Honorific Speech in Korean

01

The Honorific Suffix -(으)시-

The most common way to make a verb honorific is by attaching the suffix -(으)시- (-(ŭ)si-) to the verb stem.

• If the stem ends in a vowel, add -시- (-si-).
• If the stem ends in a consonant, add -으시- (-ŭsi--eusi--ŭsi--usi-).

When conjugated into the polite present tense, -(으)시- (-(ŭ)si-) combined with -어요 (-ŏ·yo-eo·yo-ŏ·yo-e·yo) becomes -(으)세요 (-(ŭ)se·yo).

• 아버지가 신문을 읽으세요.

  a·bŏ·ji·ga sin·mu·nŭl il·gŭ·se·yo.a·beo·ji·ga sin·mu·neul il·geu·se·yo.a·bŏ·ji·ga sin·mu·nŭl il·gŭ·se·yo.a·pe·ci·ka sin·mu·nul il·ku·sey·yo.

  Father reads the newspaper.

• 어머니가 요리하세요.

  ŏ·mŏ·ni·ga yo·ri·ha·se·yo.eo·meo·ni·ga yo·ri·ha·se·yo.ŏ·mŏ·ni·ga yo·ri·ha·se·yo.e·me·ni·ka yo·li·ha·sey·yo.

  Mother is cooking.

In the past tense, it becomes -(으)셨어요 (-(ŭ)syŏss·ŏ·yo-(ŭ)syŏss·eo·yo-(ŭ)syŏss·ŏ·yo-(ŭ)syŏss·e·yo).

• 선생님이 가셨어요.

  sŏn·sæng·nim·i ka·syŏss·ŏ·yo.seon·saeng·nim·i ga·syeoss·eo·yo.sŏn·saeng·nim·i ka·syŏss·ŏ·yo.sen·sayng·nim·i ka·syess·e·yo.

  The teacher went.

02

Special Honorific Verbs

Some verbs are considered too basic to be used for elders or people of higher status. Instead of adding -(으)시- (-(ŭ)si-) to the regular verb, a completely different word is used.

Common Replacements

• 먹다 (mŏk·ttameok·ddamŏk·ttamek·tta) (to eat) → 드시다 (tŭ·si·dadeu·si·datŭ·si·datu·si·ta)
• 마시다 (ma·si·dama·si·dama·si·dama·si·ta) (to drink) → 드시다 (tŭ·si·dadeu·si·datŭ·si·datu·si·ta)
• 자다 (cha·daja·dacha·daca·ta) (to sleep) → 주무시다 (chu·mu·si·daju·mu·si·dachu·mu·si·dacu·mu·si·ta)
• 죽다 (chuk·ttajuk·ddachuk·ttacuk·tta) (to die) → 돌아가시다 (to·ra·ga·si·dado·ra·ga·si·dato·ra·ga·si·dato·la·ka·si·ta) (literally "to go back")

• 할머니가 주무세요.

  hal·mŏ·ni·ga ju·mu·se·yo.hal·meo·ni·ga ju·mu·se·yo.hal·mŏ·ni·ga ju·mu·se·yo.hal·me·ni·ka cu·mu·sey·yo.

  Grandmother is sleeping.

• 맛있게 드세요.

  ma·sit·ge tŭ·se·yo.ma·sit·ge deu·se·yo.ma·sit·ge tŭ·se·yo.ma·sit·key tu·sey·yo.

  Please eat deliciously (Bon appétit).

03

The Two Forms of "To Be" (있다)

The verb 있다 (it·ttait·ddait·ttait·tta) (to be/have) has two different honorific forms depending on the context:

1. Presence (Location): When talking about someone being in a place, use 계시다 (kye·si·dagye·si·dakye·si·dakyey·si·ta).

2. Possession: When talking about someone having something, use 있으시다 (i·ssŭ·si·dai·sseu·si·dai·ssŭ·si·dai·ssu·si·ta).

• 안녕히 계세요.

  an·nyŏng·hi kye·se·yo.an·nyeong·hi gye·se·yo.an·nyŏng·hi kye·se·yo.an·nyeng·hi kyey·sey·yo.

  Stay in peace (Goodbye).

• 시간 있으세요?

  si·gan i·ssŭ·se·yo?si·gan i·sseu·se·yo?si·gan i·ssŭ·se·yo?si·kan i·ssu·sey·yo?

  Do you have time?

04

Humble Verbs (Object Honorifics)

Sometimes, respect is shown not by elevating the subject, but by lowering the subject to honor the recipient of the action. These are called humble verbs. This is common when "I" (the speaker) do something for a superior.

• 주다 (chu·daju·dachu·dacu·ta) (to give) → 드리다 (tŭ·ri·dadeu·ri·datŭ·ri·datu·li·ta) (to offer/give to a superior)
• 묻다 (mut·ttamut·ddamut·ttamut·tta) (to ask) → 여쭙다 (yŏ·tchup·ttayeo·tchup·ddayŏ·tchup·ttaye·tchup·tta) (to ask a superior)
• 보다 (po·dabo·dapo·dapo·ta) (to see) → 뵙다 (pœp·ttaboep·ddapoep·ttapwayp·tta) (to see/meet a superior)

• 저는 선생님께 선물을 드려요.

  chŏ·nŭn sŏn·sæng·nim·kke sŏn·mu·rŭl tŭ·ryŏ·yo.jeo·neun seon·saeng·nim·gge seon·mu·reul deu·ryeo·yo.chŏ·nŭn sŏn·saeng·nim·kke sŏn·mu·rŭl tŭ·ryŏ·yo.ce·nun sen·sayng·nim·kkey sen·mu·lul tu·lye·yo.

  I give a present to the teacher.

• 내일 뵐게요.

  næ·il bœl·kke·yo.nae·il boel·gge·yo.nae·il boel·kke·yo.nay·il pwayl·kkey·yo.

  I will see you tomorrow.

05

Honorific Particles and Nouns

To complete the sentence structure, particles and nouns associated with the respected person also change.

Particles

The subject markers 이/가 (i/ga) change to 께서 (kke·sŏgge·seokke·sŏkkey·se). The dative markers 에게/한테 (e·ge/han·tʰee·ge/han·tee·ge/han·t'eey·key/han·they) (to someone) change to 께 (kkeggekkekkey).

• 할아버지께서 오세요.

  ha·ra·bŏ·ji·kke·sŏ o·se·yo.ha·ra·beo·ji·gge·seo o·se·yo.ha·ra·bŏ·ji·kke·sŏ o·se·yo.ha·la·pe·ci·kkey·se o·sey·yo.

  Grandfather is coming.

Nouns

Certain nouns have special honorific versions used when they belong to a respected person.

• 이름 (i·rŭmi·reumi·rŭmi·lum) (name) → 성함 (sŏng·hamseong·hamsŏng·hamseng·ham)
• 나이 (na·i) (age) → 연세 (yŏn·seyeon·seyŏn·seyen·sey)
• 집 (chipjipchipcip) (house) → 댁 (tækdaektaektayk)
• 생일 (sæng·ilsaeng·ilsaeng·ilsayng·il) (birthday) → 생신 (sæng·sinsaeng·sinsaeng·sinsayng·sin)
• 밥 (papbappappap) (meal) → 진지 (chin·jijin·jichin·jicin·ci)

• 성함이 어떻게 되세요?

  sŏng·ha·mi ŏ·ttŏ·kʰe tœ·se·yo?seong·ha·mi eo·ddeo·ke doe·se·yo?sŏng·ha·mi ŏ·ttŏ·k'e toe·se·yo?seng·ha·mi e·tte·khey tway·sey·yo?

  What is your name? (lit. How does your name become?)

• 생신 축하드려요!

  sæng·sin chukʰ·ha·dŭ·ryŏ·yo!saeng·sin jukʰ·ha·deu·ryeo·yo!saeng·sin chukʰ·ha·dŭ·ryŏ·yo!sayng·sin cukʰ·ha·tu·lye·yo!

  Happy birthday