슬프다 (seulpeuda)
"Sad" or "to be sad" — Korean's standard adjective for sadness, sorrow, or melancholy.
- Meaning: "Sad" or "to be sad" — Korean's standard adjective for sadness, sorrow, or melancholy.
- Pronunciation: /sɯl.pʰɯ.da/ (seulpeuda)
- Part of speech: adjective
- Formality: Neutral — works in most everyday settings.
- Literal: is sad / feels sorrowful
What does 슬프다 mean?
슬프다 (seulpeuda) is the standard Korean adjective for "sad." Korean adjectives conjugate like verbs, so it becomes casual 슬퍼 (seulpeo), polite 슬퍼요 (seulpeoyo), and formal 슬픕니다 (seulpeumnida) — "I am sad" and "to be sad" share the same grammar.
슬프다 (seulpeuda) is the Korean adjective for "sad." Casual 슬퍼 (seulpeo), polite 슬퍼요 (seulpeoyo), formal 슬픕니다 (seulpeumnida). Korean adjectives conjugate like verbs — saying "I am sad" is the same grammar as "to be sad." Use 슬프다 for genuine sadness; for milder moods use 우울하다 (uulhada, "depressed/blue") or 속상하다 (soksanghada, "upset/distressed"). The intensity word 너무 ("too / so") often pairs with it: 너무 슬퍼 ("so sad"). K-drama uses 슬프다 constantly during emotional scenes; K-pop ballads thread it through lyrics. Standard week-one vocabulary for any Korean learner.
Examples in context
By politeness level (반말 / 해요체 / plain)
Korean adjectives conjugate like verbs — 슬프다 is the dictionary/plain form.
Stating your own feeling
Often paired with the cause (-아서/-어서 "because").
Describing sad media or things
Movies, songs, endings — the most-searched use.
Comforting (verb form 슬퍼하다)
To tell someone "don't be sad," Korean uses the verb 슬퍼하다, not the bare adjective.
Intensifiers & collocations
진짜/너무/너무너무 amplify the feeling.
슬프다in K-pop & K-drama
K-ballads built on 슬프다
The Korean ballad tradition runs on sadness — 슬픈 노래 ("sad songs") are a beloved genre, and lyrics thread 슬퍼 through breakup and longing. Korean even has the word 신파 (sinpa) for over-the-top tearjerker melodrama.
K-drama crying scenes
Emotional K-dramas lean into 슬프다 — the genre is famous worldwide for 슬픈 장면 (sad scenes) engineered to make viewers cry, and posting "나 울었어" ("I cried") reactions is part of the fan experience.
When to use 슬프다
- Stating you feel sad in casual or polite settings
- Describing sad media — songs, movies, dramas
- Comforting language ("don't be sad")
- Expressing sympathy for someone else's situation
When NOT to use 슬프다
- Mild moods — use 우울하다 (depressed/blue) or 속상하다 (upset)
- Anger or frustration — different word: 화나다
- Formal eulogies — prefer 비통하다 (bitonghada, "grieving")
슬프다 vs. similar terms
슬프다 vs neighboring low-mood words
| Term | English | Feeling | Trigger |
|---|---|---|---|
| 슬프다 (seulpeuda) | sad | acute sadness | a sad movie, a loss |
| 우울하다 (uulhada) | depressed / blue | lingering low mood | a gloomy stretch, no clear cause |
| 속상하다 (soksanghada) | upset / distressed | hurt plus frustration | something went wrong |
| 외롭다 (oeropda) | lonely | isolation | being alone, missing people |
Related terms
More in Emotions & states
Foundational emotion adjectives — sad, happy, angry, scared, embarrassed.
"Happy / glad" — Korean's standard adjective for the feeling of joy, often paired with specific events.
"To be angry / to get angry" — Korean's standard expression for anger.
"Scary" or "scared" — Korean's versatile adjective for fear, used both for things that frighten and people who are frightened.
"Embarrassed / shy / ashamed" — covers both bashful blushing and serious shame depending on context.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say "sad" in Korean?
The standard word is 슬프다 (seulpeuda). Casual: 슬퍼 (seulpeo). Polite: 슬퍼요 (seulpeoyo). Formal: 슬픕니다 (seulpeumnida). Korean adjectives conjugate like verbs, so "I am sad" uses the same grammar as "to be sad."
What is the difference between 슬프다 and 우울하다?
슬프다 (seulpeuda) is direct sadness — a specific feeling about a specific event. 우울하다 (uulhada) is closer to "depressed" or "blue" — a longer-lasting low mood. A breakup makes you 슬프다; a gloomy week makes you 우울하다.
How do I say "I'm really sad" in Korean?
Casual: 진짜 슬퍼 (jinjja seulpeo) or 너무 슬퍼 (neomu seulpeo). Polite: 진짜 슬퍼요 / 너무 슬퍼요. Both 진짜 ("really") and 너무 ("too / so") work as intensifiers — 너무 is slightly stronger.
What is the verb form of 슬프다?
슬프다 is an adjective ("to be sad"). To talk about someone ACTING sad or grieving, Korean uses the verb 슬퍼하다 (seulpeohada, "to feel/show sadness"). 슬퍼하지 마 ("don't be sad") uses this verb form — you cannot turn the bare adjective 슬프다 into a command directly.
What is the opposite of 슬프다?
The direct opposite is 기쁘다 (gippeuda, "glad / happy"). For broader "happy," Koreans also use 행복하다 (haengbokhada). So the sad–happy pair learners memorize together is 슬프다 ↔ 기쁘다.
How is 슬프다 pronounced?
슬프다 is pronounced [sɯl.pʰɯ.da] — "seul-peu-da." The S is light. The middle syllable "peu" has an aspirated P and a soft "eu" vowel that English speakers approximate as "puh." Three syllables, all light.
More Korean slang?
Browse the full Korean Slang Dictionary or read the deep-dive: Korean Slang Ultimate Guide.