섬세하다 Korean adjective conjugation

to be delicate, to be fine

Every form of 섬세하다 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
섬세한
아/어Infinitive
섬세해
-으니Since
섬세하니
합니다Formal
섬세합니다

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 섬세해요섬세합니다섬세해섬세하다

과거Past

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
서술Statement 섬세했어요섬세했습니다섬세했어섬세했다

미래·추측Future & presumptive

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
-겠-Will / must be 섬세하겠어요섬세하겠습니다섬세하겠어섬세하겠다
-을 것이다Going to 섬세할 거예요섬세할 것입니다섬세할 거야섬세할 것이다

의문Questions

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
현재Present 섬세해요?섬세합니까?섬세해?섬세하니?
과거Past 섬세했어요?섬세했습니까?섬세했어?섬세했니?

부정Negation

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
Not (short) 안 섬세해요안 섬세합니다안 섬세해안 섬세하다
-지 않다Not (long) 섬세하지 않아요섬세하지 않습니다섬세하지 않아섬세하지 않다

높임Honorific

해요체Polite합니다체Formal해체Casual한다체Plain
현재Present 섬세하세요섬세하십니다섬세하셔섬세하시다
과거Past 섬세하셨어요섬세하셨습니다섬세하셨어섬세하셨다

관형사형Modifying a noun

현재Present
섬세한
과거Past
섬세한
미래Future
섬세할
회상Used to
섬세하던

연결Joining clauses

-고and
섬세하고
-게-ly / so that
섬세하게
-어서so / and then
섬세해서
-으니까since
섬세하니까
-으면if / when
섬세하면
-지만but
섬세하지만
-는데and / but (setting up)
섬세한데
-어도even if
섬세해도

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.

BG: 이해합니다. 뇌는 섬세하니까요.

Which is understandable, the brain is delicate, etc.

이건 매우 섬세한 균형입니다.

It is a very delicate balance.

그는 매우 섬세한 사람이었어.

He was very delicate.

그것들은 아주 아주 섬세합니다.

They're just so, so delicate.

자주 묻는 질문Common questions

How do you conjugate 섬세하다 in Korean?

섬세하다 (to be delicate, to be fine) is 섬세해요 in the polite 해요체, 섬세합니다 in formal 합니다체, 섬세해 in casual 반말 and 섬세하다 in the plain written style. The past is 섬세했어요.

What is the past tense of 섬세하다?

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

Is 섬세하다 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 섬세하여 and 섬세하니 but unchanged in 섬세합니다.

What TOPIK level is 섬세하다?

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.