-(으)세요 is the honorific command/request form in Korean. It's used to politely ask or tell someone to do something, especially when showing respect.
Structure
Verb stem + -(으)세요
Breakdown:
- -(으): Connective
- 시: Honorific marker
- 어요: Polite ending
Contracted: -(으)시어요 → -(으)세요
Conjugation Rules
After Vowel or ㄹ: -세요
No final consonant:
- 가다 → 가세요 (please go)
- 오다 → 오세요 (please come)
- 자다 → 주무세요 (please sleep - special)
After ㄹ (drop ㄹ):
- 만들다 → 만드세요 (please make)
- 팔다 → 파세요 (please sell)
After Consonant: -으세요
Final consonant present:
- 먹다 → 드세요 (please eat - special)
- 앉다 → 앉으세요 (please sit)
- 읽다 → 읽으세요 (please read)
하다 Verbs: -세요
All 하다 verbs:
- 하다 → 하세요 (please do)
- 공부하다 → 공부하세요 (please study)
- 운동하다 → 운동하세요 (please exercise)
Special Irregular Forms
Common Honorific Replacements
Some verbs have special honorific forms:
먹다/마시다 → 드시다:
- 먹으세요 ✗ → 드세요 ✓ (please eat)
- 마시세요 ✗ → 드세요 ✓ (please drink)
자다 → 주무시다:
- 자세요 ✗ → 주무세요 ✓ (please sleep)
있다 → 계시다:
- 있으세요 ✗ → 계세요 ✓ (please be/stay)
말하다 → 말씀하시다:
- 말하세요 ✓ (acceptable)
- 말씀하세요 ✓ (more honorific)
When to Use -(으)세요
Appropriate Situations
Use for:
- Giving polite commands
- Making respectful requests
- Offering politely
- Inviting someone
- Professional settings
- Service situations
To:
- Customers
- Strangers
- People older than you
- People of higher status
- General public
- Anyone requiring respect
Common Commands
Everyday Commands
Movement:
- 가세요 (please go)
- 오세요 (please come)
- 들어오세요 (please come in)
- 나가세요 (please go out)
- 앉으세요 (please sit)
- 서세요 (please stand)
Actions:
- 하세요 (please do)
- 보세요 (please look/see)
- 들으세요 (please listen)
- 쓰세요 (please write/use)
- 드세요 (please eat/drink)
- 주무세요 (please sleep)
Common Polite Offers
Invitations
- 들어오세요 (please come in)
- 앉으세요 (please sit down)
- 편하게 앉으세요 (please sit comfortably)
- 많이 드세요 (please eat a lot)
- 천천히 드세요 (please eat slowly)
Service Phrases
- 오세요 (welcome - lit. "please come")
- 어서 오세요 (welcome)
- 맛있게 드세요 (enjoy your meal - lit. "eat deliciously")
- 조심하세요 (please be careful)
- 안녕히 가세요 (goodbye - to person leaving)
- 안녕히 계세요 (goodbye - when you're leaving)
At Restaurant/Store
Welcoming Customers
- 어서 오세요 (welcome)
- 이쪽으로 오세요 (please come this way)
- 여기 앉으세요 (please sit here)
- 메뉴 보세요 (please look at the menu)
Service Requests
- 잠시만 기다리세요 (please wait a moment)
- 확인하세요 (please check)
- 여기 써 주세요 (please write here)
- 싸인하세요 (please sign)
Contrast: -(으)세요 vs -아/어 주세요
-(으)세요: Direct Command/Request
More direct, commanding tone:
- 앉으세요 (please sit - command)
- 가세요 (please go - command)
- 드세요 (please eat - command)
Usage: Inviting, offering, commanding
-아/어 주세요: Asking Favor
Emphasizes doing for speaker's benefit:
- 앉아 주세요 (please sit - do me the favor)
- 가 주세요 (please go - I need you to)
- 먹어 주세요 (please eat - for my sake)
Usage: Requesting favor, asking help
Key Difference
-(으)세요: "Please do [action]" (polite command) -아/어 주세요: "Please do [action] for me" (favor request)
Negative Commands: -지 마세요
Don't Do (Polite)
Pattern: Verb stem + -지 마세요
Examples:
- 가지 마세요 (please don't go)
- 걱정하지 마세요 (please don't worry)
- 울지 마세요 (please don't cry)
- 만지지 마세요 (please don't touch)
Note: Covered in detail in "-지 마세요" section
Politeness Levels Compared
Formal: -(으)십시오
Very formal, written:
- 가십시오 (please go - very formal)
- 앉으십시오 (please sit - very formal)
Polite: -(으)세요
Standard respectful:
- 가세요 (please go)
- 앉으세요 (please sit)
Casual: -아/어(요)
Not honorific:
- 가요 (go)
- 앉아요 (sit)
Common Expressions
Greetings and Farewells
- 안녕히 주무세요 (sleep well)
- 안녕히 가세요 (goodbye - to leaver)
- 안녕히 계세요 (goodbye - when leaving)
- 또 오세요 (please come again)
Offering Help
- 말씀하세요 (please speak/tell me)
- 물어보세요 (please ask)
- 연락하세요 (please contact)
- 전화하세요 (please call)
Instructions
- 이렇게 하세요 (please do it like this)
- 여기 쓰세요 (please write here)
- 천천히 하세요 (please do it slowly)
- 조심하세요 (please be careful)
Example Dialogues
Dialogue 1: Store Welcome
Staff: 어서 오세요!
(Welcome!)
Customer: 이거 있어요?
(Do you have this?)
Staff: 네, 이쪽으로 오세요.
(Yes, please come this way.)
Dialogue 2: At Home
Host: 들어오세요. 신발 벗으세요.
(Please come in. Please take off your shoes.)
Guest: 감사합니다.
(Thank you.)
Host: 여기 앉으세요.
(Please sit here.)
Dialogue 3: Restaurant
Server: 주문하시겠어요?
(Are you ready to order?)
Customer: 네, 이거 주세요.
(Yes, please give me this.)
Server: 네, 잠시만 기다리세요.
(Yes, please wait a moment.)
Dialogue 4: Office
Boss: 이 보고서 확인하세요.
(Please check this report.)
Employee: 네, 확인하겠습니다.
(Yes, I will check it.)
Boss: 문제 있으면 말씀하세요.
(If there are problems, please tell me.)
Common Mistakes
❌ Incorrect: 가십시오요
Double polite ending
✅ Correct: 가십시오 or 가세요
One ending only
❌ Incorrect: 먹으세요
Should use special form
✅ Correct: 드세요
Use honorific verb
❌ Incorrect: 주세요 (when commanding)
주다 (give) vs command
✅ Correct: Use full verb + 세요
가세요, 하세요, etc.
Special Honorific Verbs Summary
| Regular Verb | Honorific Form | Command |
|---|---|---|
| 먹다 (eat) | 드시다 | 드세요 |
| 마시다 (drink) | 드시다 | 드세요 |
| 자다 (sleep) | 주무시다 | 주무세요 |
| 있다 (be) | 계시다 | 계세요 |
| 말하다 (speak) | 말씀하시다 | 말씀하세요 |
Usage Context Guide
| Situation | Use -(으)세요 | Use -아/어 주세요 |
|---|---|---|
| Inviting someone | ✓ | ✗ |
| Commanding respectfully | ✓ | ✗ |
| Asking a favor | ✗ | ✓ |
| Service (offering) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Requesting help | ✗ | ✓ |
Key Takeaways
✅ Honorific command: Respectful request/command form
✅ After vowel/ㄹ: -세요
✅ After consonant: -으세요
✅ Special forms: 드세요 (eat), 주무세요 (sleep), 계세요 (be)
✅ Different from -아/어 주세요: Command vs Favor
✅ Common in service: Essential for polite interactions
-(으)세요 is fundamental for polite, respectful communication in Korean. It's used constantly in customer service, invitations, and any situation requiring courteous commands or requests.