Honorific System Overview

The Korean honorific system (높임말, nopimmal) is a fundamental aspect of the language that reflects social relationships, respect, and politeness. Understanding how honorifics work is essential for appropriate communication in Korean society.

What Are Honorifics?

Definition

Honorifics are linguistic forms that show respect, deference, or politeness toward:

• The person you're talking to (addressee)
• The person you're talking about (subject)
• The actions or possessions of respected individuals

Why Honorifics Matter

Cultural importance:

• Reflect Confucian values of respect for elders and hierarchy
• Show awareness of social relationships
• Essential for polite, appropriate communication
• Using wrong level can be rude or awkward

Social navigation:

• Age differences
• Social status
• Professional relationships
• Formality of situation

Three Types of Honorifics

Korean has three main systems for showing respect:

1. Subject Honorification (주체 높임법)

Showing respect for the subject of the sentence:

• The person doing the action
• Uses -(으)시- marker
• Special honorific verbs

Example:

• Regular: 선생님이 가요 (Teacher goes)
• Honorific: 선생님이 가세요 (Teacher goes - respectful)

2. Object Honorification (객체 높임법)

Showing respect through humble verbs:

• Lowering yourself to elevate the object/recipient
• Uses special humble verbs
• Common in giving/receiving situations

Example:

• Regular: 선생님께 주다 (give to teacher)
• Humble: 선생님께 드리다 (give to teacher - humble)

3. Addressee Honorification (상대 높임법)

Showing respect to the person you're talking to:

• Different speech levels
• Sentence endings change
• Independent of subject/object

Example:

• Casual: 밥 먹어 (Eat - to friend)
• Polite: 밥 드세요 (Please eat - to elder)

Speech Levels (Formality)

Korean has multiple speech levels, but these are most common:

격식체 (Formal Speech)

합쇼체 (hapsyo-che): Very formal

• 합니다/습니다 (statements)
• 합니까/습니까 (questions)
• Used: Presentations, news, strangers, formal settings

비격식체 (Informal Speech)

해요체 (haeyo-che): Standard polite

• -아/어요 (statements, questions)
• Used: Most daily interactions, colleagues, acquaintances

해체 (hae-che): Casual

• -아/어 (no 요)
• Used: Close friends, younger people, family

Subject Honorification: -(으)시-

Basic Pattern

Add -(으)시- between stem and ending:

• 가다 → 가시다 → 가세요 (go - honorific)
• 먹다 → 드시다 → 드세요 (eat - honorific with special verb)
• 있다 → 계시다 → 계세요 (exist - honorific special verb)

When to Use

Who deserves -(으)시-:

• Parents, grandparents
• Teachers, professors
• Bosses, supervisors
• Elders (generally anyone older)
• Customers (in service industry)
• Strangers (when being polite)

Formation

After vowels: -시-

• 가다 → 가시다 (가 + 시)

After consonants: -으시-

• 먹다 → 먹으시다 (먹 + 으시)

Past tense: -셨-

• 가셨어요 (went - honorific)
• 드셨어요 (ate - honorific)

Special Honorific Verbs

Some verbs have completely different honorific forms:

Common Replacements

Regular	Honorific	Meaning
먹다 / 마시다	드시다	eat / drink
자다	주무시다	sleep
있다	계시다	exist / stay
죽다	돌아가시다	die (pass away)
말하다	말씀하시다	speak
주다	드리다*	give

*드리다 is actually a humble verb (object honorific)

Why Special Verbs?

More respectful:

• Using 드시다 is more respectful than 먹으시다
• Shows awareness of proper honorific usage
• Some combinations sound awkward (like 먹으시다)

Humble Verbs (Object Honorification)

Lowering Yourself to Elevate Others

Special humble verbs when the object/recipient is respected:

Regular	Humble	Meaning
주다	드리다	give (to respected person)
말하다	말씀드리다	speak/tell (to respected person)
묻다	여쭙다	ask (respected person)
보다	뵙다	see/meet (respected person)
데리다	모시다	accompany (respected person)

Usage Pattern

When helping or giving to respected person:

• 선생님께 드렸어요 (I gave to teacher - humble)
• 할머니를 모셨어요 (I accompanied grandmother - humble)
• 교수님께 여쭤봤어요 (I asked professor - humble)

Honorific Particles

께 (to respected person)

Instead of 에게/한테:

• 친구에게 주다 (give to friend)
• 선생님께 드리다 (give to teacher)

께서 (respected subject)

Instead of 이/가:

• 친구가 왔어요 (friend came)
• 선생님께서 오셨어요 (teacher came)

(으)시 in possession

Showing respect for possessions:

• 선생님 댁 (teacher's home - honorific word)
• 아버지 연세 (father's age - honorific word)

Honorific Nouns

Some nouns have special honorific forms:

Regular	Honorific	Meaning
나이	연세	age
이름	성함	name
집	댁	house/home
밥	진지	meal
말	말씀	words/speech
생일	생신	birthday

Usage

When referring to respected person's things:

• 할아버지 연세가 어떻게 되세요? (What's grandfather's age?)
• 선생님 성함이 어떻게 되세요? (What's your name, teacher?)
• 아버지 댁에 가요 (Going to father's house)

Combining Honorific Elements

Full Honorific Sentence

All elements showing respect:

• 할아버지께서 진지를 드세요
  • Subject: 할아버지께서 (grandfather - with 께서)
  • Object: 진지 (meal - honorific noun)
  • Verb: 드세요 (eat - honorific verb)

Mixing Levels

Different respect for different people:

• 저는 선생님께 책을 드렸어요
  • 저 (I - humble form of 나)
  • 선생님께 (to teacher - honorific particle)
  • 드렸어요 (gave - humble verb)

When NOT to Use Honorifics

About Yourself

Don't honor yourself:

• ❌ 제가 가셨어요 (I went - wrong honorific)
• ✅ 제가 갔어요 (I went - correct)

About Your Family (to outsiders)

Lower your family when talking to outsiders:

• ❌ 우리 아버지께서 오셨어요 (My father came - to stranger)
• ✅ 우리 아버지가 왔어요 (My father came - to stranger)

Exception: Among family, honor elders

To Very Close Friends/Younger People

Casual speech is appropriate:

• Close friend: 뭐 해? (What are you doing?)
• Not: 뭐 하세요? (too formal)

Common Situations

Meeting Someone New

Start formal, adjust based on age/relationship:

• Older/same age unknown: Use 존댓말 (honorifics)
• Clearly younger: Still polite initially
• After establishing relationship: May switch to casual

Workplace

General rules:

• To supervisors: Always use honorifics
• To colleagues: Usually 존댓말 (해요체)
• From boss to employee: May vary by company culture

Service Industry

Customers receive maximum respect:

• Employees to customers: Always 존댓말 + -(으)시-
• Customers to employees: Usually polite but less formal

Family

Complex hierarchy:

• To parents/grandparents: Always 존댓말
• Between siblings: Older receives 존댓말 from younger
• Parents to children: Usually casual

Politeness vs. Honorifics

They're Different!

Politeness (speech level):

• How you end sentences
• Shows respect to addressee (listener)
• 해요 vs 합니다 vs 해

Honorifics (subject marking):

• -(으)시- and special verbs
• Shows respect to subject (person doing action)
• Can combine with any speech level

Can Be Independent

Polite but not honorific:

• 친구가 갔어요 (Friend went - polite to listener, not honoring friend)

Honorific but casual:

• 할아버지가 가셨어 (Grandfather went - casual to listener, honoring grandfather)
  • Only with family when everyone knows grandfather deserves respect

Example Sentences

Statement Comparison

No honorifics:

• 친구가 밥을 먹어요 (Friend eats food)

Subject honorific:

• 선생님께서 진지를 드세요 (Teacher eats food - full honorific)

With humble verb:

• 제가 선생님께 드렸어요 (I gave to teacher - humble)

Question Comparison

Casual:

• 어디 가? (Where are you going? - to friend)

Polite:

• 어디 가요? (Where are you going? - polite)

Honorific:

• 어디 가세요? (Where are you going? - honorific)

Very formal honorific:

• 어디 가십니까? (Where are you going? - very formal)

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 저는 가셨어요

Honoring yourself

✅ Correct: 저는 갔어요

Don't use honorifics for yourself

---

❌ Incorrect: 할아버지가 먹어요

Not honoring respected person

✅ Correct: 할아버지께서 드세요

Use honorifics for elders

---

❌ Awkward: 엄마께서 오셨어요 (to stranger)

Honoring your family to outsiders

✅ Correct: 엄마가 왔어요 (to stranger)

Lower your family to outsiders

---

❌ Rude: Using 해 (casual) to strangers/elders

Too casual

✅ Correct: Use 해요 or higher

Match formality to relationship

Summary Chart: Who Gets What

Relationship	Speech Level	Subject Honor	Example
To elder about elder	해요/합니다	Yes -(으)시-	할아버지께서 가세요
To elder about self	해요/합니다	No	제가 가요
To friend about elder	해요/해	Yes -(으)시-	할아버지가 가셨어
To friend about friend	해	No	친구가 가
To stranger	해요/합니다	Usually yes	가세요?

Hierarchy of Respect

Age

Generally most important:

• Even 1 year older often receives 존댓말
• Korean age system makes this clear
• Birthday matters for same-year peers

Social Status

Professional/educational:

• Teachers always respected
• Doctors, professors highly respected
• Position in company hierarchy

Situation

Context matters:

• Formal settings: More honorifics
• Casual settings: May relax slightly
• Service situations: Customer is king

Relationship

Closeness can override age:

• Very close older friend might say "use 반말" (casual speech)
• But you should wait for permission
• Some people prefer maintaining formality

Key Takeaways

• ✅ Three systems: Subject, object, and addressee honorification
• ✅ Subject honorific: -(으)시- marker for respected subjects
• ✅ Special verbs: 드시다, 주무시다, 계시다 more respectful
• ✅ Humble verbs: 드리다, 여쭙다 when helping respected person
• ✅ Speech levels: Different endings show respect to listener
• ✅ Can combine: Polite + honorific for maximum respect
• ✅ Don't honor yourself: Never use -(으)시- for your own actions
• ✅ Lower family to outsiders: Be humble about your family
• ✅ When in doubt: Use polite/honorific forms (safer to be too respectful)
• ✅ Age matters most: Korean society highly values age hierarchy

The Korean honorific system may seem complex, but it becomes natural with practice. Start by using 존댓말 (polite speech) with everyone except close friends, add -(으)시- for clearly older or higher-status people, and learn the special honorific verbs gradually. Koreans appreciate foreigners who make the effort to use honorifics appropriately!