능숙하다 Korean adjective conjugation

to be proficient, to be adept

Every form of 능숙하다 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
능숙한
아/어Infinitive
능숙해
-으니Since
능숙하니
합니다Formal
능숙합니다

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 능숙해요능숙합니다능숙해능숙하다

과거Past

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
서술Statement 능숙했어요능숙했습니다능숙했어능숙했다

미래·추측Future & presumptive

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
-겠-Will / must be 능숙하겠어요능숙하겠습니다능숙하겠어능숙하겠다
-을 것이다Going to 능숙할 거예요능숙할 것입니다능숙할 거야능숙할 것이다

의문Questions

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
현재Present 능숙해요?능숙합니까?능숙해?능숙하니?
과거Past 능숙했어요?능숙했습니까?능숙했어?능숙했니?

부정Negation

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
Not (short) 안 능숙해요안 능숙합니다안 능숙해안 능숙하다
-지 않다Not (long) 능숙하지 않아요능숙하지 않습니다능숙하지 않아능숙하지 않다

높임Honorific

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
현재Present 능숙하세요능숙하십니다능숙하셔능숙하시다
과거Past 능숙하셨어요능숙하셨습니다능숙하셨어능숙하셨다

관형사형Modifying a noun

현재Present
능숙한
과거Past
능숙한
미래Future
능숙할
회상Used to
능숙하던

연결Joining clauses

-고and
능숙하고
-게-ly / so that
능숙하게
-어서so / and then
능숙해서
-으니까since
능숙하니까
-으면if / when
능숙하면
-지만but
능숙하지만
-는데and / but (setting up)
능숙한데
-어도even if
능숙해도

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.

그 일에 정말 능숙합니다.

And they're really good at it.

이런 사람들은 타협과 협력에 아주 능숙해요.

They're really good at compromise and cooperation.

그래, 네가 사람들과 대화에 더 능숙하잖아

You're better at getting people to talk, anyway. - I am?

그런 것들에 능숙했습니다.

I was good at that.

자주 묻는 질문Common questions

How do you conjugate 능숙하다 in Korean?

능숙하다 (to be proficient, to be adept) is 능숙해요 in the polite 해요체, 능숙합니다 in formal 합니다체, 능숙해 in casual 반말 and 능숙하다 in the plain written style. The past is 능숙했어요.

What is the past tense of 능숙하다?

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

Is 능숙하다 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 능숙하여 and 능숙하니 but unchanged in 능숙합니다.

What TOPIK level is 능숙하다?

5급 — TOPIK 5, advanced.

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.