Ever wanted to say “I’m tired,” “I’m excited,” or “I’m worried” in Korean without freezing? In this A2 lesson, you’ll learn how to ask and answer “How do you feel?”, master everyday feeling words, and connect reasons with –아서/어서. We’ll also share natural Korean expressions like 화가 나다 and when people say “괜찮아요.” Practice along the way with quick exercises!

Ask and answer: 기분이 어때요?

The most common way to ask how someone feels is:

• 기분이 어때요? = How do you feel? / How’s your mood?

오늘은 기분이 요.

Tip: In Korean, many “adjectives” behave like verbs. You say 좋아요 (is good), 나빠요 (is bad), 피곤해요 (am tired), 슬퍼요 (am sad) without “to be.”

Essential feelings you’ll actually use

Here are high-frequency words with examples. Notice the polite present ending –아요/어요.

Give a reason with –아서/어서

To explain why you feel a certain way, connect the reason and result with –아서/어서.

• 일이 많아서 피곤해요. = I’m tired because there’s a lot of work.
• 시험이 끝나서 기뻐요. = I’m happy because the exam is over.
• 비가 와서 기분이 좀 안 좋아요. = I don’t feel so good because it’s raining.

내일 시험이 있어서 .

Set phrases to sound natural

Some feelings use fixed patterns:

• 기분이 좋다/나쁘다 = (one’s) mood is good/bad
• 화가 나다 = to get/be angry (literally “anger arises”)
• 긴장되다 = to feel nervous Keep the particles (기분이, 화가). Dropping them often sounds unnatural, especially in careful speech.

저는 화나요. → 저는 화가 나요. Use the set phrase with the particle: 화가 나다. 무섭어요. → 무서워요. 무섭다 is ㅂ-irregular: 무서워요 (not 무섭어요). 슬퍼워요. → 슬퍼요. 슬프다 → 슬퍼요 (no 워).

Cultural notes: how Koreans talk about feelings

• 힘들어요 can mean “It’s hard” physically or emotionally. People often say 힘들었죠… to empathize.
• 괜찮아요? is a common, gentle check-in: “Are you okay?” A warm reply when someone’s upset is 괜찮아요. 천천히 얘기해요. (“It’s okay. Let’s talk slowly.”)
• You’ll hear ㅠㅠ or ㅎㅎ in messages to show sadness or laughter.
• Politeness levels matter. With strangers or coworkers, stick to –아요/어요: 오늘 좀 피곤해요.

Quick scenario quiz

Choose the most natural feeling in each situation.

Noticing feelings in the moment: –네요

Use –네요 to make a spontaneous observation. It sounds softer than saying a plain fact.

Mini-practice: Put it together

Try saying these out loud:

• 오늘은 일이 많아서 피곤해요.
• 내일 발표가 있어서 긴장돼요.
• 비가 와서 기분이 나빠요.
• 친구를 만나서 기뻐요. Ask a friend: 기분이 어때요? and answer naturally!

ㅂ-irregular feelings to watch

Some feeling adjectives change their ㅂ in conjugation:

• 무섭다 → 무서워요
• 부끄럽다 → 부끄러워요
• 외롭다 → 외로워요
• 슬프다 → 슬퍼요 If you’re unsure, listen for the –워요 or –어요 pattern in native speech.

Wrap-up

You learned to:

• Ask and answer about mood: 기분이 어때요? 기분이 좋아요/나빠요.
• Use essential feelings: 피곤해요, 슬퍼요, 기뻐요, 무서워요, 걱정돼요, 외로워요, 심심해요…
• Explain why with –아서/어서: 일이 많아서 피곤해요.
• Sound natural with set phrases and soft observations: 화가 나요, 기분이 좋다, –네요. Keep noticing how people comfort each other with 괜찮아요 and 힘들죠. Practice a little every day—your Korean will feel better and better!