🫱 Korean Honorifics: What is “-요” and “-습니다”?

 

Speak Politely Like a Native Korean 🗣️

In Korean, speaking politely isn’t just nice—it’s essential. 😅 Whether you're meeting someone for the first time, talking to your teacher, or ordering food at a restaurant, you’ll need to know Korean honorifics. And it all begins with two endings you’ll hear everywhere: “–요” and “–습니다.”

Let’s break it down simply.

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👋 What Are Korean Honorifics?

Honorifics in Korean show respect to the listener or the subject. The Korean language has different levels of politeness, and choosing the right one is a big part of sounding natural.

There are many honorific forms, but for beginners, the most useful ones are:

Form	Level of Politeness	Used When Speaking To
-습니다/-ㅂ니다	Very Formal/Polite	Older people, in formal speeches, news
-요	Standard Polite	Strangers, shop staff, teachers, coworkers
Casual	Informal (no honorifics)	Friends, younger people, close family

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🧩 How to Use “-요”

“-요” is added to the end of a verb stem to make it polite and natural.

Verb Stem	Polite Form	English Meaning
하다 (to do)	해요	I do / You do
가다 (to go)	가요	I go / You go
먹다 (to eat)	먹어요	I eat / You eat

✅ Example:

• 저는 김치찌개 좋아해요.
  I like kimchi stew.

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🏛️ How to Use “-습니다”

“-습니다” is even more polite and used in formal settings—like presentations, speeches, or business environments.

Verb Stem	Formal Form	English Meaning
하다	합니다	I do / You do
가다	갑니다	I go / You go
먹다	먹습니다	I eat / You eat

✅ Example:

• 저는 한국어를 공부합니다.
  I study Korean.

📝 Note: When asking questions in this formal style, it becomes “-습니까?”

• 어디 갑니까? = Where are you going?

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🎓 Honorific Verbs You Should Know

Some Korean verbs change completely in honorific form.

Regular Verb	Honorific Verb	English Meaning
있다	계시다	to be (existence)
먹다	드시다	to eat
자다	주무시다	to sleep
말하다	말씀하시다	to speak

These are used when the subject is someone you want to respect (teacher, boss, grandparent, etc.)

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🗣️ Practice Time!

Try saying these in polite Korean:

English	Polite Korean
Hello	안녕하세요
Thank you	감사합니다
I'm learning Korean	한국어 공부해요 / 공부합니다
Are you a student?	학생이에요? / 학생입니까?

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✏️ Learn with Me on italki

Want to master polite Korean naturally? In my italki lessons, you’ll practice honorifics through real conversations and custom feedback. 💬✨

👉 Book a class with me on italki

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💬 Questions?

Drop your questions in the comments below. 😊
I'll be back soon with more everyday Korean expressions you can actually use!