정직하다 Korean adjective conjugation

to be honest

Every form of 정직하다 across the four speech levels. It is 여 irregular — 하다 and every verb built on it: 하다 → 하여 → 해요.

기본형Principal parts

The four forms the dictionary prints. Every other form on this page is derived from them.

관형사형Modifier
정직한
아/어Infinitive
정직해
-으니Since
정직하니
합니다Formal
정직합니다

현재Present

The tense that does the most work. 해요체 is the one to learn first — it is polite without being formal, and it is what most conversation is in.

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
서술Statement 정직해요정직합니다정직해정직하다

과거Past

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
서술Statement 정직했어요정직했습니다정직했어정직했다

미래·추측Future & presumptive

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
-겠-Will / must be 정직하겠어요정직하겠습니다정직하겠어정직하겠다
-을 것이다Going to 정직할 거예요정직할 것입니다정직할 거야정직할 것이다

의문Questions

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
현재Present 정직해요?정직합니까?정직해?정직하니?
과거Past 정직했어요?정직했습니까?정직했어?정직했니?

부정Negation

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
Not (short) 안 정직해요안 정직합니다안 정직해안 정직하다
-지 않다Not (long) 정직하지 않아요정직하지 않습니다정직하지 않아정직하지 않다

높임Honorific

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
현재Present 정직하세요정직하십니다정직하셔정직하시다
과거Past 정직하셨어요정직하셨습니다정직하셨어정직하셨다

관형사형Modifying a noun

현재Present
정직한
과거Past
정직한
미래Future
정직할
회상Used to
정직하던

연결Joining clauses

-고and
정직하고
-게-ly / so that
정직하게
-어서so / and then
정직해서
-으니까since
정직하니까
-으면if / when
정직하면
-지만but
정직하지만
-는데and / but (setting up)
정직한데
-어도even if
정직해도

문형Sentence patterns

How the dictionary says this verb is used. The numbers are slots: 1 is the subject, 2 the object.

예문In real sentences

From the dictionary, each with its translation.

그리고 정직함으로 저희를 이끌어 주셔서

With thoughtful wisdom and true compassion

그는 정직하기 때문에 가난하다.

He's poor since he's honest.

저는 정직하게 답해야겠죠.

And I have to be really honest.

정직한 사람이거나 아니거나

Either you have integrity or you don't.

자주 묻는 질문Common questions

How do you conjugate 정직하다 in Korean?

정직하다 (to be honest) is 정직해요 in the polite 해요체, 정직합니다 in formal 합니다체, 정직해 in casual 반말 and 정직하다 in the plain written style. The past is 정직했어요.

What is the past tense of 정직하다?

정직했어요 in everyday polite speech, 정직했습니다 formally. It is built from the 아/어 form 정직하여 plus ㅆ, which is why an irregular stem shows its irregularity here.

Is 정직하다 irregular?

Yes — it is 여 irregular (여 불규칙). 하다 and every verb built on it: 하다 → 하여 → 해요. That is why the stem looks different in 정직하여 and 정직하니 but unchanged in 정직합니다.

What TOPIK level is 정직하다?

4급 — TOPIK 4, upper intermediate.

Dictionary form, meaning, sentence patterns, examples and audio from the 국립국어원 한국어기초사전, used under CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.

Conjugations are generated by this site's own engine and checked against the 9,380 forms the dictionary publishes on every build.