4 · 40 words
Emotions in finer shades
Pride, dread, relief, envy and the feelings between them.
Most Korean feelings are adjectives, not verbs: 불안해요 is “(I) am anxious”, and the person who feels it is usually left unsaid. That only works for yourself, or when asking someone directly — to say how somebody else feels, Korean adds -아/어하다: 동생이 불안해해요. Several words here have no single English match: 착잡하다is a heavy tangle of feelings you cannot sort out벅차다a heart too full to hold what it feels
The words
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Verb (16)
당황하다to be flustered, thrownVerb4
갑자기 영어로 질문을 받아서 당황했어요.I was thrown when someone suddenly asked me a question in English.
의심하다to doubt, suspectVerb4
처음에는 그 사람의 말을 의심했어요.At first I doubted what he said.
질투하다to be jealous, envyVerb4
동생은 제가 새 옷을 사면 늘 질투해요.My younger sister is always jealous when I buy new clothes.
미워하다to hate, dislike (a person)Verb4
형이 얄미울 때는 있어도 미워한 적은 없어요.My older brother can be annoying, but I have never hated him.
원망하다to resent, blameVerb4
그는 오랫동안 자신의 운명을 원망했어요.For a long time he resented his fate.
존경하다to respect, look up toVerb4
제가 가장 존경하는 사람은 우리 할머니예요.The person I most look up to is my grandmother.
공감하다to empathise, relate toVerb4
그 노래 가사에 많은 사람들이 공감했어요.Many people related to the lyrics of that song.
동정하다to pity, feel sorry forVerb4
사람들은 혼자 남겨진 그 아이를 동정했어요.People felt sorry for the child who had been left alone.
위로하다to comfort, consoleVerb4
시험에 떨어진 친구를 위로해 줬어요.I comforted a friend who had failed the exam.
격려하다to encourageVerb4
선생님은 포기하려는 학생을 따뜻하게 격려하셨어요.The teacher warmly encouraged the student who was about to give up.
감탄하다to marvel at, admireVerb4
사람들은 그 경치를 보고 감탄했어요.People marvelled at the view.
두근거리다to pound, flutter (of the heart)Verb4
발표 순서를 기다리면서 가슴이 두근거렸어요.My heart was pounding as I waited for my turn to present.
신나다to be excited, thrilledVerb3
아이들은 눈이 오자 신나서 밖으로 뛰어나갔어요.When it started snowing, the children ran outside in high spirits.
감격하다to be deeply movedVerb4
오랜만에 가족을 만난 할머니는 감격해서 눈물을 흘리셨어요.Grandmother was so moved at seeing her family after so long that she wept.
들뜨다to be excited, restlessVerb4
방학을 일주일 앞두고 학생들이 모두 들떠 있어요.With the holidays a week away, all the students are excited.
Irregular: 들떠요, 들떴어요.
참다to hold back, put up withVerb3
웃음을 참느라고 혼났어요.I had a terrible time trying not to laugh.
Noun (10)
감정emotion, feelingNoun4
그는 자기 감정을 좀처럼 드러내지 않아요.He rarely shows his feelings.
분노anger, rageNoun4
그 소식을 듣고 많은 사람들이 분노를 느꼈어요.Many people felt anger when they heard the news.
절망despairNoun4
그는 절망 속에서도 희망을 잃지 않았어요.Even in despair he did not lose hope.
희망hopeNoun3
아직 희망을 버리기에는 일러요.It is too early to give up hope.
두려움fearNoun4
그는 실패에 대한 두려움을 이겨 냈어요.He overcame his fear of failure.
공포terror; horrorNoun4
저는 공포 영화를 혼자서는 못 봐요.I cannot watch horror films on my own.
애정affectionNoun4
할머니는 손주들에게 애정이 많으세요.My grandmother is full of affection for her grandchildren.
열정passion, enthusiasmNoun4
그 선생님은 가르치는 일에 열정이 넘쳐요.That teacher is full of passion for teaching.
눈물tearsNoun3
영화 마지막 장면에서 눈물이 났어요.Tears came to my eyes at the last scene of the film.
한숨sighNoun4
시험지를 받자마자 한숨이 나왔어요.I let out a sigh as soon as I got the exam paper.
Adjective (14)
불안하다to be anxious, uneasyAdjective4
면접 결과가 나오기 전까지 계속 불안했어요.I felt uneasy the whole time until the interview results came out.
조급하다to be impatient, in a hurryAdjective4
결과가 빨리 나오지 않아서 마음이 조급해졌어요.The results were slow to come out, and I grew impatient.
우울하다to be depressed, gloomyAdjective4
비가 일주일째 오니까 기분이 우울해요.It has been raining for a week, and I feel gloomy.
비참하다to be miserable, wretchedAdjective4
결승에서 크게 지고 나니 비참한 기분이 들었어요.After losing the final so badly, I felt wretched.
언짢다to be displeased, put outAdjective4
사장님은 회의 내내 언짢은 표정이셨어요.The boss looked displeased throughout the meeting.
Said [언짠타].
착잡하다to have mixed, heavy feelingsAdjective4
정든 학교를 떠나려니 마음이 착잡해요.Leaving the school I have grown so fond of, my feelings are all mixed up.
씁쓸하다to feel bitter, ruefulAdjective4
열심히 했는데 아무도 알아주지 않아서 씁쓸했어요.I worked hard and nobody noticed, which left a bitter taste.
서글프다to feel sad, forlornAdjective4
혼자서 생일을 보내니 조금 서글펐어요.Spending my birthday alone made me feel a little forlorn.
Irregular: 서글퍼요, 서글펐어요.
막막하다to feel at a loss, not know where to turnAdjective4
혼자 외국에 처음 왔을 때는 모든 게 막막했어요.When I first came abroad on my own, I did not know where to begin.
불쾌하다to be unpleasant, offendedAdjective4
그 사람의 무례한 농담 때문에 불쾌했어요.I was offended by his rude joke.
감사하다to be grateful, thankfulAdjective4
늘 저를 믿어 주신 부모님께 정말 감사해요.I am truly grateful to my parents, who have always believed in me.
More formal than 고맙다.
벅차다to be overwhelmed (with feeling)Adjective4
아이가 처음 걷는 모습을 보고 가슴이 벅찼어요.Seeing my child walk for the first time, my heart was full.
유쾌하다to be cheerful, pleasantAdjective4
그는 늘 유쾌해서 같이 있으면 즐거워요.He is always cheerful, so it is fun to be around him.
홀가분하다to feel relieved, unburdenedAdjective4
시험이 다 끝나서 마음이 홀가분해요.All my exams are over, and I feel a weight off my shoulders.
This list belongs to People, family and feelings — twelve lists and 477 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.