Phrase in 30 Seconds
A fundamental way to describe hot weather and express physical discomfort due to high temperatures in daily conversation.
- Means: The weather is hot (referring to the ambient air temperature).
- Used in: Casual greetings, small talk, and complaining about summer heat.
- Don't confuse: Use 덥다 for weather/air, but 뜨겁다 for hot objects or touch.
Explication à ton niveau :
Signification
Stating that the temperature is high and it feels warm.
Contexte culturel
Koreans use 'I-yeol-chi-yeol' (fighting heat with heat) by eating hot Samgyetang in summer. It is believed to balance internal and external body temperatures. The 'Iced Americano' (Ah-Ah) is the unofficial national drink of Korean summer. Even if it's freezing, many drink it, but it's mandatory when '날씨가 더워요'. Before AC, Koreans used 'Duk-seom' (windy islands) or 'Dae-cheong-maru' (open wooden porches) to stay cool. They also used 'Juk-bu-in' (bamboo wives), hollow bamboo bolsters, to sleep. Complaining about the heat is a safe, neutral topic for hierarchy-heavy workplaces. It allows subordinates and superiors to agree on something without conflict.
The 'Icebreaker' Rule
If you don't know what to say to a Korean person in July, just say '날씨가 더워요'. It works 100% of the time.
Avoid '덥어요'
Even if you forget everything else, remember the 'w' sound. It's 'Deo-wo', not 'Deop-eo'.
The 'Icebreaker' Rule
If you don't know what to say to a Korean person in July, just say '날씨가 더워요'. It works 100% of the time.
Avoid '덥어요'
Even if you forget everything else, remember the 'w' sound. It's 'Deo-wo', not 'Deop-eo'.
Use with '죽겠다'
To sound like a native, say '더워 죽겠어요' (I'm dying of heat). It's the most common way Koreans express heat.
Humidity Matters
If it's humid, use '습해요' (seup-hae-yo) along with '더워요' to be more descriptive.
Teste-toi
Complete the sentence using the correct form of 덥다.
오늘 정말 ( ). 에어컨을 켜주세요.
The ㅂ-irregular conjugation of 덥다 + 어요 is 더워요.
Which sentence is correct when describing a hot cup of tea?
Choose the correct sentence:
Use '뜨겁다' for objects you touch, not '덥다'.
Fill in the blank for a natural conversation.
가: 어제 날씨가 어땠어요? 나: 어제 정말 ( ).
The question is in the past tense (어땠어요?), so the answer must be in the past tense (더웠어요).
Match the phrase to the correct situation.
When would you say '날씨가 무덥네요'?
'무덥다' specifically refers to humid, oppressive heat.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
5 exercices오늘 정말 ( ). 에어컨을 켜주세요.
The ㅂ-irregular conjugation of 덥다 + 어요 is 더워요.
Choose the correct sentence:
Use '뜨겁다' for objects you touch, not '덥다'.
가: 어제 날씨가 어땠어요? 나: 어제 정말 ( ).
The question is in the past tense (어땠어요?), so the answer must be in the past tense (더웠어요).
When would you say '날씨가 무덥네요'?
'무덥다' specifically refers to humid, oppressive heat.
🎉 Score : /5
Questions fréquentes
14 questionsNo, use '뜨거워요' for water temperature.
Yes, the '-요' ending is polite. For extra formality, use '날씨가 덥습니다'.
The opposite is '추워요' (chu-wo-yo), which means 'it is cold'.
It is '더워요'. If you meant '덥어요', that's wrong because of the ㅂ-irregular rule.
It's better to say '더워요' or '제가 좀 덥네요'. '내가' is informal.
Use '더워지고 있어요' (deoweo-jigo isseoyo).
No, 덥다 is a pure Korean word. However, the Hanja {熱|열} (yeol) is used in related nouns like {열기|熱氣} (heat).
It's a combination of 'humid' and 'hot'. Think of a tropical rainforest.
No, that is '매워요'.
Say '너무 더워요'.
It is {열대야|熱帶夜} (yeoldaeya).
They use the English loanword '핫하다' or '섹시하다', but never '덥다'.
밖이 더워요? (Bak-ki deoweoyo?)
기온이 매우 높습니다. (The temperature is very high.)
Expressions liées
무덥다
similarTo be humid and hot
따뜻하다
similarTo be warm
뜨겁다
confusingTo be hot (to the touch)
시원하다
contrastTo be cool/refreshing
더위를 타다
builds onTo be sensitive to heat
Où l'utiliser
Entering a Cafe
Friend A: 와, 진짜 날씨가 더워요!
Friend B: 맞아요. 빨리 시원한 거 마셔요.
Talking to a Taxi Driver
Passenger: 기사님, 오늘 날씨가 너무 더워요.
Driver: 네, 올해 들어 제일 더운 것 같네요.
At the Office
Employee: 부장님, 오늘 날씨가 많이 더운데 에어컨 좀 더 세게 켤까요?
Manager: 그럴까요? 저도 좀 덥네요.
On a Date
Person A: 오늘 날씨가 더운데 우리 영화 보러 갈까?
Person B: 좋아! 영화관은 시원하니까.
Texting a Friend
Me: 오늘 날씨 실화냐? 개더워...
Friend: ㄹㅇ 집 밖은 위험해.
Checking into a Hotel
Guest: 밖이 날씨가 너무 더워요. 체크인 일찍 될까요?
Staff: 잠시만요, 확인해 보겠습니다.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Think of 'Deo-wo' as 'The War' against the heat. You are fighting a war with the sun!
Association visuelle
Imagine a person standing under a giant sun, fanning themselves with a fan that has the word '덥다' written on it, while sweat drops form the shape of '워'.
Rhyme
날씨가 더워, 에어컨을 켜! (Nalssiga deoweo, eoeokeoneul kyeo! - The weather is hot, turn on the AC!)
Story
A traveler arrives in Seoul in August. They step out of the airport and immediately feel the 'Deo-wo'. They see everyone drinking iced coffee and realize that in this 'War' against heat, 'Deo-wo' is the first word they must master to get help.
In Other Languages
In Japanese, 'Atsui' (暑い) is used almost identically as a social greeting. In English, we say 'It's hot,' but we don't have the same ㅂ-irregular grammar to worry about.
Word Web
Défi
Go through your day and every time you feel slightly warm, whisper '날씨가 더워요' to yourself. Try to say it in three different formality levels.
Review the ㅂ-irregularity on days 1, 3, and 7. Focus on the transition from 덥다 to 더워요.
Prononciation
The 'ㅆ' is a tensed 's' sound. Make it sharp.
The 'ㅓ' sound is like 'u' in 'cup'. The '워' is a combination of 'u' and 'eo'.
Spectre de formalité
날씨가 매우 덥습니다. (General temperature description)
날씨가 더워요. (General temperature description)
날씨가 더워. (General temperature description)
오늘 날씨 개더워. (General temperature description)
The word '날씨' (weather) is a native Korean compound. '날' (nal) means 'day' or 'sun'. '씨' (ssi) historically meant 'seed' or 'species', but in this context, it refers to the 'nature' or 'form' of the day. '덥다' (deopda) is an indigenous Korean adjective that has existed since Middle Korean (appearing as '덥다' with a 'p' sound that later became the ㅂ-irregular).
Le savais-tu ?
In some dialects, like Gyeongsang-do, the conjugation might sound different, sometimes retaining a stronger 'b' sound or using different endings like '더워예'.
Notes culturelles
Koreans use 'I-yeol-chi-yeol' (fighting heat with heat) by eating hot Samgyetang in summer. It is believed to balance internal and external body temperatures.
“날씨가 더워요. 삼계탕 먹으러 가요!”
The 'Iced Americano' (Ah-Ah) is the unofficial national drink of Korean summer. Even if it's freezing, many drink it, but it's mandatory when '날씨가 더워요'.
“날씨가 더우니까 아아 한 잔 마셔야겠어요.”
Before AC, Koreans used 'Duk-seom' (windy islands) or 'Dae-cheong-maru' (open wooden porches) to stay cool. They also used 'Juk-bu-in' (bamboo wives), hollow bamboo bolsters, to sleep.
“날씨가 더워서 대청마루에서 낮잠을 잤어요.”
Complaining about the heat is a safe, neutral topic for hierarchy-heavy workplaces. It allows subordinates and superiors to agree on something without conflict.
“오늘 날씨가 참 덥죠, 부장님?”
Amorces de conversation
오늘 날씨가 어때요?
날씨가 더울 때 무엇을 먹고 싶어요?
한국의 여름 날씨에 대해 어떻게 생각하세요?
Erreurs courantes
날씨가 덥어요.
날씨가 더워요.
L1 Interference
이 커피가 더워요.
이 커피가 뜨거워요.
L1 Interference
날씨가 매워요.
날씨가 더워요.
L1 Interference
저는 더워요.
(제가) 더워요. / 날씨가 더워요.
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
Hace calor
Spanish uses a verb+noun structure, while Korean uses a subject+adjective structure.
Il fait chaud
French uses the impersonal 'il' (it), whereas Korean often explicitly mentions '날씨' (weather).
Es ist heiß
German uses dative case for personal feeling of heat, while Korean just uses the adjective.
暑い (Atsui)
Japanese often omits the subject 'weather' even more frequently than Korean.
الجو حار (Al-jawwu hārr)
Arabic grammar follows a noun-adjective agreement that is different from Korean's verb-final structure.
天气很热 (Tiānqì hěn rè)
Chinese lacks the complex conjugation (ㅂ-irregular) found in Korean.
기온이 높다
'날씨가 더워요' is subjective/feeling-based, while '기온이 높다' is objective/fact-based.
Está calor
Portuguese uses a noun where Korean uses an adjective.
Spotted in the Real World
“태양보다 빨간 네 사랑의 색깔 (Context of summer heat)”
The entire song is a summer anthem about the intensity of summer and love.
“오늘 날씨가 너무 더워서 아이스크림 좀 사왔어요.”
Chief Hong brings ice cream to the elders because of the heat.
“날씨가 너무 더워서 아무것도 하기 싫다.”
The protagonist expresses the lethargy caused by the summer heat in the countryside.
“#날씨더워 #여름 #죽겠다”
Common hashtags during July and August in Korea.
“내일은 오늘보다 날씨가 더 덥겠습니다.”
Predicting a rise in temperature for the next day.
Facile à confondre
Both mean 'hot' in English.
If you can touch it with your hand, use 뜨거워요. If you feel it in the air, use 더워요.
Both mean 'hot' in English (spicy vs temperature).
Think of 'M' for Mouth (매워요) and 'D' for Day (덥다).
Questions fréquentes (14)
No, use '뜨거워요' for water temperature.
usage contextsYes, the '-요' ending is polite. For extra formality, use '날씨가 덥습니다'.
grammar mechanicsThe opposite is '추워요' (chu-wo-yo), which means 'it is cold'.
basic understandingIt is '더워요'. If you meant '덥어요', that's wrong because of the ㅂ-irregular rule.
grammar mechanicsIt's better to say '더워요' or '제가 좀 덥네요'. '내가' is informal.
common mistakesUse '더워지고 있어요' (deoweo-jigo isseoyo).
grammar mechanicsNo, 덥다 is a pure Korean word. However, the Hanja {熱|열} (yeol) is used in related nouns like {열기|熱氣} (heat).
basic understandingIt's a combination of 'humid' and 'hot'. Think of a tropical rainforest.
comparisonsNo, that is '매워요'.
common mistakesSay '너무 더워요'.
practical tipsIt is {열대야|熱帶夜} (yeoldaeya).
cultural usageThey use the English loanword '핫하다' or '섹시하다', but never '덥다'.
usage contexts밖이 더워요? (Bak-ki deoweoyo?)
practical tips기온이 매우 높습니다. (The temperature is very high.)
grammar mechanics
