Says something is mostly true, more softly than saying it outright: 저는 일찍 자는 편이에요 (jeoneun iljjik janeun pyeonieyo), "I tend to go to bed early".
Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language
- Verbs take 는. Adjectives take ㄴ after a vowel and 은 after a consonant.
- Adjectives ending in 있다 or 없다 take 는: 재미있는 편이에요 jaemiinneun pyeonieyo.
Build it
When to use it
Habits
What you usually do.
Describing softly
Mostly true, without overstating it.
Being modest
Talking about your own skills.
Watch out
조용하다 is an adjective, so it takes ㄴ: 조용한 편이에요.
In context
8 examples- 1
저는 매운 음식을 잘 먹는 편이에요.
Jeoneun maeun eumsigeul jal meongneun pyeonieyo.
I'm pretty good with spicy food.
- 2
이 동네는 조용한 편이에요.
I dongneneun joyonghan pyeonieyo.
This neighborhood is fairly quiet.
- 3
한국어 수업이 재미있는 편이에요.
Hangugeo sueobi jaemiinneun pyeonieyo.
My Korean class is pretty fun.
- 4
이 식당은 가격이 싼 편이에요.
I sikdangeun gagyeogi ssan pyeonieyo.
This restaurant is fairly cheap.
- 5
주말에는 집에 있는 편이에요.
Jumareneun jibe inneun pyeonieyo.
I tend to stay home on weekends.
- 6
한국어 발음이 좋은 편이에요.
Hangugeo bareumi joeun pyeonieyo.
Your Korean pronunciation is pretty good.
- 7
저는 영화를 자주 보는 편이에요.
Jeoneun yeonghwareul jaju boneun pyeonieyo.
I watch movies fairly often.
- 8
올해 겨울은 따뜻한 편이에요.
Olhae gyeoureun ttatteutan pyeonieyo.
This winter's been on the warm side.
Practice
6 questions크다 (adjective) + 편이에요
Why say it this way?
Saying 저는 노래를 잘해요, "I sing well", can sound like bragging in Korean. 저는 노래를 잘하는 편이에요, "I'm a fairly good singer", says the same thing more modestly. It works the other way too: 좀 비싼 편이에요, "it's on the pricey side", is gentler than 비싸요, "it's expensive".
는 편이다 or 는 것 같다?
는 것 같다 neun geot gatda is a guess: you aren't sure. 는 편이다 isn't a guess. You know it's mostly true, and you're saying it without going all the way.
Look it up in the dictionary
The entry for 는 편이다 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.