The Honorific System: -(으)시-, 께서, 드리다, 말씀
Show respect in Korean with -(으)시-, 께서 and 께, special verbs like 드시다, 주무시다, 계시다, 드리다, 뵙다, and honorific nouns like 진지, 연세, 성함, 댁, 말씀.
Professor Hangyeol · The history, culture and advanced expressions of HangeulWhat you will learn in this lesson
- Raise the subject with -(으)시- and the particle 께서
- Use special honorific verbs: 드시다, 주무시다, 계시다, 돌아가시다
- Lower yourself politely with humble verbs: 드리다, 여쭙다, 뵙다, and the particle 께
- Use honorific nouns: 진지, 연세, 성함, 댁, 말씀
Welcome, my friend. When I was a boy, my grandmother would gently correct me at the dinner table: "할아버지께서 진지 드신다" — not "밥 먹는다". Korean has words for showing respect woven into its grammar. Let me show you how they fit together, one piece at a time.
Two directions of respect
Korean has two separate things that are easy to confuse:
1. Speech level — how polite you are to the listener (요, -습니다, or casual speech). We study that in the next lesson. 2. Honorifics — how much respect you show to the person you are talking about, especially the subject of the sentence.
Honorifics work in two directions. You can raise the other person (subject honorifics: -(으)시-, 께서, 드시다), or you can lower yourself when your action is directed toward them (humble forms: 드리다, 뵙다, 여쭙다, 께).
Who receives honorifics? Usually people older than you or higher in status: grandparents, parents, teachers, bosses, customers, and strangers who are clearly older. You never use honorifics about yourself.
Subject honorific: shows respect to the subject of the sentence.
- Vowel or ㄹ stem: + -시- (가다 → 가세요, 가셨어요; 살다 → 사세요, with ㄹ dropped).
- Consonant stem: + -으시- (읽다 → 읽으세요, 읽으셨어요; 앉다 → 앉으세요).
- Present polite: -(으)세요. Past: -(으)셨어요. Future: -(으)실 거예요. Formal: -(으)십니다.
- Irregular stems change as usual: 듣다 → 들으세요, 돕다 → 도우세요, 짓다 → 지으세요.
- Adjectives also take it: 바쁘다 → 바쁘세요, 좋다 → 좋으세요.
- 선생님께서 지금 책을 읽으세요. seonsaengnimkkeseo jigeum chaegeul ilgeuseyo.The teacher is reading a book now.
- 할머니께서 시골에 사세요. halmeonikkeseo sigore saseyo.My grandmother lives in the countryside.
- 부장님이 오늘 많이 바쁘세요. bujangnimi oneul mani bappeuseyo.The department head is very busy today.
- 아버지께서 어제 늦게 들어오셨어요. abeojikkeseo eoje neutge deureoosyeosseoyo.My father came home late yesterday.
Honorific particles
| Plain | Honorific | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 이/가 | 께서 | Subject | 할머니께서 오셨어요. |
| 은/는 | 께서는 | Topic | 아버지께서는 회사에 다니세요. |
| 에게/한테 | 께 | To (someone) | 선생님께 편지를 드렸어요. |
께서 sounds quite formal. In everyday speech, many people just use 이/가 with -(으)시-: 선생님이 오셨어요.
Some verbs do not simply add -시-. They change into a completely different word, like a person putting on a formal suit. These are the ones learners often forget, so let us study them carefully.
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Special honorific and humble verbs
| Plain | Honorific (raise the other) | Humble (lower yourself) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 먹다 / 마시다 | 드시다 (잡수시다) | — | to eat / drink |
| 자다 | 주무시다 | — | to sleep |
| 있다 (be somewhere) | 계시다 | — | to be, to stay |
| 있다 (have) | 있으시다 | — | to have |
| 죽다 | 돌아가시다 | — | to pass away |
| 말하다 | 말씀하시다 | 말씀드리다 | to speak, tell |
| 주다 | 주시다 | 드리다 | to give |
| 묻다 | 물으시다 | 여쭙다 / 여쭈다 | to ask |
| 보다 (meet) | 보시다 | 뵙다 / 뵈다 | to see, meet |
| 데리고 가다 | — | 모시고 가다 | to take (a person) along |
계시다 is for a person being somewhere: 사장님 계세요? For having something, use 있으시다: 시간 있으세요?
When you do something for or toward a respected person, you lower your own action instead of raising theirs.
- 주다 → 드리다 when the receiver deserves respect: 할머니께 선물을 드렸어요.
- -아/어 주다 → -아/어 드리다: 제가 도와 드릴게요 (I’ll help you).
- 묻다 → 여쭙다 / 여쭈다: 선생님께 여쭤볼게요 (I’ll ask the teacher).
- 만나다/보다 → 뵙다: 처음 뵙겠습니다 (Nice to meet you, very formal); 내일 뵐게요 (See you tomorrow).
- The receiver takes 께 instead of 에게/한테.
- 어머니께 꽃을 드렸어요. eomeonikke kkocheul deuryeosseoyo.I gave my mother flowers.
- 궁금한 게 있어서 교수님께 여쭤봤어요. gunggeumhan ge isseoseo gyosunimkke yeojjwobwasseoyo.I had a question, so I asked the professor.
- 다음 주에 다시 뵙겠습니다. daeum jue dasi boepgetseumnida.I will see you again next week.
- 제가 짐을 들어 드릴게요. jega jimeul deureo deurilgeyo.Let me carry your bags for you.
Honorific nouns
- 밥 → 진지 bap → jinji meal (for elders)
- 나이 → 연세 nai → yeonse age
- 이름 → 성함 ireum → seongham name
- 집 → 댁 jip → daek home, house
- 말 → 말씀 mal → malsseum words, what someone says
- 생일 → 생신 saengil → saengsin birthday
- 사람 → 분 saram → bun person
Putting it all together
- 할아버지, 진지 드세요. harabeoji, jinji deuseyo. Grandfather, please have your meal. Honorific noun + honorific verb.
- 실례지만 연세가 어떻게 되세요? sillyejiman yeonsega eotteoke doeseyo? Excuse me, may I ask how old you are? Polite way to ask an elder’s age.
- 성함이 어떻게 되세요? seonghami eotteoke doeseyo? May I have your name? Common at reception desks and on the phone.
- 할머니께서는 지금 댁에 계세요. halmeonikkeseoneun jigeum daege gyeseyo. Grandmother is at home now.
- 사장님 말씀이 맞습니다. sajangnim malsseumi matseumnida. What you said is right, sir. 말씀 can be used for the other person’s words.
- 제가 한 말씀 드리겠습니다. jega han malsseum deurigetseumnida. Let me say a few words. 말씀 can also be humble when it is your own speech toward others.
- 할아버지께서 작년에 돌아가셨어요. harabeojikkeseo jangnyeone doragasyeosseoyo. My grandfather passed away last year.
- 부모님은 일찍 주무세요. bumonimeun iljjik jumuseyo. My parents go to bed early.
Common mistakes
- 제가 진지를 드셨어요. jega jinjireul deusyeosseoyo. (Wrong) I had my honorable meal. Never raise yourself. Say: 저는 밥을 먹었어요.
- 선생님, 커피가 나오셨습니다. seonsaengnim, keopiga naosyeotseumnida. (Wrong) Your coffee has honorably come out. Coffee is not a person. Say: 커피 나왔습니다.
- 사장님이 계세요? sajangnimi gyeseyo? Is the president in? Correct: 계시다 for a person being somewhere.
- 사장님이 시간이 계세요? sajangnimi sigani gyeseyo? (Wrong) Does the president have time? 계시다 is only for a person being somewhere. For having something, say 시간이 있으세요.
Visiting a friend’s family
Check quiz
Q1. "Grandfather is sleeping."
Q2. "I gave my teacher a present."
Q3. How do you politely ask an elder’s age?
Q4. "Does the manager have time?"
Q5. Which verb do you use for "I’ll ask the professor"?
Q6. Which sentence is wrong?
You have done beautifully. Do not worry if you mix things up at first; Korean elders are usually touched simply that you try. Start with -(으)세요, 드세요, 계세요 and 드릴게요, and the rest will come with time.
Key points
- -(으)시- raises the subject: 가세요, 읽으셨어요.
- 께서 (subject) and 께 (to someone) are honorific particles.
- Special verbs: 드시다, 주무시다, 계시다, 돌아가시다, 말씀하시다.
- Humble verbs lower yourself: 드리다, 여쭙다, 뵙다, 말씀드리다.
- Honorific nouns: 진지, 연세, 성함, 댁, 말씀, 생신. Never use them for yourself or for things.
Recommended official free resources
- Korean Language Teaching & Learning Center — National Institute of Korean Language
- Nuri-Sejong Hakdang (free e-textbooks) — King Sejong Institute Foundation
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