Speech levels

Every Korean sentence ends with a choice of politeness toward the listener. A learner needs three levels:

Polite: -아/어요

The everyday polite style, for anyone you don't know well, anyone older or senior, shop staff and colleagues. It is the safest choice, and the one this guide uses most. Statements, questions, requests and suggestions all use the same ending, told apart by intonation and context.

Formal: -(스)ㅂ니다

-ㅂ니다 follows a vowel and -습니다 a consonant; questions end in -ㅂ니까/-습니까. It is for news, announcements, speeches, presentations, business meetings and the army, and for set phrases everyone uses: 감사합니다 "thank you", 처음 뵙겠습니다 "nice to meet you". Everyday conversation mixes it with the polite style.

• 회의를 시작하겠습니다.
  hoeuireul sijakagetseumnida.
  Let's begin the meeting.
• 다음 역은 서울역입니다.
  daeum yeogeun seoullyeogimnida.
  The next station is Seoul Station.

Casual: 반말

The 아/어 form without -요, for close friends of about your age, younger siblings and children. Using it with a stranger or someone older is rude, though an older person may use it to you. People switch to it when one invites the other: 말 편하게 하세요 "speak comfortably".

• 뭐 먹어?
  mwo meogeo?
  What are you eating?
• 나 지금 바빠.
  na jigeum bappa.
  I'm busy right now.

The plain written style

Books, newspapers and diaries use a plain style that addresses no one: verbs end in -ㄴ다/-는다 (간다, 먹는다), and adjectives keep -다 (좋다). It also turns up in speech as an exclamation: 와, 맛있다! "wow, that's tasty!"