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Korean Honorific System (존댓말)

Quick Reference

Three main components:

  1. Subject Honorifics (주체 높임): -(으)시- to honor the subject
  2. Humble Forms (겸양어): Special verbs to lower yourself
  3. Honorific Vocabulary (높임말 어휘): Special nouns for respected persons

Core principle: Raise others, lower yourself

Overview

The Korean honorific system is a complex grammatical and lexical framework for showing respect based on social hierarchy, age, and formality. Understanding and using honorifics correctly is essential for social interaction in Korean culture.

Why Honorifics Matter

In Korean society, showing proper respect through language is not optional - it's a fundamental aspect of communication. Using incorrect honorifics can be:

  • Socially awkward (too casual with superiors)
  • Offensive (not showing due respect)
  • Overly deferential (too formal with peers)

Three Dimensions of Respect

Korean honorifics operate on three levels:

Type Function Example
Subject Honorific Raise the subject 할머니가 주무세요 (Grandma sleeps)
Object Honorific Raise the object 선생님께 드려요 (I give to teacher)
Addressee Honorific Formal ending -요, -ㅂ니다

Subject Honorifics: -(으)시-

The most common honorific marker, inserted between verb stem and ending.

Formation: - Verb stem + -시- + ending - 가다 → 가시다 → 가세요 (go - honorific)

When to use: - Subject is someone you respect - Talking about elders, superiors, customers, strangers - NOT used when subject is yourself (except royal "we")

Examples:

  1. 할아버지가 주무세요. (Grandfather is sleeping.)

  2. 선생님이 오셨어요. (The teacher came/has come.)

  3. 사장님이 말씀하셨어요. (The CEO spoke.)

Humble Forms (Object Honorifics)

Special verbs used when you (the subject) perform an action for a respected person (the object).

Key humble verbs:

Plain Verb Humble Form Meaning
주다 드리다 to give (to respected person)
만나다 뵙다 to meet (respected person)
묻다 여쭙다 to ask (respected person)
데리다 모시다 to accompany (respected person)
있다 계시다 to exist (respected person)
먹다 드시다 to eat (respected person)

Examples:

  1. 선생님께 선물을 드렸어요. (I gave a gift to my teacher.)

  2. 교수님을 내일 뵙겠습니다. (I will meet the professor tomorrow.)

  3. 부모님께 여쭤봤어요. (I asked my parents.)

Honorific Vocabulary

Special nouns used for respected persons:

Plain Honorific Meaning
밥 진지 meal (for respected person)
나이 연세 age
집 댁 house/home
이름 성함 name
말 말씀 words/speech
생일 생신 birthday

Examples:

  1. 진지 드셨어요? (Have you eaten? - to elder)

  2. 연세가 어떻게 되세요? (How old are you? - respectful)

  3. 성함이 어떻게 되세요? (What is your name? - respectful)

Social Context and Usage

When to Use Honorifics

MUST use honorifics: 1. Parents, grandparents, elders 2. Teachers, professors 3. Bosses, superiors at work 4. Customers (in service industry) 5. Strangers (adults) 6. In-laws (especially older)

Generally use honorifics: 7. Anyone significantly older (5+ years) 8. Professional contexts 9. First meetings with adults 10. Public speaking

Don't use honorifics: 1. Close friends (same age) 2. Younger siblings/people 3. Children 4. Yourself (except humble forms)

Age and Hierarchy

Korean society is highly age-conscious:

  • Same age (동갑): Usually casual speech, but context matters
  • 1-2 years older: Often casual if close, honorifics if not
  • 3+ years older: Generally honorifics until invited to be casual
  • 10+ years older: Almost always honorifics

Workplace hierarchy overrides age: - Junior employee → Senior employee: Always honorific - Even if junior is older by age

Regional and Generational Differences

Generational: - Older generation: Stricter honorific usage - Younger generation: More flexible, especially among friends

Regional: - Seoul: More relaxed in casual settings - Traditional areas: Stricter adherence - Jeolla: Known for particularly polite speech

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Using -(으)시- for yourself

Wrong: 제가 가셨어요. ❌ Right: 제가 갔어요. ✓

Mistake 2: Not using honorifics with 계시다

Wrong: 할머니가 집에 있어요. ❌ Right: 할머니께서 집에 계세요. ✓

Mistake 3: Mixing plain and honorific vocabulary

Wrong: 할아버지가 밥을 드셨어요. ❌ Right: 할아버지가 진지를 드셨어요. ✓

Mistake 4: Using humble forms for the subject

Wrong: 선생님이 저한테 드렸어요. ❌ Right: 선생님이 저한테 주셨어요. ✓

Mistake 5: Overusing honorifics

Using excessive honorifics can sound awkward or sarcastic:

Awkward: 우리 아빠께서 주무시고 계십니다. (Too formal for casual context) Better: 우리 아빠가 주무세요. / 아버지께서 주무세요.

Particles with Honorifics

Special particles used with respected persons:

Plain Honorific Function
이/가 께서 subject marker
에게 께 to/for
한테 께 to/for (casual)

Examples:

  1. 선생님께서 오셨어요. (The teacher came.)

  2. 할아버지께 말씀드렸어요. (I spoke to grandfather.)

Levels of Formality

Korean has multiple formality levels:

Level Ending Context
Formal polite -ㅂ니다/습니다 Business, presentations, news
Informal polite -아/어요 Most common polite speech
Formal casual -네, -ㄴ/는다 Written, formal casual
Informal casual -아/어 Friends, younger people

Honorifics can combine with any level:

  • 할머니가 가십니다. (Formal polite + honorific)
  • 할머니가 가세요. (Informal polite + honorific)
  • 할머니가 가셔. (Informal casual + honorific - rare but possible)

Learning Path

To master Korean honorifics:

  1. Start with: Basic -(으)시- insertion
  2. Learn: Common humble verbs (드리다, 뵙다)
  3. Practice: Honorific vocabulary pairs
  4. Master: Context-appropriate usage
  5. Refine: Workplace and formal situations

Proceed to detailed sections: