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In today’s TalkToMeInKorean lesson, we look at how to say “the most + adjective” (using superlatives) in Korean. The basic words you need to know are 가장 and 제일. Find out how they can be used in natural context by listening to the lesson!
You can download a free PDF for this lesson here, or if you want to study with our TalkToMeInKorean textbooks, you can get them here. And after you learn the basics, try writing your own Korean sentences and get corrections from native speakers through HaruKorean, our 1:1 correction service.
불고기 제일 좋아요. Bulgogi is the best!
파란색 빨간색보다 제일 좋아요. Blue is better than red.
불고기 제일 좋아요. > 불고기가 제일 좋아요.
파란색 빨간색보다 제일 좋아요. > 파란색이 빨간색보다 더 좋아요.
안녕하세요~ i am glad that i found ttmik! And i am finally in level four~! It is exactly one month since the last comment! And i have to say that 선생님가 제이 좋아요! ttmik자주 들어요. 정말 감사합니다!
Thanks for all the lessons, I’ve learned a lot!
I still don’t quite understand the usage of 최상급 and 최고, though. And I hear those all the time. Are these just slang, a different way of saying 제일 and 가장? Am I missing something?
I think you will understand the lesson a lot if you check the pdf file.
제일 and 가장 is not slang.
제일 and 가장 are almost the same thing and they can be used interchangeably. 제일 is a sino-Korean word while 가장 is a native Korean word.
Thanks for explaining 제일 and 가장 but I don’t understand how or if 최상급 and 최고 are used in the same way. They’re listed in the title but don’t seem to come up in the recording or PDF.
가사합니다!
No, you can’t use it exactly in same way. 제일 가장 are adverbs, and 최고 최상 are nouns. So usages are different.
For example that sentence: 어떤 색깔이 가장 좋아요? 가장 modifies 좋다 and with 최고 you would simply write 어떤 색깔이 최고예요? which color = best?
and 요즘 가장 인기 있는 가수는 누구예요 = 요즘 최상 가수는 누구예요. 가장 modifies 있다, and 최상 가수 is just so called compound noun.
Examples 2 and 4 in pdf I don’t see a way to say it with 최고 or 최상, because they both mean “best”, and you need “most”.
Example 1 can be changed to 이게 최고예요 or 최상이에요.
Another usage is to say best of something. 여기서 최고의 선생님들이 한국어를 가르쳐요 here the best of teachers are teaching Korean. Here 최고 is possessive (teachers of the best.. a bit opposite order from English).
or 최고의 최고 선생님들 best of the best teachers. Here it’s again compound noun.
or 제가 최상의 노력을 해도 잘 안 되었어요. though I did the best of my effort, it didn’t turn out well. Again it’s effort of the best literally, and can write without 의 as compound.
Thanks Greg! I was really stuck on that because I hear the 최고 so often but I only see the others in written form. Appreciate the explanation! And thanks TTMIK of course for the great lessons^^
안영하새요!
thank you for relating 재일 with “jail”.
now I can remember this term!
kamsahamnida!
요즘 가장 인기 있는 가수는 싸이예요.
thank you for the lesson…but, the wrong PDF is showing for this lesson (its the one for level 1 lesson 12). thanks again!
Hi. I just saw you change the pdf files and now this lesson appears like level 1 lesson 12. Can you guys change it, please?.
Thank you
Hi JennyB,
I think that there is no problem. This lesson doesn’t look like Level 1 lesson 12.
Thanks for your comment.
저는 PSY를 한국에 가장 인기 것 같아요.