What's Different Between Verb and Adjective in Korean Language?

What's different between Verb and Adjective in Korean Language?

In Korean language, Verb and Adjective are similar in ways to change, function of sentences, etc. So, it's not easy to find differences out. There are three ways.


1. There are ‘-ㄴ다’ and ‘-는다’ representing as ending of present tense. Verb can be put ‘-는다’, but adjective can not. Adjective can be put ‘-ㄴ다’ on the end of itself, but verb can not.

ex>
먹다. (to eat)
내가 밥을 먹는다. (o)
내가 밥을 먹다. (x)

예쁘다. (to be pretty)
효리는 예쁜다. (x)
효리는 예쁘다. (o)


2. There are ‘-아라’ and ‘-어라’ representing as ending of making people do something and ‘-자’ as ending of doing something together like 'let's.' ‘-아라’, ‘-어라’ and ‘-자’ can put on verb and cannot put on adjective.

ex>
읽다( to read)
효리야, 책을 읽어라. (o)
효리야, 책을 읽자. (o)

키가 작다. (to be short)
효리야, 키가 작아라. (x)
효리야, 키가 작자. (x)


3. Progressive tense and perfect tense like ‘-고 있다’, ‘-아/-어 있다’, or ‘-는 중이다’ can not be with Adjective. But, verb can have progressive tense.

ex>
가다. (go)
효리는 지금 학교에 가고 있다.(o)
효리는 지금 학교에 가 있다.(o)
효리는 지금 학교에 가는 중이다. (o)

좋다. (to be good)
날씨가 무척 좋고 있다.(x)
날씨가 무척 좋아 있다.(x)
날씨가 무척 좋은 중이다.(x)