Real-life Korean · family moment
“입이 정말 작다”
Learn how Koreans naturally describe cute animals, babies, and tiny things using 정말 and the 이/가 + adjective pattern.
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Video lesson
Real-life Korean from the day we brought Louie home. Learn how to describe tiny features using the super useful pattern: (body part) + 이/가 + adjective.
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Full line & natural translation
입이 정말 작다.
Romanization: ibi jeongmal jakda
📚 Key Vocabulary
입— mouth
작다— to be small
정말— really, truly (spoken emphasis)
👉 Natural English:
“His mouth is really small.”
You can also translate the second half more emotionally as:
“What a tiny little mouth he has.”
In the car on the way home, my daughter notices how tiny Louie’s mouth is. Korean often describes features with 이/가 + adjective. 정말 adds a soft, genuine emphasis, sounding like 'wow, it’s really small.'
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The (noun) + 이/가 + adjective pattern
One of the simplest and most natural ways to describe something in Korean is the pattern: **[noun] + 이/가 + [adjective]**.
입이 작다.
His mouth is small.
눈이 크다.
Her eyes are big.
다리가 길다.
His legs are long.
Why Koreans love this pattern
It’s simple, clear, and works for almost any descriptive reaction. Perfect for everyday spoken Korean.
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정말 vs 진짜 vs 너무
These three are all common emphasis words in spoken Korean, but their feel is slightly different:
- **정말** = sincere, neutral 'really / truly' (used in this short)
- **진짜** = casual, strong 'so / really' (emotion-forward)
- **너무** = 'so / very' (positive in modern Korean)
입이 정말 작다.
His mouth is really small.
입이 진짜 작네!
His mouth is SO small!
입이 너무 작아…
His mouth is soooo tiny…
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Louie at home — 'Is it safe to go out?'
When Louie arrives home and stays inside his travel bag, the caption says: **Is it safe to go out?** This moment is perfect for learning how Koreans express hesitation or caution.
나가도 될까?
Is it okay if I go out?
괜찮을까?
Will it be okay?
나와도 돼요?
Can I come out?
These forms show soft uncertainty — great for shy pets, children, or anyone unsure about doing something.
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Beginner-friendly patterns you can reuse
- ⭐ **입이 작다** = the mouth is small → describing a feature
- ⭐ **정말** = really, truly (neutral spoken emphasis)
- ⭐ **(noun) + 이/가 + adjective** = the simplest way to describe things
- ⭐ Use it to describe people, animals, or objects naturally.
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Quick quiz
What does '입이 정말 작다' most naturally express?
Which word originally meant 'too (much)' and is still sometimes interpreted that way depending on context?
True or false: 너무 is always negative in modern Korean.
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Tone & when to use it
- Tone: casual, affectionate, observational
- Use it with: family, close friends, pets, babies, or when reacting to anything cute or tiny.
- Avoid in: formal writing or professional settings—this is very natural, spoken Korean.
- Note: 입이 작다 literally means 'the mouth is small,' but emotionally it feels like 'Look how tiny his mouth is!' 정말 adds a soft, sincere emphasis.
📚 Explore more lessons
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