How to Say ‘Cold’ in Korean

Brrr… The winter is here and, depending on where on the globe you live in, it is likely getting very cold. If you’ve been to Korea during winter yet, then you’ll know the temperatures might not go down so low, but the wind will definitely be brutal enough to make you feel cold. You know you’ll want to know how to say ‘cold’ in Korean so that you could tell your Korean friends just how you feel about the weather.

 

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‘Cold’ in Korean

 

As with ‘hot’ there are two primary words for how to say ‘cold’ in Korean. If we are talking about the temperature, whether it’s the weather outside or just your body being cold, most often the verb to use is 춥다 (chubda).

The descriptive verb 차갑다 (chagabda) also means ‘cold’. However, you would not use it to describe the weather, for example, besides describing the wind as ‘cold’ or ‘chilly’. Instead, you would use it to describe the temperature of your food or drink, as well as someone’s personality.

Other words you can use to describe cold weather are 싸늘하다 (ssaneulhada) and 냉랭하다 (naengnaenghada). They may be great additions to vocabulary with which you can truly impress your Korean friends with your Korean knowledge. However, keep in mind that these words are much rarer to see in use and usually even Koreans stick to simply 춥다 and 차갑다.

 

A word of caution about Romanization

While it is possible for you to study the words in this article simply by reading their romanized versions, it will come in handy for you to be able to read Hangeul if you ever wish to come to Korea. Hangeul is the Korean alphabet, and not difficult to learn. In fact, you can learn it in just 90 minutes.

After you’ve familiarized yourself with Hangeul, life in Korea will suddenly seem so much easier and the country won’t appear so foreign for you. So, if you’re serious about learning Korean, why not learn Hangeul today?

 

Sample Sentences

Standard:

오늘부터 날씨가 추워진대요. (oneulbuteo nalssiga chuweojindaeyo.)

They said the weather will be colder as of today.

 

그녀는 차가워 보였어요. (geunyeoneun chagaweo boyeosseoyeo.)

She has an icy look to her.

 

왜 제 질문을 이렇게 차갑게 대답했어요? (wae je jilmuneul ireohge chagabke daedabhaesseoyo?)

Why did you answer my question so coldly?

 

Informal:

오늘 되게 춥지 않아? (oneul dwege chubji anha?)

Isn’t it really cold today?

 

차가운 바람이 불어서 추워. (chagaun barami bureoseo chuweo.)

It’s cold because of the cold wind.

 

그이 손은 차가워. (geue soneun chagaweo.)

His hands are cold.

 

What do you usually do when it’s cold in Korea? Do you have a favorite Korean winter food or activity? Let us know in the comments how you enjoy it when it’s cold in Korea!

 

*Want more Korean phrases? Go to our Korean Phrases Page for a complete list!

 

Photo Credit: BigStockPhoto

 

The post How to Say ‘Cold’ in Korean appeared first on 90 Day Korean.

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