Level 1

너무

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Usage of '너무'

'너무' is a very common adverb used to express 'too much' or 'excessively' in Korean. It often modifies adjectives or verbs to indicate that something exceeds a desirable or normal level.

Common contexts

You will hear '너무' in everyday conversations when people talk about feelings, qualities, or situations that are overwhelming or beyond what is comfortable. For example, '너무 피곤해요' means 'I'm too tired.'

Collocations and patterns

  • 너무 + adjective/verb: to express excessiveness (e.g., 너무 비싸요 - too expensive)
  • 너무 + -아서/어서: to explain a reason caused by excessiveness (e.g., 너무 배고파서 못 참겠어요 - I'm so hungry I can't stand it)

Register and nuance

'너무' is informal and widely used in spoken Korean. In formal writing, alternatives like '지나치게' or '과도하게' might be preferred.

Common learner mistake

Sometimes learners confuse '너무' with '아주' (very). While both can intensify adjectives, '너무' often implies a negative excess, whereas '아주' is neutral or positive. For example, '너무 어렵다' suggests 'too difficult' (possibly problematic), while '아주 어렵다' just means 'very difficult' without negative connotation.

Example Sentences

이 음식은 너무 매워서 먹기 힘들어요.

I eumsigeun neomu maewoseo meokgi himdeureoyo.

This food is too spicy to eat.

너무 피곤해서 일찍 잤어요.

Neomu pigonhaseo iljjik jasseoyo.

I was so tired that I went to bed early.

그 영화는 너무 길어서 지루했어요.

Geu yeonghwaneun neomu gireoseo jiruhaesseoyo.

That movie was too long and boring.