb4
기다렸지만 그 친구는 끝내 나타나지 않았어요.I waited, but my friend never turned up in the end.
문득suddenly (of a thought)Adverb4
길을 걷다가 문득 고향 생각이 났어요.While walking along the street, I suddenly thought of home.
어느덧before one knows itAdverb4
한국에 온 지 어느덧 일 년이 지났어요.Before I knew it, a year had passed since I came to Korea.
미처(not) in time; (not) yetAdverb4
너무 바빠서 미처 연락을 못 드렸어요.I was so busy that I did not get round to contacting you.
Only with a negative: something there was no time to do.
This list belongs to The scaffolding — 30 lists and 1195 words that can also be practised as a whole.
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Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.