Command and request endings (명령형 종결어미) are used to give orders, make requests, or tell someone to do something. The level of directness and politeness varies greatly depending on the ending used.
Politeness Spectrum
Korean has multiple ways to ask someone to do something, from very polite requests to direct commands:
- Very polite request: -(으)시- forms
- Polite request: -아/어 주세요
- Standard request: -(으)세요
- Casual request: -아/어
- Direct command: -아/어라 (very direct, can be rude)
Most Polite: -(으)시- + Request
Asking Superiors or Elders
Extremely respectful:
- 앉으세요 (Please sit - from 앉다)
- 드세요 (Please eat - from 먹다, honorific)
- 말씀하세요 (Please speak - from 말하다, honorific)
- 편히 쉬세요 (Please rest comfortably)
Used with: Teachers, elders, customers, bosses
Polite Request: -아/어 주세요
Most Common Polite Request
Please do [something] for me:
Formation Rules
Verb Stem + -아/어 주세요
Same vowel harmony as statements:
- 가다 → 가 주세요 (Please go)
- 오다 → 와 주세요 (Please come)
- 먹다 → 먹어 주세요 (Please eat)
- 읽다 → 읽어 주세요 (Please read)
- 하다 → 해 주세요 (Please do)
- 보다 → 봐 주세요 (Please look/watch)
- 듣다 → 들어 주세요 (Please listen)
Common Usage
Polite requests in daily life:
- 기다려 주세요 (Please wait)
- 도와 주세요 (Please help)
- 말해 주세요 (Please tell/say)
- 가르쳐 주세요 (Please teach)
- 보여 주세요 (Please show)
- 설명해 주세요 (Please explain)
Natural and polite, very commonly used
Variations
-아/어 주시겠어요? (Could you please...?)
Even more polite:
- 도와 주시겠어요? (Could you please help?)
- 설명해 주시겠어요? (Could you please explain?)
-아/어 주실래요? (Would you please...?)
Polite and soft:
- 가르쳐 주실래요? (Would you please teach?)
- 도와 주실래요? (Would you please help?)
Standard Request: -(으)세요
Polite but Not as Soft
Please... / Do...:
Formation Rules
After Vowels: -세요
Add -세요 when stem ends in vowel:
- 가다 → 가세요 (Please go / Go)
- 오다 → 오세요 (Please come / Come)
- 하다 → 하세요 (Please do / Do)
- 서다 → 서세요 (Please stand)
- 주다 → 주세요 (Please give)
After Consonants: -으세요
Add -으세요 when stem ends in consonant:
- 먹다 → 드세요 (Please eat - uses honorific verb)
- 앉다 → 앉으세요 (Please sit)
- 읽다 → 읽으세요 (Please read)
- 입다 → 입으세요 (Please wear)
- 받다 → 받으세요 (Please receive)
ㄹ Irregular
Stems ending in ㄹ drop the ㄹ:
- 만들다 → 만드세요 (Please make)
- 살다 → 사세요 (Please live/buy)
- 알다 → 아세요 (Please know)
Common Uses
Standard polite commands/requests:
- 들어오세요 (Please come in)
- 앉으세요 (Please sit)
- 드세요 (Please eat)
- 보세요 (Please look)
- 들으세요 (Please listen)
Less soft than -아/어 주세요, but still polite
Giving Things: 주다
Asking Someone to Give
Different levels of politeness:
Most Polite
- 주시겠어요? (Would you give...?)
- 주실래요? (Would you give...?)
Standard Polite
- 주세요 (Please give)
Casual
- 줘 (Give)
Common Patterns
With specific items:
- 물 좀 주세요 (Please give me some water)
- 소금 좀 주시겠어요? (Could you pass the salt?)
- 도와주세요 (Please help - lit. give help)
Casual Request: -아/어
With Close Friends
Informal but friendly:
Formation Rules
Same as Statement but with Command Tone
Remove 요 from polite form:
- 가요 → 가 (Go)
- 먹어요 → 먹어 (Eat)
- 해요 → 해 (Do)
- 와요 → 와 (Come)
- 봐요 → 봐 (Look)
Common Usage
Among friends:
- 빨리 와 (Come quickly)
- 같이 가 (Let's go together / Go together)
- 이거 봐 (Look at this)
- 들어 봐 (Listen / Try listening)
- 기다려 (Wait)
Softening with 좀
Adding 좀 makes it softer:
- 기다려 좀 (Wait a bit)
- 도와 줘 좀 (Help me a bit)
- 말해 줘 좀 (Tell me)
Direct Command: -아/어라
Very Direct (Can Be Rude)
Strong command:
Formation Rules
Add -아/어라 to stem
Very direct tone:
- 가다 → 가라 (Go!)
- 먹다 → 먹어라 (Eat!)
- 하다 → 해라 (Do it!)
- 오다 → 와라 (Come!)
When Used
Very limited contexts:
- Parents to young children
- Military commands
- Angry situations
- Traditional/historical contexts
Generally avoid using this unless the context is appropriate
Alternative: -거라
Slightly softer than -아/어라:
- 가거라 (Go - softer command)
- 공부하거라 (Study - parental)
Still quite direct, used by parents/grandparents to children
Prohibitions: Don't Do
Polite Prohibition: -지 마세요
Please don't...:
Formation
Add -지 마세요 to verb stem:
- 가다 → 가지 마세요 (Please don't go)
- 먹다 → 먹지 마세요 (Please don't eat)
- 하다 → 하지 마세요 (Please don't do)
- 만지다 → 만지지 마세요 (Please don't touch)
- 걱정하다 → 걱정하지 마세요 (Please don't worry)
Polite negative command
Casual Prohibition: -지 마
Don't...:
Formation
Remove 세요 from -지 마세요:
- 가지 마 (Don't go)
- 먹지 마 (Don't eat)
- 하지 마 (Don't do)
- 만지지 마 (Don't touch)
- 걱정하지 마 (Don't worry)
Used with close friends or younger people
Very Direct Prohibition: -지 마라
Don't...! (very strong):
Formation
Add -지 마라:
- 가지 마라 (Don't go!)
- 하지 마라 (Don't do it!)
- 만지지 마라 (Don't touch!)
Very direct, can be rude. Use only in appropriate contexts
Polite Patterns
-(으)시겠어요? (Would you...?)
Asking permission or polite request:
- 앉으시겠어요? (Would you like to sit?)
- 드시겠어요? (Would you like to eat?)
- 가시겠어요? (Would you like to go?)
Very polite, shows respect
-(으)실래요? (Would you like to...?)
Softer than -시겠어요:
- 앉으실래요? (Would you like to sit?)
- 드실래요? (Would you like to eat?)
- 같이 가실래요? (Would you like to go together?)
-아/어 보세요 (Please try...)
Encouraging someone to try:
- 먹어 보세요 (Please try eating)
- 입어 보세요 (Please try wearing)
- 해 보세요 (Please try doing)
- 들어 보세요 (Please try listening)
Softer than direct command
Making Suggestions: Let's...
-(으)ㅂ시다 (Formal: Let's...)
Formal suggestion:
- 갑시다 (Let's go - formal)
- 먹읍시다 (Let's eat - formal)
- 시작합시다 (Let's start - formal)
Used in formal settings or presentations
-아/어요 (Polite: Let's...)
Standard polite suggestion:
- 가요 (Let's go)
- 먹어요 (Let's eat)
- 해요 (Let's do)
- 시작해요 (Let's start)
Same form as statement, context indicates suggestion
-자 (Casual: Let's...)
Casual suggestion among friends:
- 가자 (Let's go)
- 먹자 (Let's eat)
- 하자 (Let's do)
- 놀자 (Let's play)
Friendly and common
Common Honorific Verbs in Commands
Special Honorific Verbs
When asking elders/superiors:
- 드세요 (Please eat - from 드시다, honorific of 먹다)
- 주무세요 (Please sleep - from 주무시다, honorific of 자다)
- 계세요 (Please be/stay - from 계시다, honorific of 있다)
- 말씀하세요 (Please speak - from 말씀하시다, honorific of 말하다)
Example Sentences
Polite Requests (-아/어 주세요)
- 문을 열어 주세요 (Please open the door)
- 창문을 닫아 주세요 (Please close the window)
- 천천히 말해 주세요 (Please speak slowly)
- 다시 한 번 설명해 주세요 (Please explain one more time)
- 여기 앉아 주세요 (Please sit here)
Standard Polite (-(으)세요)
- 안으로 들어오세요 (Please come inside)
- 편히 앉으세요 (Please sit comfortably)
- 맛있게 드세요 (Please enjoy your meal - lit. eat deliciously)
- 조심하세요 (Please be careful)
- 잘 가세요 (Please go well / Goodbye)
Casual (-아/어)
- 빨리 와 (Come quickly)
- 조용히 해 (Be quiet)
- 이거 좀 봐 (Look at this)
- 나랑 같이 가 (Come with me / Go with me)
- 기다려 (Wait)
Prohibitions (-지 마세요/-지 마)
- 걱정하지 마세요 (Please don't worry)
- 늦지 마세요 (Please don't be late)
- 만지지 마 (Don't touch)
- 가지 마 (Don't go)
- 울지 마 (Don't cry)
Suggestions (Let's)
- 같이 가요 (Let's go together)
- 영화 보자 (Let's watch a movie)
- 공부합시다 (Let's study - formal)
- 시작해요 (Let's start)
Example Dialogues
Dialogue 1: At a Restaurant (Polite)
Customer: 여기 물 좀 주세요.
(Please give me some water here.)
Waiter: 네, 잠시만 기다려 주세요.
(Yes, please wait a moment.)
Customer: 메뉴 좀 보여 주시겠어요?
(Could you please show me the menu?)
Waiter: 네, 여기 있습니다. 천천히 보세요.
(Yes, here it is. Please look slowly.)
Dialogue 2: In Class (Standard Polite)
Teacher: 책을 펴세요.
(Please open your books.)
Teacher: 15페이지를 보세요.
(Please look at page 15.)
Teacher: 같이 읽어 보세요.
(Please try reading together.)
Student: 선생님, 다시 한 번 설명해 주세요.
(Teacher, please explain one more time.)
Dialogue 3: Between Friends (Casual)
A: 이거 좀 봐!
(Look at this!)
B: 뭔데?
(What is it?)
A: 재미있는 영화야. 같이 보자.
(It's an interesting movie. Let's watch together.)
B: 좋아! 언제 볼까?
(Good! When shall we watch?)
A: 주말에 보자.
(Let's watch on the weekend.)
Dialogue 4: Parent to Child
Parent: 방 청소해라.
(Clean your room.)
Child: 지금 해야 돼요?
(Do I have to do it now?)
Parent: 그래, 지금 해. 그리고 게임하지 마.
(Yes, do it now. And don't play games.)
Dialogue 5: Polite Declining
A: 이거 드세요.
(Please eat this.)
B: 아니에요, 괜찮아요.
(No, it's okay.)
A: 부끄러워하지 마시고 드세요.
(Don't be shy and please eat.)
B: 감사합니다. 그럼 맛있게 먹겠습니다.
(Thank you. Then I will enjoy it.)
Special Expressions
Common Fixed Phrases
Daily greetings and expressions:
- 안녕히 가세요 (Goodbye - to person leaving)
- 안녕히 계세요 (Goodbye - you are leaving)
- 조심하세요 (Be careful / Take care)
- 잘 먹겠습니다 (I will eat well - before meal)
- 잘 먹었습니다 (I ate well - after meal)
- 환영합니다 (Welcome)
- 축하합니다 (Congratulations)
At Stores/Restaurants
Common service language:
- 어서 오세요 (Welcome)
- 안녕히 가세요 (Please go safely)
- 맛있게 드세요 (Enjoy your meal)
- 또 오세요 (Please come again)
Politeness Levels Comparison
Same Request, Different Levels
"Please wait":
- 기다려 주시겠어요? (Could you please wait? - very polite)
- 기다려 주세요 (Please wait - polite request)
- 기다리세요 (Wait please - standard polite)
- 기다려 (Wait - casual)
- 기다려라 (Wait! - direct command)
Choose based on relationship and context
Common Mistakes
❌ Incorrect: 먹으세요라
Mixing endings
✅ Correct: 드세요 OR 먹어라
Use one ending appropriately
❌ Incorrect: 가세요 주세요
Double request ending
✅ Correct: 가 주세요 OR 가세요
Use one pattern
❌ Incorrect: 먹지 말아요
Wrong prohibition form
✅ Correct: 먹지 마세요
Use -지 마세요 for polite prohibition
❌ Rude: Using -아/어라 to strangers or elders
Inappropriate formality
✅ Correct: Use -(으)세요 or -아/어 주세요
Match politeness to relationship
Summary Table: Politeness Levels
| Meaning | Very Polite | Polite Request | Standard | Casual | Direct |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Go | 가시겠어요? | 가 주세요 | 가세요 | 가 | 가라 |
| Eat | 드시겠어요? | 먹어 주세요 | 드세요 | 먹어 | 먹어라 |
| Do | 하시겠어요? | 해 주세요 | 하세요 | 해 | 해라 |
| Don't go | - | 가지 마세요 | 가지 마세요 | 가지 마 | 가지 마라 |
Formation Summary
| Type | Formation | Example | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite request | -아/어 주세요 | 도와 주세요 | Most common polite |
| Standard polite | -(으)세요 | 앉으세요 | Polite but direct |
| Casual | -아/어 | 가 | Close friends |
| Direct | -아/어라 | 가라 | Very direct/rude |
| Prohibition | -지 마세요 | 가지 마세요 | Polite "don't" |
| Let's (formal) | -(으)ㅂ시다 | 갑시다 | Formal suggestion |
| Let's (casual) | -자 | 가자 | Casual suggestion |
Key Takeaways
- ✅ Most common polite: -아/어 주세요 (Please do for me)
- ✅ Standard polite: -(으)세요 (Please do)
- ✅ Casual with friends: -아/어 (Do)
- ✅ Avoid -아/어라: Very direct, often rude except to children
- ✅ Prohibitions: -지 마세요 (don't - polite), -지 마 (don't - casual)
- ✅ Honorifics: Use special verbs (드세요, 주무세요) with elders
- ✅ Match formality: Choose appropriate level for relationship
- ✅ Soften with 좀: Adds "a bit" to make request gentler
Mastering command and request endings is essential for polite Korean communication. Always start with -아/어 주세요 when in doubt, as it's polite and appropriate in most situations. Pay attention to the relationship and context to choose the right level of formality!