Names and titles
씨, 님, 선생님, and family words for friends and strangers.
Korean names
A Korean name puts the family name first, usually one syllable, then the given name, usually two: 김민수 Kim Minsu has the family name 김 and the given name 민수. Three family names, 김, 이 and 박, belong to nearly half of all Koreans, so people are rarely called by family name alone. Women keep their own family name when they marry.
Calling someone
| Form | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| name + 씨 | between adults of similar standing | 민수 씨, 김민수 씨 |
| title + 님 | to someone senior or a customer | 사장님, 선생님, 고객님 |
| family word | to older friends and many strangers | 언니, 형, 아저씨 |
| name alone | close friends, younger people | 민수야 |
Never put 씨 after your own name, and don't use 씨 with someone senior: use their title. 선생님 "teacher" is also a polite way to address doctors and many professionals.
Friends call each other by name with 아 after a consonant and 야 after a vowel: 민수야!, 지민아!
Family words for everyone
Korean calls friends and strangers by family words, chosen by the speaker's sex and the other person's age:
| Word | Meaning | Said by |
|---|---|---|
| 형 hyeong | older brother; older male friend | a man |
| 오빠 oppa | older brother; older male friend | a woman |
| 누나 nuna | older sister; older female friend | a man |
| 언니 eonni | older sister; older female friend | a woman |
| 동생 dongsaeng | younger brother or sister | anyone |
| 아저씨 ajeossi | a middle-aged man | anyone |
| 아주머니 ajumeoni | a middle-aged woman | anyone |
| 할머니, 할아버지 | grandmother, grandfather; an elderly woman, man | anyone |
Age
Because speech level and these words depend on who is older, Koreans often ask someone's age soon after meeting: 몇 살이에요? "how old are you?", or to someone older, 연세가 어떻게 되세요?
Cards from this guide
9 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 Talking with people cards.
In 김민수, which part is the family name?
김: the family name comes first.
How do you politely call a colleague named 민수?
민수 씨.
How do you address a teacher, or your boss?
By title with 님: 선생님, 사장님.
What does a woman call her older brother, or an older male friend?
오빠 (oppa).
What does a man call his older sister, or an older female friend?
누나 (nuna).
What does a woman call her older sister, or an older female friend?
언니 (eonni).
What does a man call his older brother, or an older male friend?
형 (hyeong).
How do you call your friend 지민 by name?
지민아!
How do you politely ask an older person's age?
연세가 어떻게 되세요?