Korean Grammar Bank

FORMAL KOREAN WORDS

Have you ever heard of formal Korean words?

It is well known that Korean uses distinct forms of verbs and nouns for formal/informal situation.

The formal nouns are used to show respect for the person you are talking or referring to. 

USING 님 / 분

The word 님 or 분 can be added to a noun to show respect for the other person.

  • 님 is added when speaking to someone who is older or superior in position.
  • 분 is added to show respect to someone who is younger or for general public. 
PATTERN

Noun + 님 / 분

ENGLISHKOREAN INFORMAL KOREAN FORMAL 
Teacher 선생  선생님 
Parents 부모  부모님 
Father 아버지  아버님 
Mother  어머니  어머님 
View More Examples
Englishkorean informalkorean formal
Driver 기사  기사님 
Child 자식  자녀분/자제분 
How many people  몇 명  몇 분 

분 FOR GENERAL PUBLIC

‘분’ can be used to show respect to non-specific, general public.

There are two ways to use it:

  • 1) Adding it directly to the noun and
  • 2) Transferring the word with ‘분’ to make it formal.

It’s easy to see how it works in examples. 

ENGLISHKOREAN INFORMAL KOREAN FORMAL 
How many people will come?  몇 명이 올꺼야?  몇 분이 오세요? 
Hello everyone! 안녕 모두들! 안녕하세요 여러분!
Who did this work?  누가 이 일을 했나요?  어떤분이 이 일을 하셨나요?
He brought his friend.  친구를 데리고 왔어.  친구분을 데리고 오셨어. 

FIRST PERSON PRONOUN 저/제

The speaker in Korean can show respect for the other person by lowering the pronoun that refers to himself/herself (i.e., the first-person pronoun). 

ENGLISHKOREAN INFORMALKOREAN FORMAL
I 나/내 저/제 

Here are some examples: 

ENGLISHKOREAN INFORMALKOREAN FORMAL
I prepared the dinner.  내가 저녁 준비했어.  제가 저녁 준비했어요. 
Don’t do that to me.  나한테 그러지마.  저한테 그러지 마세요. 

There are no formal versions of second or third person pronouns.

Instead, you refer to the second or third person by directly addressing their profession ending with ‘님’, or some generic nouns such as ‘선생님, 아주머님.’  

Here are some examples: 

ENGLISHKOREAN INFORMAL KOREAN FORMAL 
Could I ask you for a direction?   너에게 길좀 물어봐도 되겠니?  선생님께 길좀 여쭤봐도 될까요? *
*here, 선생님 does not mean a teacher, but it is a generic noun used to show respect to a stranger

FORMAL NOUNS

Some nouns in Korean have their own formal forms. It is important to know them for appropriate use of Korean language. 

Here are some examples: 

ENGLISHKOREAN INFORMAL KOREAN FORMAL
Birthday  생일  생신
Home  집 댁 
Name  이름  성함  존함 (very formal) 

Let’s look how they are used in sentences: 

ENGLISHKOREAN INFORMAL KOREAN FORMAL
When is your birthday?  생일이 언제야?   생신이 언제에요? 
I will be at my neighbour’s.  이웃집에 있을께.  이웃댁에 있을께요.  
What is your name?  이름이 뭐니?   성함이 어떻게 되세요? 

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FAQs

What are formal words?

Korean uses distinct forms of verbs and nouns for formal/informal situation.

The formal nouns are used to show respect for the person you are talking or referring to. 

It is known as honorifics.

How to show respect with 님?

The word 님 or 분 can be added to a noun to show respect for the other person.

님 is added when speaking to someone who is older or superior in position.

선생  > 선생님 (teacher)

부모 > 부모님 (parents)

How to show respect with 분?

Same as with 님, you place 분 after a noun:

자식  > 자녀분 / 자제분 (child)

몇 명  > 몇 분 (how many people)

What is the formal version of 내?

In formal speech, 나/내 become 저/제.

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