Honorifics System

🎎 The Magic of Korean Respect: The Honorifics System

Once Upon a Time in Korea…

Imagine you’re visiting a magical kingdom where words change shape depending on WHO you’re talking to. In this kingdom, the way you speak to your grandmother is different from how you speak to your best friend. This isn’t just being polite—it’s the secret code of Korean honorifics!

Think of it like this: Korean honorifics are like different costumes your words wear to show respect. Just like you might wear your best clothes to meet a king, Korean words “dress up” when talking about or to respected people.

🌟 The Six Magic Tools of Respect

1. 께서 (kkeseo) - The Royal Subject Marker

What is it? Remember how in English we say “he” or “she”? In Korean, when talking ABOUT someone important (like grandpa or teacher), we use a special word: 께서.

Simple Breakdown:

• Regular way: 가 (ga) or 이 (i) — “He/She does something”
• Respectful way: 께서 — “The respected person does something”

Example Time!

Why it matters: When grandma enters the room, you don’t just say “Grandma comes.” You say “Grandma (the respected one) arrives gracefully.” 께서 is that magic word that says “I’m talking about someone special!”

2. -시- (si) - The Honorific Verb Suffix

What is it? This is like adding sparkles to a verb! When someone respected DOES something, we add -시- to the verb to make it sparkly and respectful.

Think of it like this:

• Regular verb: “eats” 🍽️
• Honorific verb: “eats ✨” (with a bow)

How it works:

가다 (to go) → 가시다 (to go - respectfully)
먹다 (to eat) → 드시다 (to eat - respectfully)
하다 (to do) → 하시다 (to do - respectfully)

Real Examples:

Golden Rule: Always use -시- when the respected person is DOING the action!

3. 🎭 Honorific Verbs - Special Action Words

What is it? Some actions are SO important that Korean has COMPLETELY DIFFERENT words for respected people. It’s like having a whole new vocabulary for kings and queens!

The Magic Transformations:

graph TD
    A["Regular Verb"] --> B["Honorific Verb"]
    A1["먹다 to eat"] --> B1["드시다 to dine"]
    A2["자다 to sleep"] --> B2["주무시다 to rest"]
    A3["말하다 to speak"] --> B3["말씀하시다 to say gracefully"]
    A4["있다 to exist"] --> B4["계시다 to be present"]
    A5["죽다 to die"] --> B5["돌아가시다 to pass away"]

Your Cheat List:

Example Sentences:

“할아버지께서 밥을 드세요.” “Grandfather is eating (respectfully).”

“선생님께서 주무시어요.” “Teacher is sleeping (respectfully).”

4. 🙇 Humble Expressions - Making Yourself Small

What is it? Honorifics aren’t just about lifting others UP—sometimes it’s about making yourself smaller! Humble expressions are like bowing with your words.

The Big Idea: When YOU do something FOR a respected person, you use humble words to show “I’m just a small person doing this for you, great one!”

Key Humble Words:

See the Difference:

graph LR
    A["YOU"] -->|드리다| B["RESPECTED PERSON"]
    C["Regular give"] -->|주다| D["Friend"]

    style A fill:#e3f2fd
    style B fill:#fff9c4
    style C fill:#e3f2fd
    style D fill:#e3f2fd

Example Magic:

“선생님, 질문 여쭤봐도 될까요?” “Teacher, may I humbly ask a question?”

5. 👑 Honorific Nouns - Respectful Things

What is it? Even THINGS change their names when they belong to respected people! It’s like calling a king’s house a “palace” instead of just “house.”

The Transformation Chart:

Picture This:

graph TD
    A["Talking about friend"] --> B["밥 rice"]
    A --> C["집 house"]
    A --> D["이름 name"]

    E["Talking about grandpa"] --> F["진지 meal"]
    E --> G["댁 residence"]
    E --> H["성함 honorable name"]

    style E fill:#fff9c4
    style F fill:#fff9c4
    style G fill:#fff9c4
    style H fill:#fff9c4

Real Conversations:

Friend: “밥 먹었어?” (Did you eat rice?) To grandma: “진지 드셨어요?” (Have you had your meal?)

Friend: “이름이 뭐야?” (What’s your name?) To elder: “성함이 어떻게 되세요?” (What is your honorable name?)

6. 📛 Titles and Address Terms - What to Call People

What is it? In Korean, you rarely use someone’s name alone—that’s considered rude! Instead, you use special titles that show your relationship and respect level.

The Title System:

Family Titles:

Social Titles:

The Magic Rules:

1. Never use just a name for elders

   • ❌ “영희야” to teacher
   • ✅ “김 선생님”

2. Add -씨 for polite but equal status

   • “민수 씨” (Mr. Minsu)

3. Add 님 for extra respect

   • “고객님” (honored customer)
   • “사장님” (honored boss)

Fun Fact: In Korean companies, people often call each other by job title, not name!

graph TD
    A["How to Address Someone"] --> B{Are they older/higher status?}
    B -->|Yes| C["Use Title + 님/께서"]
    B -->|Same age/close| D["Name + 씨 or 이/아"]
    B -->|Younger| E["Name alone OK"]
    C --> F["선생님, 사장님, 교수님"]
    D --> G["민수 씨, 영희야"]

🎯 Putting It All Together

The Complete Respect Package:

When talking to or about a respected person, you might use ALL these tools together!

Example Sentence Breakdown:

“할아버지께서 진지를 드시고 주무시어요.”

Translation: “Grandfather has eaten and is now resting.”

💡 Remember This!

graph TD
    A["Korean Honorifics"] --> B["For RESPECTED PERSON"]
    A --> C["For YOURSELF"]

    B --> D["께서 - subject marker"]
    B --> E["-시- verb suffix"]
    B --> F["Special verbs 드시다, 계시다"]
    B --> G["Special nouns 진지, 성함"]
    B --> H["Titles 님, 선생님"]

    C --> I["Humble verbs 드리다, 뵙다"]

    style B fill:#fff9c4
    style C fill:#e3f2fd

🌈 You Did It!

Now you know the secret code of Korean respect! These tools might seem like a lot, but Koreans learn them naturally—and so can you!

Quick Tips:

1. Start with -시- (it’s used most often!)
2. Learn the common honorific verbs (드시다, 계시다, 주무시다)
3. Practice with titles (선생님, 할머니)
4. Don’t worry about perfection—Koreans appreciate the effort!

Remember: Using honorifics isn’t just about rules. It’s about showing love and respect through your words. It’s one of the most beautiful parts of Korean culture! 💕

“Language is the road map of a culture.” — When you use Korean honorifics, you’re not just speaking—you’re showing that you understand and respect Korean hearts. 🇰🇷