Presentations and Formal Speeches
Give a presentation or formal speech in Korean: -습니다 style, opening and closing phrases, signposting, handling questions and humble expressions.
Mr. Gaon · Grammar, vocabulary & TOPIKWhat you will learn in this lesson
- Use the formal -습니다/-ㅂ니다 style smoothly for a whole talk
- Open, move between parts, and close a presentation with fixed phrases
- Use humble and honorific words such as 말씀드리다, 여쭈다 and 드리다
- Handle questions politely, including when you do not know the answer
Hello, everyone! Today we are going to stand in front of an audience together. A Korean presentation has a clear structure and many fixed phrases. If you learn the frame, you can put any topic inside it.
The speech style of presentations
In presentations, speeches, meetings, interviews and announcements, Koreans use the formal polite style: -습니다/-ㅂ니다 for statements and -습니까/-ㅂ니까 for questions. This style sounds clear, confident and respectful to a group.
You do not have to use -습니다 for every single sentence. Many speakers mix in -아요/어요 to sound warmer, especially when telling a short story or making a joke. But the opening, the main points and the closing should be in -습니다. A good balance is about 70% formal and 30% polite.
Two more things make a speech sound formal. First, humble verbs about yourself: 말씀드리다 (to tell, humbly), 소개해 드리다 (to introduce for you), 여쭤보다 (to ask, humbly). Second, the humble pronoun 저 and the humble plural 저희 (our side, not including the listener). For example, a company presenting to clients says 저희 회사, not 우리 회사.
Formal polite statement. Questions use -습니까 / -ㅂ니까.
- After a vowel or ㄹ (ㄹ drops): -ㅂ니다 (갑니다, 만듭니다).
- After a consonant: -습니다 (있습니다, 먹었습니다).
- Requests to the audience: -(으)십시오 or the softer -아/어 주시기 바랍니다.
- 오늘은 도시 농업의 장점에 대해 발표하겠습니다. oneureun dosi nongeobui jangjeome daehae balpyohagetseumnida.Today I will present the advantages of urban farming.
- 이 그래프를 봐 주시기 바랍니다. i geuraepeureul bwa jusigi baramnida.Please take a look at this graph.
- 혹시 이런 경험이 있으십니까? hoksi ireon gyeongheomi isseusimnikka?Have you perhaps had an experience like this?
Opening the presentation
- 안녕하십니까? 지금부터 발표를 시작하겠습니다. annyeonghasimnikka? jigeumbuteo balpyoreul sijakagetseumnida. Good afternoon. I will now begin my presentation. 안녕하십니까 is more formal than 안녕하세요.
- 저는 마케팅팀의 리사 존슨이라고 합니다. jeoneun maketingtimui risa jonseunirago hamnida. My name is Lisa Johnson from the marketing team. -(이)라고 합니다 is a polite way to give your name.
- 바쁘신 가운데 와 주셔서 감사합니다. bappeusin gaunde wa jusyeoseo gamsahamnida. Thank you for coming despite your busy schedules.
- 오늘 발표는 크게 세 부분으로 나누어 말씀드리겠습니다. oneul balpyoneun keuge se bubuneuro nanueo malsseumdeurigetseumnida. I will divide today’s presentation into three main parts. 말씀드리다 = humble 'to tell'.
Moving between parts (signposting)
- 먼저 현황부터 살펴보겠습니다. meonjeo hyeonhwangbuteo salpyeobogetseumnida. First, let’s look at the current situation.
- 다음으로 문제점을 말씀드리겠습니다. daeumeuro munjejeomeul malsseumdeurigetseumnida. Next, I will explain the problems.
- 이 부분은 잠시 후에 자세히 설명드리겠습니다. i bubuneun jamsi hue jasehi seolmyeongdeurigetseumnida. I will explain this part in detail shortly.
- 화면에서 보시는 바와 같이 이용자가 꾸준히 늘었습니다. hwamyeoneseo bosineun bawa gachi iyongjaga kkujunhi neureotseumnida. As you can see on the screen, users have steadily increased. -(으)시는 바와 같이 = as you (honorific) see.
- 마지막으로 해결 방안을 제안하고자 합니다. majimageuro haegyeol banganeul jeanhagoja hamnida. Finally, I would like to propose a solution. -고자 하다 sounds formal and planned.
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Closing
- 지금까지 말씀드린 내용을 정리하면 다음과 같습니다. jigeumkkaji malsseumdeurin naeyongeul jeongnihamyeon daeumgwa gatseumnida. To summarize what I have said so far, it is as follows.
- 이상으로 발표를 마치겠습니다. isangeuro balpyoreul machigetseumnida. With this, I will conclude my presentation. 이상으로 = with the above.
- 끝까지 들어 주셔서 감사합니다. kkeutkkaji deureo jusyeoseo gamsahamnida. Thank you for listening to the end.
- 궁금하신 점이 있으시면 편하게 질문해 주십시오. gunggeumhasin jeomi isseusimyeon pyeonhage jilmunhae jusipsio. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
Notice the pattern -겠습니다 again and again. Here -겠- does not mean "will probably". It shows the speaker’s polite intention, and it makes the sentence sound humble and smooth.
Humble and honorific words for formal talk
| Plain | Humble (about me) | Honorific (about you) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 말하다 | 말씀드리다 | 말씀하시다 | to say, tell |
| 묻다 | 여쭈다 / 여쭤보다 | 물으시다 | to ask |
| 주다 | 드리다 | 주시다 | to give |
| 보다 | 뵙다 (a person) | 보시다 | to see, meet |
| 우리 | 저희 | — | we / our |
Use humble words for your own actions and honorific words for the audience’s actions.
Small changes, big difference
- 질문 있어요? jilmun isseoyo? Any questions? Too casual for a formal presentation.
- 질문 있으십니까? jilmun isseusimnikka? Do you have any questions? Formal and honorific. Good for a presentation.
- 우리 회사는 2015년에 세워졌습니다. uri hoesaneun 2015nyeone sewojyeotseumnida. Our company was founded in 2015. Fine inside your own team.
- 저희 회사는 2015년에 설립되었습니다. jeohui hoesaneun 2015nyeone seollipdoeeotseumnida. Our company was established in 2015. Better for clients or outside guests: humble 저희 and formal 설립.
Handling questions
The question time is where many learners feel nervous. Prepare a few phrases in advance.
To thank the person: 좋은 질문 감사합니다 (Thank you for the good question). To check that you understood: 질문하신 내용이 ~라는 말씀이십니까? (Do you mean that ...?). To ask them to repeat: 죄송하지만 다시 한번 말씀해 주시겠습니까? (Sorry, could you say that once more?).
If you do not know the answer, it is completely acceptable to say so politely and promise to follow up: 그 부분은 제가 정확히 확인한 후에 다시 말씀드리겠습니다 (I will check that part exactly and get back to you). Korean audiences value honesty and politeness more than a perfect answer.
Question and answer
Check quiz
Q1. Which is the most suitable opening for a formal presentation?
Q2. A company presenting to clients should say:
Q3. What is the humble form of 묻다 (to ask)?
Q4. Which phrase closes a presentation?
Q5. You do not know the answer to a question. What is the best response?
Excellent! Write your own five-sentence frame: greeting, name, three parts, summary, thanks. Practice it aloud three times, and your next presentation will feel much easier. You can do this!
Key points
- Presentations use -습니다/-ㅂ니다, with some -아요/어요 for warmth.
- -겠습니다 shows polite intention: 시작하겠습니다, 말씀드리겠습니다.
- Signposts: 먼저, 다음으로, 마지막으로, 정리하면, 이상으로.
- Use humble words for yourself (말씀드리다, 여쭈다, 저희) and honorifics for the audience.
- If you do not know an answer, promise to check and follow up.
Recommended official free resources
- Nuri-Sejong Hakdang (free e-textbooks) — King Sejong Institute Foundation
- Korean Language Teaching & Learning Center — National Institute of Korean Language
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