Meaning
To state that the atmospheric conditions are unpleasant.
Cultural Background
Koreans often eat 'Pajeon' (green onion pancake) and drink 'Makgeolli' when the weather is bad (rainy). The sound of rain is said to resemble the sound of frying pancakes. Air quality (Fine Dust) is now a primary factor in 'bad weather.' People check apps like 'MiseMise' before saying the weather is good or bad. Weather was seen as a sign from the heavens. Bad weather during a king's reign was sometimes interpreted as a lack of virtue in the ruler. Complaining about bad weather is a 'safe' topic for conversation with superiors, as it is a shared external problem that doesn't require personal disclosure.
Use '안 좋아요' for a softer tone
If you want to sound less complaining and more observational, use '날씨가 안 좋아요' instead.
Don't use with people
Never say '그 사람은 날씨가 나빠요' to mean someone is bad. Just say '그 사람은 나빠요'.
Meaning
To state that the atmospheric conditions are unpleasant.
Use '안 좋아요' for a softer tone
If you want to sound less complaining and more observational, use '날씨가 안 좋아요' instead.
Don't use with people
Never say '그 사람은 날씨가 나빠요' to mean someone is bad. Just say '그 사람은 나빠요'.
Add '-네' for reaction
Saying '날씨가 나쁘네요!' (The weather is bad, I see!) sounds much more natural when you just looked out the window.
Test Yourself
Complete the sentence with the correct form of '나쁘다' in the polite present tense.
오늘 비가 와요. 그래서 날씨가 _______.
'나쁘다' is an 'ㅡ' irregular adjective. It becomes '나빠요' in the polite present tense.
Which sentence is the most natural way to say 'The weather was bad yesterday'?
어제...
'어제' (yesterday) requires the past tense '나빴어요'.
Choose the best response for the dialogue.
A: 우리 오늘 등산 갈까요? B: 아니요, ________________.
'날씨가 나빠서 못 가요' (I can't go because the weather is bad) is the most logical reason to decline.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You are at the airport and your flight is delayed due to a storm.
Stormy weather is described as '나빠요'.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Types of 'Bad Weather' in Korea
Spring
- • 황사 (Yellow Dust)
- • 미세먼지 (Fine Dust)
Summer
- • 장마 (Monsoon)
- • 태풍 (Typhoon)
Winter
- • 한파 (Cold Wave)
- • 폭설 (Heavy Snow)
Practice Bank
4 exercises오늘 비가 와요. 그래서 날씨가 _______.
'나쁘다' is an 'ㅡ' irregular adjective. It becomes '나빠요' in the polite present tense.
어제...
'어제' (yesterday) requires the past tense '나빴어요'.
A: 우리 오늘 등산 갈까요? B: 아니요, ________________.
'날씨가 나빠서 못 가요' (I can't go because the weather is bad) is the most logical reason to decline.
You are at the airport and your flight is delayed due to a storm.
Stormy weather is described as '나빠요'.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, if the cold is unpleasant or extreme, you can say the weather is bad. However, '날씨가 너무 추워요' (The weather is too cold) is more specific.
No, it's a standard adjective. However, in very formal situations, '좋지 않습니다' (is not good) is preferred.
'나쁘다' is 'bad', while '안 좋다' is 'not good'. In Korean, '안 좋다' is used slightly more frequently in daily life as it sounds less harsh.
Use the '-아/어지다' pattern: '날씨가 나빠지고 있어요.'
Yes! It is very common to say '날씨가 나빠요' when there is a lot of fine dust (미세먼지).
Yes, young people might say '날씨 개구려' (The weather is dog-crappy), but use this only with very close friends.
Not necessarily. It can mean wind, smog, extreme heat, or just a very gloomy sky.
You say '왜 날씨가 나빠요?'
No, that makes no sense. You just say '나쁜 사람' (bad person).
The opposite is '날씨가 좋아요' (The weather is good).
Related Phrases
날씨가 안 좋다
synonymThe weather is not good.
날씨가 흐리다
specialized formThe weather is cloudy.
악천후
specialized formFoul weather / Severe weather.
기분이 나쁘다
contrastTo be in a bad mood / To feel unpleasant.
