When you want to ask about the state or quality of something, you can use 어떻다. It's often used with the verb ending -아요/어요 to form 어때요? which means "How is it?" or "What do you think?"
For example, if you want to ask "How's the weather?" you would say 날씨가 어때요? or to ask about someone's feeling, you can ask 기분이 어때요? meaning "How are you feeling?".
It's a very common and useful word for asking for opinions or descriptions.
When you want to ask about the state or quality of something, you use 어떻다. It's like asking "How is it?" or "What is it like?" in English. For example, if you want to ask how the weather is, you would use this word. It's a really useful adjective to know for describing things and asking questions about them. You'll hear it a lot in everyday Korean conversations.
어떻다 in 30 Seconds
- 어떻다 asks 'how' or 'what kind of.'
- It's an adjective describing state or condition.
- Often used in questions like 'How are you?'
§ Understanding 어떻다 in context
You've learned that 어떻다 means 'to be how' or 'what kind of'. Now let's look at how it actually sounds in everyday Korean. This word is super common because asking 'how' or 'what kind' is something we do all the time. Think about work, school, or even just talking about the news – you'll hear variations of 어떻다 popping up constantly.
§ At work or in a professional setting
In a work environment, you'll often use 어떻다 to ask about situations, opinions, or progress. It's a polite way to inquire without being too direct.
회의는 어땠습니까? (How was the meeting?)
Here, 어땠습니까 is the past tense, formal polite form of 어떻다. It's perfect for asking a colleague or boss about a past event.
새로운 프로젝트는 어떻게 되어가고 있습니까? (How is the new project going?)
- DEFINITION
- In this case, 어떻게 is an adverbial form of 어떻다. It means 'in what way' or 'how'. You'll see this often when asking about processes or methods.
§ In a school environment
When you're studying or talking with friends at school, 어떻다 is just as useful. You can use it to ask about classes, exams, or even someone's day.
오늘 수업은 어땠어? (How was class today?)
This is the informal, past tense form, perfect for talking to friends. You'll hear this a lot among students.
그 시험은 어려웠어? (Was that test hard?)
- DEFINITION
- While not directly using 어떻다, this example shows a common way to ask 'how' something was by using another adjective (어렵다 - to be difficult) in its past tense interrogative form.
§ In the news or general discussion
When you're reading or watching the news, or just discussing current events, 어떻다 is crucial for understanding opinions and analyses. You'll often see it in questions posed to experts or in discussions about public sentiment.
이 문제에 대해 전문가들은 어떻게 생각하나요? (What do experts think about this issue? / How do experts think about this issue?)
Again, the adverbial form 어떻게 is used here to ask 'how' or 'in what way' people think about something. This is a very common structure.
요즘 날씨가 어때요? (How's the weather these days?)
This is the common polite form (어때요) used for asking about current conditions, like the weather. It's one of the first phrases you'll learn with 어떻다 and it's used everywhere.
- 어떠세요? (Polite, used when asking about someone's well-being or opinion)
- 어떨까요? (Suggesting or wondering, 'how would it be?', 'what do you think?')
- 어떠한 (Adjectival form, 'what kind of', e.g., 어떠한 상황 - what kind of situation)
As you can see, 어떻다 is incredibly versatile. Pay attention to the different endings and forms as you hear it. Knowing these variations will greatly improve your ability to understand and speak natural Korean.
Examples by Level
이 옷 어떻습니까?
How is this clothing?
Used to ask about the quality or condition of an object.
오늘 날씨가 어떻습니까?
How is the weather today?
Commonly used to inquire about the weather.
어떻게 오셨어요?
How did you come? (Implies: What brings you here?)
A polite way to ask about someone's purpose for visiting.
그 영화 어땠어요?
How was that movie?
Used in the past tense to ask about an experience.
한국 음식 어떠세요?
How do you find Korean food?
A polite way to ask someone's opinion or preference.
새로운 직장은 어떻습니까?
How is your new job?
Used to inquire about someone's current situation or experience.
주말에 뭐 할지 어떻습니까?
How about what we do on the weekend?
Used to suggest an idea or ask for an opinion on a plan.
이 문제에 대해 어떻게 생각하세요?
What do you think about this problem?
Used to ask for someone's thoughts or opinions on a specific matter.
이 문제에 대해서 당신의 생각은 어떻습니까?
What are your thoughts on this matter?
Interrogative adjective '어떻다' used to ask about the nature of someone's thoughts.
어제 본 영화는 어땠어요? 재미있었어요?
How was the movie you saw yesterday? Was it interesting?
'어땠어요' is the past tense form of '어떻다', asking about a past experience.
새로운 직장은 어떤가요? 잘 적응하고 계신가요?
How's your new job? Are you adapting well?
Used to inquire about the current state or condition of something.
이 옷은 저에게 어떤가요? 너무 작아 보이나요?
How does this outfit look on me? Does it seem too small?
Asking for an opinion or assessment of appearance.
만약 당신이라면 이런 상황에서 어떻게 하시겠어요?
If you were in this situation, how would you handle it?
Used with '만약 ~라면' (if ~ then) to ask about hypothetical actions.
한국 음식은 처음인데, 어떤 맛이 날지 궁금하네요.
It's my first time trying Korean food, I wonder what it will taste like.
'어떤 맛이 나다' literally means 'what kind of taste comes out', indicating curiosity about taste.
그 사건 이후로 그의 태도는 어떻습니까? 변함이 없나요?
How has his attitude been since that incident? Has it not changed?
Inquiring about a change or consistency in attitude over time.
당신에게 완벽한 하루는 어떤 모습인가요? 설명해 주시겠어요?
What does a perfect day look like for you? Could you describe it?
Asking for a description of an ideal or perfect scenario.
Grammar Patterns
Sentence Patterns
어떠세요? (formal)
기분이 어떠세요? (How are you feeling?)
어때요? (informal)
오늘 날씨 어때요? (How's the weather today?)
어떠합니까? (formal, literary)
그 일은 어떠합니까? (How is that matter?)
어떠하니? (informal, literary)
네 생각은 어떠하니? (What do you think?)
어떻게 + 하다 (to do)
이 문제를 어떻게 해요? (How do I do this problem?)
어떤 + noun (what kind of)
어떤 음식 좋아하세요? (What kind of food do you like?)
어떠한 + noun (what kind of, formal)
어떠한 상황에서도 웃음을 잃지 마세요. (Don't lose your smile in any situation.)
어떠셨어요? (past tense, formal)
어제 회의는 어떠셨어요? (How was yesterday's meeting?)
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Asking about someone's well-being.
- 어떻게 지내세요? (How are you doing?)
- 몸은 좀 어떠세요? (How's your body/health?)
- 요즘 어떠세요? (How are things these days?)
Asking about an opinion or impression of something.
- 이 음식 어때요? (How's this food?)
- 새로운 영화 어땠어요? (How was the new movie?)
- 그 책 어때요? (How's that book?)
Asking about the weather or conditions.
- 오늘 날씨 어때요? (How's the weather today?)
- 상황이 지금 어때요? (How's the situation now?)
- 분위기가 어때요? (How's the atmosphere/mood?)
Asking for suggestions or what to do.
- 저녁 메뉴 어때요? (How about the dinner menu? / What about dinner?)
- 우리 내일 뭐 할까요? 어때요? (What should we do tomorrow? How about it?)
- 주말에 여행 가는 거 어때요? (How about going on a trip this weekend?)
Asking about feelings or emotional state.
- 기분 어때요? (How's your mood/feeling?)
- 마음이 어떠세요? (How are you feeling mentally? / How's your heart?)
- 괜찮으세요? 어떠세요? (Are you okay? How are you?)
Conversation Starters
"한국 생활 어때요? (How is life in Korea?)"
"오늘 수업 어땠어요? (How was today's class?)"
"어떤 음악 좋아하세요? (What kind of music do you like?)"
"이 신발 어때요? (How are these shoes? / What do you think of these shoes?)"
"주말 계획 어떠세요? (How are your weekend plans?)"
Journal Prompts
최근에 가장 즐거웠던 일은 어땠나요? (How was the most enjoyable thing recently?)
오늘 하루는 어땠는지 자세히 써보세요. (Write in detail about how your day was today.)
당신이 좋아하는 계절의 날씨는 보통 어떤가요? (What is the weather usually like in your favorite season?)
새로운 것을 배울 때 기분은 어떤가요? (How do you feel when you learn something new?)
만약 한국에 간다면, 그곳의 음식은 어떨 것 같나요? (If you went to Korea, what do you think the food would be like?)
Test Yourself 54 questions
Listen to the question about food.
Listen to the question about the weather.
Listen to the question about feelings today.
Read this aloud:
이 옷이 어떻습니까?
Focus: 어떻습니까 (eo-tteo-seum-ni-kka)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
영화가 어떻습니까?
Focus: 영화가 (yeong-hwa-ga)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
학교생활이 어떻습니까?
Focus: 학교생활이 (hak-gyo-saeng-hwal-i)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
How would you ask 'How is the weather?' in Korean?
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
날씨 어때요?
You want to ask a friend, 'How is your day?' Write it in Korean.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
오늘 하루 어때요?
Imagine you just ate a delicious meal. How would you say 'How was the food?' in Korean?
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
음식 어땠어요?
What is A asking about?
Read this passage:
A: 이 영화 어때요? (How is this movie?) B: 재미있어요! (It's fun!) What is A asking about?
What is A asking about?
A is asking about '이 영화' which means 'this movie'.
A is asking about '이 영화' which means 'this movie'.
What is B's opinion about studying Korean?
Read this passage:
A: 한국어 공부 어때요? (How is studying Korean?) B: 어려워요. 하지만 재미있어요. (It's difficult. But it's fun.) What is B's opinion about studying Korean?
What is B's opinion about studying Korean?
B says '어려워요. 하지만 재미있어요.' which means 'It's difficult. But it's fun.'
B says '어려워요. 하지만 재미있어요.' which means 'It's difficult. But it's fun.'
What word describes the new bag?
Read this passage:
A: 새 가방 어때요? (How is the new bag?) B: 예뻐요! (It's pretty!) What word describes the new bag?
What word describes the new bag?
B says '예뻐요!' which means 'It's pretty!'
B says '예뻐요!' which means 'It's pretty!'
Choose the best Korean word to complete the sentence: 날씨가 ___?
To ask 'How is the weather?', we use '날씨가 어때요?'. '아파요' means 'it hurts/is sick', '예뻐요' means 'it's pretty', and '높아요' means 'it's high'.
Which sentence correctly asks about someone's opinion on a movie?
'영화가 어때요?' means 'How is the movie?' or 'What do you think of the movie?'. '영화가 좋아요?' asks if the movie is good. '영화를 봐요?' means 'Are you watching a movie?'. '영화가 어디예요?' means 'Where is the movie?'.
You want to ask your friend about their new shoes. Which question is most appropriate?
'새 신발이 어때요?' means 'How are your new shoes?' or 'What do you think of your new shoes?'. '새 신발을 샀어요?' means 'Did you buy new shoes?'. '새 신발이 비싸요?' means 'Are your new shoes expensive?'. '새 신발을 신어요?' means 'Are you wearing new shoes?'.
The phrase '이 음식 어때요?' means 'How is this food?'.
'이 음식 어때요?' directly translates to 'How is this food?', asking for an opinion on its taste or quality.
'어떻게' is the same as '어떻다' and can be used interchangeably in all situations.
'어떻다' is an adjective meaning 'to be how', while '어떻게' is an adverb meaning 'how' or 'in what way'. They are related but used in different grammatical contexts. For example, '날씨가 어때요?' (How is the weather?) vs. '이것을 어떻게 해요?' (How do I do this?).
When you want to ask 'What kind of person is he?', you can use '그 사람은 어때요?'.
'그 사람은 어때요?' is a common way to ask 'What kind of person is he?' or 'How is he as a person?', inquiring about his character or personality.
Imagine you are describing your favorite season in Korea to a friend. Write a short paragraph (2-3 sentences) about what the weather is like and what you enjoy doing during that season. Use '어떻다' at least once.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
저는 가을을 가장 좋아해요. 가을 날씨는 정말 시원하고 맑아서 어때요? 저는 가을에 단풍 구경 가는 것을 즐겨요.
You just visited a new restaurant. Write 2-3 sentences describing your dining experience, including the atmosphere and the food. Use '어떻다' to ask yourself or describe what something was like.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
새로운 식당에 가봤어요. 음식 맛은 어때요? 분위기는 정말 좋았고, 음식도 맛있었어요.
Your friend is planning a trip to your hometown. Write 2-3 sentences advising them on what to expect regarding the local culture or environment. Use '어떻다' to inquire or describe.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
제 고향에 오면 어떤 경험을 할 수 있을까요? 사람들은 친절하고, 자연경관이 아름다운 곳이에요. 하지만 교통은 조금 불편할 수 있어요.
위 글에서 서울의 대중교통 시스템에 대해 알 수 있는 것은 무엇입니까?
Read this passage:
서울의 교통 상황은 항상 복잡합니다. 특히 출퇴근 시간에는 지하철이나 버스가 사람들로 가득 차요. 하지만 대중교통 시스템은 매우 잘 되어 있어서 이동하기에 편리합니다. 그렇다면 서울에서 차 없이 생활하는 것은 어떨까요?
위 글에서 서울의 대중교통 시스템에 대해 알 수 있는 것은 무엇입니까?
글에 '대중교통 시스템은 매우 잘 되어 있어서 이동하기에 편리합니다'라고 명시되어 있습니다.
글에 '대중교통 시스템은 매우 잘 되어 있어서 이동하기에 편리합니다'라고 명시되어 있습니다.
이 글에 따르면 한국의 전통 시장의 특징이 아닌 것은 무엇입ar?
Read this passage:
한국의 전통 시장은 다양한 물건들을 저렴하게 살 수 있는 좋은 곳입니다. 신선한 과일과 채소, 그리고 맛있는 길거리 음식을 맛볼 수 있어요. 상인들은 친절하고 활기찬 분위기에서 장사를 합니다. 전통 시장 방문 경험은 어떠셨나요?
이 글에 따르면 한국의 전통 시장의 특징이 아닌 것은 무엇입ar?
글에 '상인들은 친절하고 활기찬 분위기에서 장사를 합니다'라고 언급되어 있습니다.
글에 '상인들은 친절하고 활기찬 분위기에서 장사를 합니다'라고 언급되어 있습니다.
친구는 왜 한국어 공부를 시작했습니까?
Read this passage:
제 친구는 한국 드라마를 정말 좋아해요. 주말마다 새로운 드라마를 찾아보고, 좋아하는 배우들의 소식도 자주 찾아봐요. 한국 문화에 대한 관심이 많아서 한국어 공부도 시작했어요. 한국 드라마를 보는 것은 한국어 학습에 어떻게 도움이 될까요?
친구는 왜 한국어 공부를 시작했습니까?
글에 '한국 문화에 대한 관심이 많아서 한국어 공부도 시작했어요'라고 명시되어 있습니다.
글에 '한국 문화에 대한 관심이 많아서 한국어 공부도 시작했어요'라고 명시되어 있습니다.
What do you think about the Korean weather?
How are you feeling today? (formal)
How's the new job? Are you satisfied?
Read this aloud:
어제 본 영화 어떻다고 생각해요?
Focus: 어떻다고
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
친구에게 새 옷이 어떻냐고 물어보세요.
Focus: 어떻냐고
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
다음 주 계획이 어떻습니까?
Focus: 어떻습니까
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
What is your honest opinion about this matter?
How is the progress of the new project? Is it going smoothly?
Among the books you've read recently, what about the most impressive work?
Read this aloud:
현재 진행 중인 연구의 핵심 결과는 어떻습니까? 간략하게 설명해 주시겠어요?
Focus: 핵심 결과는 어떻습니까
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
만약 당신이 이 상황에 처했다면, 어떤 방법으로 해결하시겠습니까?
Focus: 어떤 방법으로 해결하시겠습니까
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
다가오는 회의의 주요 안건은 어떻습니까? 미리 준비할 내용이 있을까요?
Focus: 주요 안건은 어떻습니까
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence asks for 'your solution to this problem, how is it?', a polite way to inquire about someone's proposed solution.
This sentence means 'How do you evaluate the company's new business strategy?', using '어떻게' to ask about the manner of evaluation.
This sentence asks 'What kind of attitude should you have when preparing for unexpected situations?', using '어떠해야 합니까?' to inquire about the necessary attitude.
그가 갑자기 회사를 그만둔 이유가 ___ 궁금하다.
Contextually, '어떠했는지' (what it was like) is the most natural fit to express curiosity about the past reason.
이번 프로젝트의 진행 상황이 ___ 보고해주시기 바랍니다.
'어떠한지' (how it is) is used to inquire about the current state of progress.
그의 결정이 우리에게 ___ 영향을 미칠지는 두고 봐야 한다.
'어떠할지' (how it will be) is appropriate for expressing uncertainty about future impact.
아무리 상황이 ___ 우리는 최선을 다해야 한다.
'어떠하든' (no matter how it is) conveys the meaning of doing one's best regardless of the situation.
그녀의 기분이 오늘 아침부터 ___ 걱정된다.
'어떠한지' (how it is) is used when expressing concern about someone's current state of mind.
여행 계획이 최종적으로 ___ 알려주세요.
'어떠한지' (how it is) is used to ask for the current or finalized status of the travel plan.
다음 중 '어떠하다'의 의미와 가장 가까운 것은 무엇입니까?
'어떠하다'는 주로 상태나 조건을 묻거나 설명할 때 사용됩니다.
친구가 새 직장을 구했다고 할 때, 가장 적절한 질문은 무엇입니까?
상대방의 새로운 직장에 대한 상태나 느낌을 묻는 것이 가장 자연스럽습니다.
다음 대화에서 빈칸에 들어갈 가장 적절한 표현은 무엇입니까? A: 이번 주말에 날씨가 ______? B: 글쎄요, 일기예보를 봐야 알 것 같아요.
날씨의 상태를 묻는 질문이므로 '어때요'가 가장 적절합니다.
'어떻다'는 주로 사람의 이름이나 사물의 종류를 묻는 데 사용된다.
'어떻다'는 주로 상태, 상황, 느낌 등을 묻는 데 사용됩니다. 사람의 이름은 '누구', 사물의 종류는 '무엇'으로 묻습니다.
친구가 새로 산 옷에 대해 '이 옷 어때?'라고 묻는 것은 자연스러운 표현이다.
새로 산 옷에 대한 상대방의 의견이나 느낌을 묻는 상황에서 '이 옷 어때?'는 매우 자연스러운 표현입니다.
'어떠하다'는 격식적인 표현으로, 비격식적인 상황에서는 잘 사용되지 않는다.
'어떠하다'는 격식적인 상황에서도 사용되지만, '어때요', '어떠세요' 등 다양한 형태로 비격식적인 상황에서도 널리 사용됩니다.
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Summary
어떻다 is a fundamental Korean adjective for asking about the state or condition of things.
- 어떻다 asks 'how' or 'what kind of.'
- It's an adjective describing state or condition.
- Often used in questions like 'How are you?'
Example
오늘 날씨가 어때요?
Related Content
More communication words
~대해서
A2About; a particle indicating the subject of discussion.
~ 에 대해
A2About; concerning; regarding.
~쯤
A2About; approximately (quantity, time)
동의
B1The act of agreeing with someone's opinion or a proposal. A core functional word for IELTS Writing Task 2 'agree or disagree' questions.
모호성
B2The quality of being open to more than one interpretation; inexactness or lack of clarity.
그리고
A1And/and then
공지
A2A formal announcement or notification.
답하다
A1To answer
대답하다
A1To answer
대답
A1Answer; Reply (response to a question)
