LEARN KOREAN (한국어) [GRAMMAR] #1

MORE: 더

Before we even get into using comparatives, I want to make you familiar with the word 더, meaning "more" in English. The word 'more' (in English and Korean) is very commonly used in sentences when comparing things. For example:

I am more handsome than you

In order to understand how 더 is used, let's first look at sentences where it is not used:

여기는 편해요 - Here is comfortable (it is comfortable here)
라면은 매워요 - Ramen is spicy

Those are simple sentences without 더. By adding 더 you can indicate that the particular subjects are "more comfortable" or "spicier" than something else. For example:

여기는 더 편해요 - Here is more comfortable (it is more comfortable here)
라면은 더 매워요 - Ramen is spicier

At this point we haven't specifically indicated what the subjects are being compared to. For now, let's just focus on the use of 더. Below are many more examples:

한식은 더 맛있어요 - Korean food is more delicious
저는 더 특별한 것을 사고 싶어요 - I want to buy something more special
저는 더 넓은 집에서 살고 싶어요 - I want to live in a bigger (wider) house

In all of the examples above, 더 is used with adjectives. It can also be used with verbs to indicate that an action will happen "more." For example:

저는 밥을 더 먹을 거예요 - I will eat more
저는 더 공부할 거예요 - I will study more
저는 더 기다릴 거예요 - I will wait more (longer)

In sentences where 더 is used with verbs, it is common to place an adverb after 더 to indicate the degree in which the action occurs. When used like this, it's not that the action happens more – but rather that the verb happens more in a way of the adverb. For example:

저는 더 열심히 공부할 거예요 - I will study harder
저는 밥을 더 건강하게 먹을 거예요 - I will eat healthier
그 학생들은 더 시끄럽게 이야기했어요 - Those students talked louder

It is also common to use 조금 before 더 to indicate that something occurs "a little bit more." For example:

이 방은 조금 더 좁아요 - This room is a little bit smaller
저는 조금 더 기다릴 거예요 - I will wait a little bit more
저는 조금 더 열심히 공부할 거예요 - I will study a little bit harder

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You can also add 더 to sentences with counters in them. For example:

나는 펜 두 개가 있어 - I have two pens
나는 펜 두 개가 더 있어 - I have two more pens

사람 두 명이 올 거예요 - Two people will come
사람 두 명이 더 올 거예요 - Two more people will come

저의 여동생은 지난 주에 책을 두 권 읽었어요 - My sister read two books last week
저의 여동생은 지난 주에 책을 두 권 더 읽었어요 - My sister read two more books last week

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It is common to use the word 좋다 with 더 to indicate that something is "more good." Of course, we don't say "more good" in English. Instead, we say "better." For example:

도심이 더 좋아요 - Downtown is better
그 자세가 더 좋아요 - That position/posture is better
그 학생의 태도가 더 좋아요 - That student's attitude is better

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It is also common to use the word 많다 with 더 to indicate simply that there is more of something. For example:

저는 돈이 더 많아요 - I have more money
여기는 별이 더 많아요 - There are more stars here

So far, you have seen how 더 can be used in simple sentences without any specifically identified comparison. It is also possible to indicate what the situation is being compared to.