[Korean Grammar] 아주 / 엄청 / 정말 / 너무

In Korean, “아주 (aju),” “엄청 (eomcheong),” “정말 (jeongmal),” and “너무 (neomu)” are adverbs used to emphasize or indicate the degree or intensity of something. The nuance may vary slightly depending on the context. The main use examples of each adverb are as follows:

1. 아주 [aju]
   • KR dictionary : 보통 정도보다 훨씬 더 넘어선 상태로.
   • Used to emphasize or highlight something as particularly significant or highly rated.
   • 그 영화는 아주 재미있었어요 (The movie was very enjoyable.)
   • 이 책은 아주 유용해요. (This book is very useful.)
     
     
2. 엄청 [eomcheong]
   • KR dictionary : 부사 양이나 정도가 아주 지나친 상태.
   • Used to describe something as extremely large or intense.
   • 그 콘서트는 엄청 시끄러웠어요. (The concert was incredibly loud.)
   • 그 사람은 엄청 똑똑해요. (That person is extremely smart.)
     
     
3. 정말 [jeongmal]
   • KR dictionary : 부사 거짓이 없이 말 그대로
   • Used to express sincerity or strong emotions.
   • 나 너를 정말 좋아해 (I really like you.)
   • 그 일은 정말 어려워요. (That task is really difficult.)
     
     
4. 너무 [neomu]
   • KR dictionary : 일정한 정도나 한계를 훨씬 넘어선 상태로.
   • Used to indicate that something is excessively or overly done.
   • 오늘 날씨가 너무 더워요. (The weather is too hot today.)
   • 이 음식은 너무 매워요. (This food is too spicy)

These adverbs provide additional context and emphasis in sentences, making it clear how strongly something is felt or to what extent it applies. The choice of adverb depends on the context of the sentence and the degree of emphasis you want to convey.