Honorifics
-(으)시- and the words that show respect.
Besides choosing a polite ending for the listener, Korean shows respect to the person a sentence is about, the subject, with -(으)시- in the verb. Since that person is often the listener, -(으)시- turns up in most polite questions.
| Plain | Honorific polite | Honorific past | Honorific formal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 가다 | 가세요 gaseyo | 가셨어요 gasyeosseoyo | 가십니다 gasimnida |
| 오다 | 오세요 oseyo | 오셨어요 osyeosseoyo | 오십니다 osimnida |
| 읽다 | 읽으세요 ilgeuseyo | 읽으셨어요 ilgeusyeosseoyo | 읽으십니다 ilgeusimnida |
| 하다 | 하세요 haseyo | 하셨어요 hasyeosseoyo | 하십니다 hasimnida |
-시- follows a vowel and -으시- a consonant. In the polite present, -(으)시- and -어요 make -(으)세요.
- eodi gaseyo?Where are you going?
- seonsaengnimi osyeosseoyo.The teacher has come.
- abeojineun eunhaengeseo ilhaseyo.My father works at a bank.
Words of their own
A few common verbs and nouns have honorific words of their own:
| Plain | Honorific | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 먹다, 마시다 | 드시다 (드세요) | to eat, to drink |
| 자다 | 주무시다 (주무세요) | to sleep |
| 있다 | 계시다 (계세요) | to be, to stay |
| 말하다 | 말씀하시다 | to speak |
| 죽다 | 돌아가시다 | to die, to pass away |
| 이름 | 성함 | name |
| 나이 | 연세 | age |
| 집 | 댁 | home |
| 생일 | 생신 | birthday |
| 사람 | 분 | person |
The subject particle 이/가 becomes 께서, and 한테 "to" becomes 께: 할머니께서 주무세요 "Grandmother is sleeping".
Humble words for yourself
You never use -(으)시- about yourself. Instead, some words lower the speaker: 저 "I", 저희 "we", 드리다 "to give (to someone higher)", 뵙다 "to see, to meet (someone higher)".
- seonsaengnimkke seonmureul deuryeosseoyo.I gave the teacher a present.
- cheoeum boepgetseumnida.Nice to meet you.formal greeting
Cards from this guide
10 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Verbs and adjectives cards.
What does -(으)시- in a verb do?
It shows respect for the subject, the person the sentence is about.
What's the honorific polite form of 가다 (to go)?
가세요 (gaseyo).
What's the honorific polite form of 읽다 (to read)?
읽으세요 (ilgeuseyo).
What's the honorific word for 'to eat' or 'to drink'?
드시다: 드세요.
What's the honorific word for 'to sleep'?
주무시다: 주무세요.
What's the honorific of 있다 for a person being somewhere?
계시다: 계세요.
How do you politely ask someone's name, using 성함?
성함이 어떻게 되세요?
What does the subject particle 이/가 become for someone you honour?
께서: 할머니께서.
Which verb means 'to give' to someone you honour?
드리다.
Can you use -(으)시- about yourself, as in 저는 학생이세요?
No: say 저는 학생이에요.