생생하다 Korean adjective conjugation

to be fresh, to be vivid, to be lively

Every form of 생생하다 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
생생한
아/어Infinitive
생생해
-으니Since
생생하니
합니다Formal
생생합니다

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 생생해요생생합니다생생해생생하다

과거Past

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
서술Statement 생생했어요생생했습니다생생했어생생했다

미래·추측Future & presumptive

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
-겠-Will / must be 생생하겠어요생생하겠습니다생생하겠어생생하겠다
-을 것이다Going to 생생할 거예요생생할 것입니다생생할 거야생생할 것이다

의문Questions

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
현재Present 생생해요?생생합니까?생생해?생생하니?
과거Past 생생했어요?생생했습니까?생생했어?생생했니?

부정Negation

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
Not (short) 안 생생해요안 생생합니다안 생생해안 생생하다
-지 않다Not (long) 생생하지 않아요생생하지 않습니다생생하지 않아생생하지 않다

높임Honorific

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
현재Present 생생하세요생생하십니다생생하셔생생하시다
과거Past 생생하셨어요생생하셨습니다생생하셨어생생하셨다

관형사형Modifying a noun

현재Present
생생한
과거Past
생생한
미래Future
생생할
회상Used to
생생하던

연결Joining clauses

-고and
생생하고
-게-ly / so that
생생하게
-어서so / and then
생생해서
-으니까since
생생하니까
-으면if / when
생생하면
-지만but
생생하지만
-는데and / but (setting up)
생생한데
-어도even if
생생해도

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.

3년전에 있었던 일이지만 아직도 어제 일처럼 기억이 생생합니다

And while that swim took place three years ago, I can remember it as if it was yesterday.

기억이 생생할 때 기록해야 돼

No, now. When it's fresh.

지금도 그 목소리가 생생합니다.

I can still hear his voice.

또 하나 제가 생생하게 기억하는 것은

There's one more thing I remember vividly from my own career break.

자주 묻는 질문Common questions

How do you conjugate 생생하다 in Korean?

생생하다 (to be fresh, to be vivid, to be lively) is 생생해요 in the polite 해요체, 생생합니다 in formal 합니다체, 생생해 in casual 반말 and 생생하다 in the plain written style. The past is 생생했어요.

What is the past tense of 생생하다?

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

Is 생생하다 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 생생하여 and 생생하니 but unchanged in 생생합니다.

What TOPIK level is 생생하다?

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.