대단하다
When something is 대단하다, it means it's really remarkable, great, or impressive! You can use it to describe something that stands out in a positive way. For example, if someone does something amazing, you might say it's 대단하다.
Think of it like saying 'wow, that's awesome!' or 'that's incredible!' It's a versatile word to express admiration or surprise at how good something is.
When someone or something is truly outstanding, you can describe it as 대단하다. You'll often hear this when people are really impressed by an achievement, a skill, or even someone's effort. It goes beyond just 'good' – it suggests something extraordinary. Think of it as expressing genuine admiration or surprise at how great something is.
When someone or something is truly exceptional, you can describe it as 대단하다. It's often used when you're genuinely impressed by an achievement, skill, or even the sheer scale of something. Think of it like saying "That's amazing!" or "That's incredible!" in English. You might use it for a particularly difficult task someone completed, a stunning performance, or even just a really delicious meal. It emphasizes a level of excellence or impact that stands out.
§ Understanding 대단하다's Nuances
Many learners, especially at the A2 level, tend to use 대단하다 (dae-dan-ha-da) as a general term for "great" or "very good." While this isn't entirely wrong, 대단하다 carries a stronger sense of being truly remarkable, extraordinary, or impressive. It's not just "good"; it's something that stands out significantly. Think of it as expressing admiration or a sense of being awe-struck rather than just a simple positive evaluation.
§ Overusing 대단하다
Because 대단하다 implies something exceptional, using it too frequently can make your speech sound unnatural or even exaggerated. If you use it for every positive thing, it loses its impact. For example, if someone simply cooked a nice meal, saying "요리가 대단해요!" (The cooking is remarkable!) might sound a bit much. A simpler "맛있어요!" (It's delicious!) or "좋아요!" (It's good!) would be more appropriate.
그는 정말 대단한 음악가예요. (He is a truly remarkable musician.)
This example uses 대단하다 correctly because being a "remarkable musician" implies a high level of skill and talent that goes beyond just being "good."
§ Confusing with Similar Words
Korean has many ways to express positive feelings. Learners sometimes struggle to differentiate 대단하다 from other positive adjectives. Here's a quick comparison:
- 좋다 (jot-da): General good, nice, likeable. (e.g., 날씨가 좋아요. - The weather is good.)
- 멋있다 (meot-it-da): Cool, stylish, handsome. Often used for appearance or demeanor. (e.g., 그 배우는 정말 멋있어요. - That actor is really cool/handsome.)
- 훌륭하다 (hul-lyung-ha-da): Excellent, superb. Similar to 대단하다 but can be slightly more formal and often used for achievements or character.
- DEFINITION
- Remarkable, great, impressive.
그 선수의 실력은 정말 대단해요. (That athlete's skill is truly impressive.)
In this case, the athlete's skill is not just good, but exceptional, making 대단하다 an appropriate choice.
§ Using as an Adverb with -게
Remember that 대단하다 is an adjective. To use it as an adverb (meaning "remarkably" or "greatly"), you need to change it to 대단하게 (dae-dan-ha-ge). This is a common grammatical mistake for A2 learners who might try to use 대단하다 directly before a verb.
그는 대단하게 빨리 달렸어요. (He ran remarkably fast.)
§ Not Understanding Context
The context always matters. While 대단하다 is generally positive, sometimes it can be used with a hint of sarcasm or irony, implying something is "ridiculously" or "excessively" something, but this is less common at the A2 level and something to be aware of as you progress. For now, focus on its primary positive meaning.
By being mindful of these common mistakes, you can use 대단하다 more accurately and naturally in your Korean conversations. Practice distinguishing it from other positive adjectives and remember its strong connotation of impressiveness.
How Formal Is It?
"그 분의 업적은 정말 대단하십니다. (His achievements are truly remarkable.)"
"한국어 공부 정말 대단해요! (Your Korean study is really impressive!)"
"네가 해낸 거 정말 대단하다. (What you accomplished is really great.)"
"우와! 이거 정말 대단해! (Wow! This is really amazing!)"
"어제 본 영화 진짜 대박이었어! (The movie I saw yesterday was seriously awesome!)"
مستوى الصعوبة
Short and common syllables.
Short and common syllables.
Pronunciation is straightforward.
Commonly used, easy to recognize.
ماذا تتعلّم بعد ذلك
المتطلبات الأساسية
تعلّم لاحقاً
متقدم
أمثلة حسب المستوى
그것 참 대단하네요!
That is truly remarkable!
참 (cham) is an adverb meaning 'truly' or 'really'.
한국어 공부 대단해요.
Your Korean study is impressive.
공부 (gongbu) means 'study'.
대단한 일이에요.
It's a great thing.
일 (il) means 'thing' or 'work'.
그녀는 대단한 사람이에요.
She is an impressive person.
사람 (saram) means 'person'.
이 음식 정말 대단해요.
This food is really great.
정말 (jeongmal) means 'really'.
어제 본 영화 대단했어요.
The movie I saw yesterday was remarkable.
어제 (eoje) means 'yesterday', 본 (bon) is the past participle of 보다 (boda) 'to see', 영화 (yeonghwa) means 'movie'.
그의 노력은 정말 대단해요.
His effort is truly impressive.
노력 (noryeok) means 'effort'.
우리 팀이 이겨서 대단해요!
Our team won, that's great!
우리 (uri) means 'our', 팀 (tim) means 'team', 이겨서 (igyeoseo) is the causative form of 이기다 (igida) 'to win'.
그 배우의 연기는 정말 대단했어요.
That actor's acting was truly remarkable/great/impressive.
Used to describe a performance.
와, 혼자서 이 모든 일을 해냈다고요? 정말 대단하시네요!
Wow, you did all this by yourself? That's really impressive!
Exclamation of admiration, '하시네요' adds politeness.
이번 프로젝트 성공은 팀원들의 노력 덕분이에요. 다들 대단해요.
The success of this project is thanks to the team members' efforts. Everyone is great/impressive.
Used to commend a group's collective effort.
그는 어려운 환경에서도 꿈을 포기하지 않은 대단한 사람이에요.
He is an impressive person who didn't give up on his dream even in difficult circumstances.
Used to describe a person's admirable qualities.
이번 올림픽에서 금메달을 딴 선수는 정말 대단한 실력을 보여줬어요.
The athlete who won the gold medal in this Olympics showed truly impressive skills.
Used to praise someone's skill or ability.
그렇게 짧은 시간에 외국어를 마스터하다니, 정말 대단한 능력이에요.
To master a foreign language in such a short time, that's truly an impressive ability.
Used to describe an impressive feat or talent.
저는 그녀의 용기에 항상 감탄해요. 정말 대단한 분이에요.
I always admire her courage. She is a truly remarkable person.
Expresses admiration for someone's character.
이 작은 회사가 이렇게 큰 시장에서 성공하다니, 대단한 성과예요.
For this small company to succeed in such a big market, that's a remarkable achievement.
Describes an impressive outcome or result.
نصائح
Use with accomplishments
You can use 대단하다 to praise someone for their accomplishments or abilities. For example, '정말 대단한 일을 했네요!' (You did a really impressive job!).
Expressing surprise or admiration
It's often used when you're surprised or admiring something. Think of it like saying 'Wow, that's amazing!'
Not for small things
Don't use 대단하다 for very small or insignificant things. It implies a certain level of grandeur or difficulty.
Common adjectival form
The most common adjectival form is 대단한, as in '대단한 사람' (a remarkable person) or '대단한 노력' (great effort).
Can be used as an adverb
You can use the adverbial form 대단히 (very, greatly) to modify other verbs or adjectives. For example, '대단히 감사합니다' (Thank you very much).
Expressing respect
Using 대단하다 can be a good way to show respect or admiration for someone's hard work or talent in Korean culture.
Think 'outstanding'
Another good English equivalent to keep in mind is 'outstanding'. For example, '그는 대단한 학생이에요' (He is an outstanding student).
Related to 'huge'
The root of 대단하다, '대단' (大端), literally means 'great end' or 'huge tip', implying something of significant scale.
Practice with examples
Try making your own sentences. For example, '우리 선생님은 정말 대단해요!' (Our teacher is really great!).
Don't confuse with 'good'
While it expresses a positive sentiment, 대단하다 is stronger than simply 'good' (좋다). It implies a higher level of excellence.
احفظها
وسيلة تذكّر
Imagine a 'dae-dan' (great) dam that is so impressive, it holds back an enormous amount of water. 'Dae-dan-ha-da' means remarkable or impressive.
ربط بصري
Picture a huge, magnificent dam, with water cascading down in a powerful display. This dam is 'dae-dan-ha-da' - truly impressive and great.
Word Web
تحدٍّ
Think about something or someone you find remarkable or impressive. Describe it using '대단하다'. For example: '그 영화는 정말 대단했어요.' (That movie was really impressive.) or '그 배우는 연기가 대단해요.' (That actor's acting is remarkable.) Try to use it in three different sentences describing different things.
اختبر نفسك 48 أسئلة
Which of the following is the best English meaning for '대단하다'?
'대단하다' means remarkable, great, or impressive, indicating something outstanding.
Which Korean sentence correctly uses '대단하다' to describe an impressive achievement?
This sentence means 'Her singing was truly impressive,' correctly using '대단하다' for an achievement.
If someone says '와, 너 정말 대단하다!' (Wow, you are really impressive!), what are they expressing?
'대단하다' is used to express admiration or surprise at something outstanding.
The word '대단하다' can be used to describe something very ordinary.
'대단하다' is used for something remarkable, great, or impressive, not ordinary.
If you want to say someone did a 'great job' in Korean, you could use '대단하다'.
'대단하다' is appropriate for expressing that someone did a great or impressive job.
The word '대단하다' has a negative meaning.
'대단하다' has a positive connotation, meaning remarkable, great, or impressive.
This sentence means 'He has remarkable talent.' The word '대단한' (remarkable) modifies '재능' (talent).
This sentence means 'This movie was truly impressive.' '정말' (truly) emphasizes '대단했어요' (was impressive).
This sentence means 'Your efforts are remarkable.' '노력' means 'effort'.
그녀는 어려운 문제를 혼자서 해결했어요. 정말 ___.
The sentence requires a verb ending in the plain informal polite form (-아요/어요). '대단하다' (adjective) becomes '대단해요' when used as a descriptive verb in this context.
이번 프로젝트는 모두가 깜짝 놀랄 만큼 ___ 성과를 냈어요.
Here, '대단하다' is used to modify the noun '성과' (achievement), so it needs to be in its adjectival form '대단한'.
그 가수는 노래도 잘하고 춤도 잘 춰요. 정말 ___ 능력이에요.
The word '능력' (ability) is a noun, so '대단하다' must be in its adjectival form '대단한' to describe it.
혼자서 세계 여행을 다녀왔다니 정말 ___.
This sentence expresses an exclamation of admiration. '대단하다' is used in its dictionary form or as an exclamatory statement here.
어제 본 영화는 정말 ___ 스토리였어요.
'스토리' (story) is a noun, so '대단하다' modifies it as '대단한'.
그는 나이가 많음에도 불구하고 젊은 사람들보다 더 ___ 에너지를 가지고 있어요.
'에너지' (energy) is a noun, thus '대단하다' takes the adjectival form '대단한' to describe it.
그녀는 어려운 문제를 혼자서 해결했어요. 정말 _______.
The context implies admiration for solving a difficult problem alone, so '대단해요' (impressive) is the best fit.
이번 프로젝트는 모두의 노력 덕분에 _______ 성공적으로 끝났습니다.
'대단하게' (remarkably/greatly) describes how successfully the project ended, attributing it to everyone's effort.
그 선수의 실력은 정말 _______ 아무도 이길 수 없을 것 같아요.
The sentence implies that the player's skill is so great that no one can beat them. '대단해서' (because it's great/impressive) fits this meaning.
친구가 시험에서 100점을 맞았을 때, '대단하다!'라고 말하는 것은 어색하다.
It is natural to say '대단하다!' (That's impressive!) when a friend scores 100 on a test, expressing admiration for their achievement.
비가 많이 와서 길이 미끄러울 때, '날씨가 대단하다'라고 말할 수 있다.
'대단하다' is used for impressive achievements or qualities, not typically for describing weather conditions like a slippery road due to rain. You might say '날씨가 심하다' (the weather is severe) or '비가 많이 온다' (it's raining a lot) instead.
어떤 사람이 평범한 일을 아주 잘 해냈을 때, '정말 대단해요!'라고 칭찬할 수 있다.
Even for ordinary tasks, if someone performs them exceptionally well, '정말 대단해요!' (That's truly impressive!) is an appropriate compliment.
Your friend achieved something impressive. Write a message congratulating them using '대단하다'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
네가 해낸 일 정말 대단해! 너무 자랑스러워. 진심으로 축하해!
Describe a time you saw something remarkable or impressive, using '대단하다'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
저는 어제 산 정상에서 본 일몰이 정말 대단했어요. 하늘이 여러 색깔로 물드는 모습이 너무 아름다웠습니다.
You are describing a famous person's achievement to a friend. Use '대단하다' to express your admiration.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
김연아 선수의 피겨 스케이팅은 정말 대단해. 그녀의 기술과 표현력은 다른 선수들과 비교할 수 없어.
이 글에서 '대단하다'는 무엇을 묘사하고 있습니까?
Read this passage:
이번 프로젝트는 정말 어려웠지만, 우리 팀은 결국 성공적으로 끝냈습니다. 모든 팀원들의 노력과 헌신이 대단했습니다. 특히 리더의 문제 해결 능력이 빛났습니다.
이 글에서 '대단하다'는 무엇을 묘사하고 있습니까?
문맥상 '대단했습니다'는 '모든 팀원들의 노력과 헌신'을 수식하고 있습니다.
문맥상 '대단했습니다'는 '모든 팀원들의 노력과 헌신'을 수식하고 있습니다.
이 글에서 '대단하다'는 무엇에 대한 감탄을 표현합니까?
Read this passage:
저는 어제 처음으로 한국어를 배웠는데, 문법이 생각보다 복잡했어요. 하지만 선생님의 설명이 정말 대단해서 이해하기 쉬웠습니다. 선생님 덕분에 한국어가 더 재미있어졌어요.
이 글에서 '대단하다'는 무엇에 대한 감탄을 표현합니까?
문맥상 '선생님의 설명이 정말 대단해서 이해하기 쉬웠습니다'는 선생님의 설명 방식에 대한 감탄을 나타냅니다.
문맥상 '선생님의 설명이 정말 대단해서 이해하기 쉬웠습니다'는 선생님의 설명 방식에 대한 감탄을 나타냅니다.
이 글에서 '대단하다'는 무엇을 의미합니까?
Read this passage:
어릴 적부터 그림 그리는 것을 좋아했던 수진 씨는 마침내 유명한 화가가 되었습니다. 그녀의 그림들은 깊은 감동을 주며, 많은 사람들에게 영감을 줍니다. 그녀의 예술적 재능은 정말 대단합니다.
이 글에서 '대단하다'는 무엇을 의미합니까?
문맥상 '그녀의 예술적 재능은 정말 대단합니다'는 수진 씨의 재능이 뛰어나다는 것을 강조합니다.
문맥상 '그녀의 예술적 재능은 정말 대단합니다'는 수진 씨의 재능이 뛰어나다는 것을 강조합니다.
This sentence means 'She is a truly remarkable person.' The order follows subject-adverb-adjective-noun-copula.
This means 'This movie was really impressive.' '이' (this) modifies '영화는' (movie), followed by the adverb '정말' (really) and the adjective '대단했어요' (was impressive).
This translates to 'His effort is truly remarkable.' We start with the possessive '그의' (his), then '노력은' (effort), followed by the adverb '정말' (truly) and the adjective '대단합니다' (is remarkable).
Choose the most appropriate meaning for '대단하다' in the following sentence: '그의 노력은 정말 대단해요.'
The context implies a positive and impactful quality, making 'impressive' the best fit for '대단하다'.
Which of the following sentences uses '대단하다' correctly?
'대단하다' in a positive context like 'remarkable feat' is the most appropriate usage.
Which word is the closest synonym to '대단하다' in the context of describing someone's achievements?
Both '대단하다' and '놀랍다' convey a sense of awe and impressiveness regarding achievements.
The sentence '그의 연기력은 대단하다.' means 'His acting skills are ordinary.'
'대단하다' means remarkable or impressive, not ordinary. So, the sentence means 'His acting skills are remarkable/impressive.'
You can use '대단하다' to describe something negative, like '그 실수는 대단했어요.' (That mistake was terrible.)
While '대단하다' often carries a positive connotation, it can also be used to emphasize the scale or intensity of something negative, meaning 'terrible' or 'awful' in that context.
The phrase '대단한 소식' implies news that is unimportant or trivial.
'대단한 소식' implies news that is significant, remarkable, or important, not trivial.
This sentence means 'She finally achieved her goal with remarkable perseverance.' The Korean word order generally follows Subject-Object-Verb, with modifiers preceding the words they modify.
This sentence means 'His new business idea was truly impressive, surprising everyone.' The structure shows the subject (his new business idea) followed by the predicate (was impressive and surprised everyone).
This sentence means 'His attitude of not losing his smile even in difficult situations is truly remarkable.' The phrase '웃음을 잃지 않는' modifies '태도' (attitude), and '대단해' is the predicate.
/ 48 correct
Perfect score!
Use with accomplishments
You can use 대단하다 to praise someone for their accomplishments or abilities. For example, '정말 대단한 일을 했네요!' (You did a really impressive job!).
Expressing surprise or admiration
It's often used when you're surprised or admiring something. Think of it like saying 'Wow, that's amazing!'
Not for small things
Don't use 대단하다 for very small or insignificant things. It implies a certain level of grandeur or difficulty.
Common adjectival form
The most common adjectival form is 대단한, as in '대단한 사람' (a remarkable person) or '대단한 노력' (great effort).
مثال
그의 노력은 정말 대단하다.
محتوى ذو صلة
هذه الكلمة بلغات أخرى
مزيد من كلمات general
몇몇
A2An unspecified small number of; some or a few.
조금
A1A little/a bit
적게
A1A little / Few
약간
A2A little; slightly; somewhat.
많이
A1A lot/much
잠시
A2For a moment; briefly.
잠깐
A2For a short time; a moment.
아까
A2A little while ago, earlier.
대해
A2About, concerning.
~에 대해서
A2Concerning or regarding a particular subject; about.
