안녕하세요!🤗 Today I'll teach you a very important Korean lesson! It is how you can speak politely. When you talk about someone older than you, you have to talk about them politely.
It's a big grammar, so please be prepared yourself. Don't be overwhelmed and take your time! There are many sections. So, you can bookmark this post and come back anytime. 😉
<Table of Contents>
1. The meaning of -(으)시-
(으)시 show the respect for the subject of the sentence!
(으)시 is a special grammar element to make honorific sentences! It can be attached to a verb, an adjective, 이다 or 아니다. So, basically, you can use this (으)시 for the words that can come at the end of a sentence!
(으)시 is used to show respect for the subject of the sentence. You can use (으)시 for situations like these. First, you can use it when the sentence's subject is older or has a higher social status than you. Second, you can also use it when the speaker and listener do not know well each other.
You've learned the "-요" endings like "아/어/여요" for the present tense and "았/었/였어요" for the past tense. When you use this "요," you speak politely to a listener.
When you talk about someone else, by adding (으)시 to this "요", you can now show respect to the subject of the sentence as well. Imagine you are talking to your teacher about your friend and your mom. Let's compare the two examples below.
A. 친구가 책을 읽어요. My friend is reading a book.
B. 어머니께서 책을 읽으세요. The mom is reading a book.
The example 'A' is about a friend. You don't have to show respect to your friend, so you just can say "읽어요" to mean "read". However, if you are talking about your mom, you have to show some respect for her! So, we attach this red marked (으)시 to the ending.
2. Conjugation information
0. What is a pre-final ending?
A pre-final ending is a grammatical element that is inserted before the sentence ending. In other words, it is a word that comes between the stem and ending. Let's use the same example I just showed you above; 읽으세요.
When 읽다 is conjugated to the present tense, you combine the stem 읽 and the sentence ending 어요. But this "pre-final ending" (으)시 comes before that ending. So, originally it was 읽+으시+어요 and became 읽으시어요. Now, 시 and 어 combine and become 세. So, 읽으시어요 shortened to 읽으세요.
Anyway, that is why it is called a "pre-final" ending. Some people call it a 'suffix' in grammar lessons. But it does not come at the very end, so technically it is not exactly a 'suffix'.
1. Regular Conjugation for verbs or adjectives
A. 받침 O+ 으시
When a stem has the final consonant(받침), you will put the "으시" before the ending. It applies to both verb and adjective stems! To help your understanding, I won't change the tense yet. So, you'll see the versions with 다 at the end.
읽다 to read → 읽으시다
찾다 to find → 찾으시다
좋다 to be good → 좋으시다
작다 to be small → 작으시다
B. 받침 X+ 시
When a stem has no final consonant, in other words, when it ends with a vowel, you will insert 시 between the stem and the ending. If you remember any other words, try to change them on your own!
가다 to go → 가시다
쓰다 to write, to use → 쓰시다
부르다 to call → 부르시다
크다 to be big → 크시다
C. ㄹ받침: Drop ㄹ + 시
When a stem has the final consonant ㄹ, you have to erase that ㄹ first. Then, you can add 시 after the stem. Take a look at the examples and see how the ㄹ is gone.
살다 to live → 사시다
만들다 to make → 만드시다
길다 to be long → 기시다
둥글다 to be round → 둥그시다
2. Irregular conjugation rules for verbs and adjectives
A. ㄷ받침: ㄷ → ㄹ + 으시
When a stem ends with the final consonant ㄷ, you change that ㄷ to ㄹ. You still have the final consonant! So, let's add 으시 after the stem.
듣다 to listen → 들으시다
걷다 to walk → 걸으시다
B. ㅅ받침: Drop ㅅ + 으시
For irregular ㅅ words, you have to get rid of the ㅅ first. Then, add 으시 between the stem and ending. Are you wondering why we added 으시 not 시? Well, it originally had the final consonant, so we respect that! 😉
잇다 to connect → 이으시다
짓다 to build → 지으시다
낫다 to heal, to be better → 나으시다
C. ㅂ받침: Drop ㅂ + 우시
When a stem ends with the final consonant ㅂ and if it is an irregular verb, you erase the ㅂ first and then add 우시. It is not 으시 like others, so watch out!
돕다 to help → 도우시다 [do-u-si-da]
줍다 to pick up → 주우시다 [ju-u-si-da]
어둡다 to be dark → 어두우시다 [eo-du-u-si-da]
D. ㅎ받침: Drop ㅎ + 시
For irregular ㅎ adjectives, you will drop ㅎ and then add 시.
노랗다 to be yellow → 노라시다
조그맣다 to be tiny → 조그마시다
3. 이다, 아니다
When you conjugate "to be" and "not to be", we can put 시 at the stems of 이다 and 아니다. Imagine the situation you explain your parents' job to someone else. You are going to use this 이시다 to say politely about your mom or dad.
선생님이다 to be a teacher → 선생님이시다
의사이다 to be a doctor → 의사이시다
아니다 not to be → 아니시다
4. With different endings
This (으)시 preceded the ending. There are many endings in Korean depending on the tense, politeness, tone, etc. Here are some examples of the 요 endings. They are polite and friendly, so commonly used in daily conversation.
① present tense: -(으)세요.
(으)시 ends with 시. The vowel is ㅣ. It is not ㅏ or ㅗ. It means you need to use the regular conjugation rule number 3 of the present tense! Add 어요.
(으)시 + 어요 → 시 and 어 became 셔 → (으)셔요.
However, these days people use 세 instead of 셔 and say 으세요. You can use both (으)셔요 or (으)세요, but (으)셔요 sounds a bit old-fashioned.
가다 to go → 가세요.
오다 to come → 오세요.
읽다 to read → 읽으세요.
② past tense: -(으)셨어요.
For the same reason as the present tense, we will add 었어요 to it.
(으)시 + 었 + 어요 → 시 and 었 became 셨. → 으셨어요.
The past tense element "았/었/였" is actually a pre-final ending like 으(시). That is why it became between the stem and 요!
가다 → 가셨어요.
오다 → 오셨어요.
읽다 → 읽으셨어요.
③ future tense: -(으)실 거예요
For the future tense, you can add (으)ㄹ 거예요 grammar. With this grammar, you have to check the final consonant. Not a vowel like present or past tense! 시 doesn't have the final consonant, so we need to use ㄹ 거예요. Putting that ㄹ under 시!
(으)시 + ㄹ 거예요 → (으)실 거예요.
가다 → 가실 거예요.
오다 → 오실 거예요.
읽다 → 읽으실 거예요.
How was the lesson, so far? Yes, it was a lot of information. Before proceeding, please download the free worksheet and practice first. Once you digest the grammar first, you can continue the section below!
3. Honorific words
1. Honorific nouns
In Korean, some nouns have their honorific versions. When you talk politely using these honorific sentences, you must use the honorific nouns as well! If you want to download the free printable worksheet, please click here.
Basic word | Honorific word | Meaning |
house | ||
meal | ||
speech, talk | ||
name | ||
age | ||
birthday |
For example, if you are talking about your mom's birthday, you'll say 어머니 생신 or 엄마 생신 instead of 생일. To say my dad's name, you'll say 아버지 성함 not 아버지 이름. It is critical to use a proper word in Korean!
2. Honorific markers
Some certain markers also have honorific forms. Take a look at the chart first. I'll also provide you with an explanation below.
Basic word | Honorific word | Meaning |
The subject marker | ||
The topic marker | ||
to (talk, give) |
The subject marker: 이/가 → 께서
You use 께서 to replace 이/가 when you show respect to that subject. When you use this marker, you have to use an honorific version of a predicate. However, in daily conversation, you can use 이/가 as well.
선생님께서 오셨어요. = 선생님이 오셨어요. The teacher came.
The topic marker: 은/는 → 께서는
You use 께서는 for the topic marker. When you use this marker, you have to use an honorific version of a predicate.
어머니께서는 출근하셨어요. My mom went to work.
to: 한테/에게 → 께
This "to" is used for "A talks to B" or "A gives something (to) someone". Usually, you use 한테 [han-tae] or 에게 but to show respect to the subject, you have to use 께서. It is rude to use 한테 or 에게 in the honorific sentences.
부모님께 선물을 드렸어요. I gave my parents a present.
할머니께 말씀을 드렸어요. I talked to my grandmother.
3. Honorific predicates
For some special verbs or adjectives, you don't insert (으)시 because they already have another polite version of words. For these special words, you must use them. Below are the honorific versions of words that you can use to show respect to the subject of the sentence.
Basic word | Honorific word | Meaning |
to exist, to stay | ||
to eat | ||
to eat | ||
to drink | ||
to talk | ||
to sleep | ||
to be sick | ||
to pass away |
You can't say "할아버지께서 진지를 먹으세요" because 먹다 has the honorific version already. So, instead of inserting 으시, you have to use the honorific form, 드시다 or 잡수시다. You can choose either one. The honorific version of 마시다(to drink) is also 드시다. So, you can say 드시다 for both drinking and eating!
돌아가시다 came from 돌아가다. It means "to return." So, 돌아가시다 means a person has returned to where he or she came from. So, 돌아가시다 is a polite version of the word, just like 'to pass away' instead of 'to die' in English.
4. Examples
You will see some family-related words here. If you want to know more about it, please click here to check out my other post.
1
저희 어머니는 선생님이세요. My mom is a teacher.
저희 is an honorific version of 우리 which means "we, our, us." In Korea, when people say 'my mom' or 'my family', they use the word '우리' or '저희' instead of 'I' which is '나' or '저'.
2
아버지께서 음악을 들으세요. My dad is listening to music.
께서 is an honorific subject marker. When you talk about someone older than you, you have to use the honorific marker and verb.
3
사장님께서 회사에 곧 가실 거예요. The boss will go to work soon.
4
Q: 어머니께서는 어디에 계세요? Where is your mother?
A: 어머니께서는 마트에 가셨어요. My mother went to a supermarket.
계시다 is a honorific version of 있다. The opposite word of 있다 is 없다. Then, what'll be 없다's honorific word? You can just add the negative adverb 안 and say 안 계시다.
5
친구가 밥을 먹어요. My friend is eating a meal.
아버지께서 식사를 드세요. My dad is eating a meal.
Here is a good comparison for you! Compare what you have to say when you talk about your friend and your dad. When there are equivalent honorific words, you must use those words!
5. Wrap-up & Worksheets: Korean honorific grammar: -(으)시-, honorific words
You've learned the Korean honorific grammar today. Let's review today's lesson!
In Korean, using an honorific sentence is a very important matter.
You insert (으)시 between the stem and the ending.
When you use (으)시, you have to use other honorific words as well.
Also, some verbs and adjectives have honorific versions, so you have to use that not (으)시 inserted version.
I prepared some studying materials for you. They include the answer sheets, so make sure to check your answers after you study. If you liked my lesson, please click the like button and subscribe to my website! Thank you for studying with My Korean Lesson!
Conjugation practice
Practice honorific words
Quizlet Word Set
You can also use this word set I made to practice honorific words. Of course, it'll be good to make your own card, too!
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