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HOW TO USE KOREAN HONORIFIC VERBS
The importance of hierarchical relationships by age, family relation, and social position is well engraved in Korean language.
We teach you how yo use the regular and irregular honorific verbs in Korean.
INTRODUCTION
There is a set of verbs that have to be respected when using them for someone in a higher position, with respect to the age or social position.
The regular honorific verbs are conjugated by the following structure:
PATTERN
Verb + 시다
Here are some examples:
| 떠나다 | → | 떠나시다 | to leave |
| 오다 | → | 오시다 | to come |
| 운전하다 | → | 운전하시다 | to drive |
| 준비하다 | → | 준비하시다 | to prepare |
| 수영하다 | → | 수영하시다 | to swim |
LIST OF IRREGULAR HONORIFIC VERBS
There are also verbs that take irregular honorific forms, and these must be memorised:
| regular form | honorific form | english |
|---|---|---|
| 데리다 | 모시다 | to accompany |
| 만나다 / 보다 | 뵙다 | to meet / to see |
| 말하다 |
말씀드리다
(when describing a junior person speaking to a senior person) 말씀하시다 (when describing a senior person speaking to a junior person) | to speak |
| 마시다 | 드시다 | to drink |
| 먹다 |
잡수시다
(More formal) 드시다 (formal) | to eat |
| 묻다 | 여쭈다 | to ask |
| 아프다 | 편찮으시다 | to be ill |
| 있다 | 계시다 | to be |
| 자다 | 주무시다 | to sleep |
| 주다 |
드리다
(when describing a junior person giving something to a senior person) 주시다 (when describing a senior person giving something to a junior person) | to give |
| 죽다 | 돌아가시다 | to die |
USING HONORIFC VERBS IN SENTENCES
| korean | english | notes |
|---|---|---|
| 선생님께서 학생들에게 많은 숙제를 주셨다. | My teacher gave a lot of homework to the class. | 주시다, the honorific form of ‘to give’, is conjugated in the past-tense, 주셨다. |
| 나는 할머니의 생신 선물로 진주 목걸이를 드렸다. | I gave a pearl necklace as a gift to my grandmother. | 드리다, the honorific form of ‘ to give’, is conjugated for a past-tense, 드렸다. |
| 대통령님은 체리 케이크 드시는 것을 좋아하신다. | The president enjoyed eating cake with cherries. | 좋아하시다, the honorific form of ‘to enjoy’ was used in colloquial tense 좋아하신다. |
| 친구의 어머니가 주무시고 계시니너무큰소리로 떠들지 말아야 한다. | His mom is sleeping so we should not speak loudly. | 주무시다, the honorific form of ‘to sleep’ was conjugated to present tense to describe ‘a state of sleeping’, 주무시고 계시다. |
View More Examples:
| 부모님께 사실대로 말씀드려야한다. | You have to tell the truth to your parents. | 말씀드리다, the honorific form of ‘to speak’ was conjugated to 말씀드려야한다, meaning ‘must speak.’ |
| 바이올린 선생님이 이번주 편찮으시다. | My violin teacher is sick this week. | 편찮으시다, the honorific form of ‘to be sick’ was used. |
| 부모님의 허락을 여쭤볼 수 있겠니? | Could you ask your parents for a permission? | 여쭈다, the honorific form of ‘to ask’ was used in an interrogative form, 여쭤볼 수 있겠니? |
| 그의 어머님을 아직 뵙지 못했다. | I have never met his mother yet. | 뵙다, the honorific form of ‘to meet’ was negated and conjugated for a past tense, 뵙지 못했다. |
| 역에 삼촌을 모시러 가야된다. | I have to go and pick up my uncle at the station. | 모시다, the honorific form of ‘to accompany’ was conjugated to 모시러 가야된다, meaning ‘to go to accompany’ |
| 조부모님은 잘 계시니? | How are your grandparents doing? | 계시다, the honorific form of ‘to be’ was used in an interrogative form, 계시니? |
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FAQs
What are honorifics in the Korean language?
Honorifics are used to show respect in the Korean language.
They are based on the relationship between the speaker/addressee, and depend on social status, age, gender and degree of intimacy.
What are Korean honorific verbs?
The importance of hierarchical relationships by age, family relation, and social position is well engraved in Korean language.
There is a set of verbs that have to be respected when using them for someone in a higher position, with respect to the age or social position.
What are some examples of honorific verbs?
Some example of Korean honorific verbs:
떠나다 → 떠나시다 (to leave)
오다 → 오시다 (to come)
운전하다 → 운전하시다 (to drive)
준비하다 → 준비하시다 (to prepare)
수영하다 → 수영하시다 (to swim)
Any Korean formal words I should know?
Here are some example of formal words you should learn.
Birthday
Formal: 생신 / Informal: 생일
Home
Formal: 댁 / Informal: 집
Name
Formal: 성함, 존함 (very formal) / Informal: 이름
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Learn more about how to address Korean people respectfully in this free lesson.
Where to learn more Korean grammar?
Have a look at our Korean Grammar Bank here. You can find free lessons for levels up to B1.
Can I learn Korean with LTL?
Yes!
We offer courses abroad in Seoul with both group and individual classes, as well as online on our Flexi Classes platform.
Contact us if you’d like to sign up.