📄 Honorifics vs. Informal Speech in Korean: When to Use What
Korean isn’t just about learning vocabulary and grammar—it’s about learning how to talk to people based on age, status, and relationship. One of the first things you need to understand is the difference between honorific speech (존댓말) and informal speech (반말). Saying the same sentence to a teacher vs. your best friend can require completely different endings, words, and tone. Let’s break it down!
🔍 What’s the Difference?
Honorific speech (or 존댓말) is used to show respect, especially when speaking to:
- Older people
- People you don’t know well
- Teachers, bosses, or customers
- With close friends of similar age
- With younger people
- In casual situations
🔊 Example Sentences
Here’s how the same sentence changes depending on the formality:
- 💡 "Are you okay?"
존댓말: 괜찮으세요? (gwaenchanh-euseyo?)
반말: 괜찮아? (gwaenchanha?) - 💡 "Did you eat?"
존댓말: 식사하셨어요? (siksaha-syeosseoyo?)
반말: 밥 먹었어? (bap meogeosseo?) - 💡 "Thank you."
존댓말: 감사합니다. (gamsahamnida)
반말: 고마워. (gomawo) - 💡 "Goodbye."
존댓말: 안녕히 가세요. (annyeonghi gaseyo)
반말: 잘 가. (jal ga)
🤝 Humble & Honorific Expressions
Aside from sentence endings, Korean uses special vocabulary called 겸양어 (humble expressions) and 존칭어 (honorific vocabulary).
| Base Word | Honorific | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 집 (jip) | 댁 (daek) | House (someone else's) |
| 이름 (ireum) | 성함 (seongham) | Name (honorific) |
| 먹다 (meokda) | 드시다 (deusida) | To eat (honorific) |
| 자다 (jada) | 주무시다 (jumusida) | To sleep (honorific) |
📝 When to Switch to 반말
In Korean culture, switching from 존댓말 to 반말 is a big deal. It usually happens when:
- You are close in age and agree to talk casually
- You become close friends
- One person is clearly older and gives permission
But be careful—using 반말 too early can be rude. Always start with 존댓말!
💡 Did You Know?
K-dramas often play with 존댓말 and 반말 to show character relationships. If two people are speaking 존댓말 and then suddenly switch to 반말, it usually means something emotional or romantic has changed!
I hope this post helped you feel more confident about using 존댓말 and 반말! Keep exploring my blog and discover how much nuance and beauty there is in Korean conversation. You’ll get more natural every day! 😊
