Casual Politeness Level — Korean Grammar

Casual speech, often referred to as (ban·malban·malban·malpan·mal), indicates a high level of intimacy or a downward social hierarchy. It is strictly used with close friends of the same age, people significantly younger than you, children, and sometimes among siblings. Using this level of speech with strangers, elders, or in formal settings is considered rude.

Basic Formation: Dropping 'Yo'

The most common way to form casual speech is to take the standard polite form (which ends in (yo)) and simply remove the suffix (yo). This applies to verbs and adjectives in the present tense.

지금 가.
ji·gŭm ga.ji·geum ga.ji·gŭm ga.ci·kum ka.
I am going now.
이거 좋아.
i·gŏ jo·a.i·geo jo·a.i·gŏ jo·a.i·ke co·a.
I like this.
배고파.
bæ·go·pʰa.bae·go·pa.bae·go·p'a.pay·ko·pha.
I am hungry.

Pronoun Changes

In polite speech, you use the humble pronoun (jŏjeojŏce) for "I". In casual speech, you must switch to the plain pronoun (na). Similarly, while "you" is often omitted in Korean, the casual word (nŏneonŏne) can be used among close friends, whereas it is avoided in polite speech.

나는 학생이야.
na·nŭn hak·sæng·i·ya.na·neun hak·saeng·i·ya.na·nŭn hak·saeng·i·ya.na·nun hak·sayng·i·ya.
I am a student.
너는?
nŏ·nŭn?neo·neun?nŏ·nŭn?ne·nun?
What about you?

The Verb 'To Be'

The verb "to be" (i·dai·dai·dai·ta) has a unique conjugation in casual speech. Instead of the polite (i·e·yoi·e·yoi·e·yoi·ey·yo) or (ye·yoye·yoye·yoyey·yo), casual speech uses (i·ya) after a consonant and (ya) after a vowel.

물이야.
mul·i·ya.
It is water.
친구야.
chin·gu·ya.jin·gu·ya.chin·gu·ya.cin·ku·ya.
It is a friend.

Calling Names

When addressing someone in casual speech, do not use the polite suffix (ssi). Instead, attach a vocative particle to the end of their name to get their attention. Add (a) if the name ends in a consonant, or (ya) if it ends in a vowel.

지민아!
ji·min·a!ji·min·a!ji·min·a!ci·min·a!
Jimin!
윤아야!
yun·a·ya!
Yuna!

Questions and Intonation

In casual speech, questions often look identical to statements. The meaning is determined entirely by intonation. Raise your pitch at the end of the sentence to ask a question, and lower it to make a statement.

밥 먹어?
bap mŏg·ŏ?bap meog·eo?bap mŏg·ŏ?pap meg·e?
Are you eating?
밥 먹어.
bap mŏg·ŏ.bap meog·eo.bap mŏg·ŏ.pap meg·e.
I am eating.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Korean course

128 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 1. A few of them, with the words “Casual Politeness Level” is about in bold:

이쪽은 내 친구 안나야. 학생이야.
i·jjog·ŭn næ chʰin·gu an·na ya. hak·sæng i·ya.i·jjog·eun nae chin·gu an·na ya. hak·saeng i·ya.i·tchog·ŭn nae ch'in·gu an·na ya. hak·saeng i·ya.i·ccog·un nay chin·ku an·na ya. hak·sayng i·ya.
This is my friend, Anna. She is a student. (cas.)
Lesson 2
너 주려고 계란 한 다스랑 초코바 샀어.
nŏ ju·ryŏ·go gye·ran han da·sŭ rang chʰo·kʰo·ba sass·ŏ.neo ju·ryeo·go gye·ran han da·seu rang cho·ko·ba sass·eo.nŏ ju·ryŏ·go gye·ran han da·sŭ rang ch'o·k'o·ba sass·ŏ.ne cu·lye·ko kyey·lan han ta·su lang cho·kho·pa sass·e.
I bought a dozen eggs and a candy bar for you too. (cas.)
Lesson 47
좀 어때? 괜찮아졌어? 아니면 안좋아졌어?
chom ŏ·ttæ? kwæn·chʰan·a jyŏss·ŏ? a·ni·myŏn an jo·a jyŏss·ŏ?jom eo·ddae? gwaen·chan·a jyeoss·eo? a·ni·myeon an jo·a jyeoss·eo?chom ŏ·ttae? kwaen·ch'an·a jyŏss·ŏ? a·ni·myŏn an jo·a jyŏss·ŏ?com e·ttay? kwayn·chan·a cyess·e? a·ni·myen an co·a cyess·e?
How are you feeling? Good or bad? (cas.)
Lesson 61

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