Honorific Verbs (드시다, 계시다...)

Some common Korean verbs have special honorific forms that completely replace the regular verb when showing respect. These are more respectful than simply adding -(으)시- to the regular verb.

Why Special Honorific Verbs?

More Respectful

Special verbs show higher respect:

• 먹으시다 (grammatical but less respectful)
• 드시다 (proper honorific - preferred)

Sound More Natural

Some combinations sound awkward:

• ❌ 자으시다 (sounds unnatural)
• ✅ 주무시다 (natural and respectful)

Cultural Expectation

Using special verbs shows:

• Proper Korean etiquette
• Cultural awareness
• True respect (not just grammatical politeness)

Essential Honorific Verbs

드시다 (eat / drink)

Replaces: 먹다 (eat), 마시다 (drink)

Conjugation:

• Present: 드세요 (please eat/drink)
• Past: 드셨어요 (ate/drank)
• Future: 드실 거예요 (will eat/drink)

Usage:

• 할머니, 진지 드세요 (Grandmother, please eat)
• 커피 드셨어요? (Did you drink coffee?)
• 천천히 드세요 (Please eat/drink slowly)
• 많이 드세요 (Eat a lot)

Note: Works for both eating AND drinking

계시다 (exist / be / stay)

Replaces: 있다 (exist, be, have)

Conjugation:

• Present: 계세요 (is/are here)
• Past: 계셨어요 (was/were here)
• Future: 계실 거예요 (will be here)

Usage:

• 선생님께서 교실에 계세요 (Teacher is in the classroom)
• 집에 계셨어요? (Were you home?)
• 어디 계세요? (Where are you?)
• 잠시만 계세요 (Please wait/stay for a moment)

Locations and presence:

• 할아버지께서 방에 계세요 (Grandfather is in the room)
• 사장님께서 계십니까? (Is the boss here?)

주무시다 (sleep)

Replaces: 자다 (sleep)

Conjugation:

• Present: 주무세요 (please sleep / sleeps)
• Past: 주무셨어요 (slept)
• Future: 주무실 거예요 (will sleep)

Usage:

• 편히 주무세요 (Sleep well / Good night)
• 잘 주무셨어요? (Did you sleep well?)
• 할아버지께서 주무세요 (Grandfather is sleeping)

Common greeting:

• 안녕히 주무세요 (Good night - very respectful)
• 잘 주무셨어요? (Did you sleep well? - morning greeting)

잡수시다 (eat)

Replaces: 먹다 (eat)

Even more formal than 드시다:

• Present: 잡수세요 (please eat)
• Past: 잡수셨어요 (ate)

Usage:

• Very formal or traditional
• Less common than 드시다 in modern Korean
• Often used in formal ceremonies or to show extreme respect

Example:

• 진지 잡수세요 (Please eat - very formal)
• Mostly use 드시다 instead in daily life

돌아가시다 (pass away)

Replaces: 죽다 (die)

Euphemistic and respectful:

• Present: 돌아가세요 (passes away)
• Past: 돌아가셨어요 (passed away)

Usage:

• 할아버지께서 작년에 돌아가셨어요 (Grandfather passed away last year)
• Never use 죽다 for respected persons

Note: Literally means "return/go around" - euphemistic

말씀하시다 (speak / say)

Replaces: 말하다 (speak, say)

Conjugation:

• Present: 말씀하세요 (please speak / speaks)
• Past: 말씀하셨어요 (spoke/said)
• Future: 말씀하실 거예요 (will speak)

Usage:

• 선생님께서 말씀하셨어요 (Teacher said)
• 말씀 좀 여쭤봐도 될까요? (May I ask you something?)
• 말씀해 주세요 (Please tell/speak)

Also as noun: 말씀 (words, speech - honorific)

• 좋은 말씀 감사합니다 (Thank you for your good words)

여쭙다 / 여쭈다 (ask)

Replaces: 묻다 (ask)

Conjugation:

• Present: 여쭤요 / 여쭈어요 (ask)
• Past: 여쭤봤어요 / 여쭈었어요 (asked)

Usage:

• 선생님께 여쭤봤어요 (I asked teacher)
• 질문 좀 여쭤봐도 될까요? (May I ask a question?)
• 이름을 여쭤봐도 될까요? (May I ask your name?)

Note: This is actually a humble verb (lowering yourself), not exactly honorific

Less Common Honorific Verbs

드리다 (give to respected person)

Replaces: 주다 (give)

Conjugation:

• Present: 드려요 (give to respected person)
• Past: 드렸어요 (gave)

Usage:

• 할머니께 선물을 드렸어요 (I gave grandmother a present)
• 이걸 드릴게요 (I'll give you this)

Note: This is a humble verb (you humble yourself)

뵙다 (see / meet)

Replaces: 보다 (see)

Conjugation:

• Present: 뵈요 / 뵙니다 (see/meet)
• Past: 뵈었어요 / 뵈었습니다 (saw/met)

Usage:

• 선생님을 뵈었어요 (I saw/met teacher)
• 만나 뵙게 되어 영광입니다 (It's an honor to meet you)
• 내일 뵙겠습니다 (I'll see you tomorrow)

Note: This is a humble verb

모시다 (accompany / serve)

Replaces: 데리다 (take along)

Conjugation:

• Present: 모셔요 (accompany)
• Past: 모셨어요 (accompanied)

Usage:

• 할머니를 모시고 갔어요 (I accompanied grandmother)
• 부모님을 모시고 살아요 (I live with/serve my parents)

Note: This is a humble verb

Using in Different Tenses

Present Tense

Standard polite (해요체):

• 드세요 (eat/drink)
• 계세요 (be/stay)
• 주무세요 (sleep)
• 말씀하세요 (speak)

Formal (합니다체):

• 드십니다 (eat/drink)
• 계십니다 (be/stay)
• 주무십니다 (sleep)
• 말씀하십니다 (speak)

Past Tense

Add -셨-:

• 드셨어요 (ate/drank)
• 계셨어요 (was/were)
• 주무셨어요 (slept)
• 말씀하셨어요 (spoke)
• 돌아가셨어요 (passed away)

Future Tense

-(으)실 거예요:

• 드실 거예요 (will eat/drink)
• 계실 거예요 (will be)
• 주무실 거예요 (will sleep)
• 말씀하실 거예요 (will speak)

Progressive Form

-고 계시다:

• 드시고 계세요 (is eating/drinking)
• 주무시고 계세요 (is sleeping)
• 말씀하시고 계세요 (is speaking)

Note: Use 계시다 for the progressive marker too

Common Expressions

Meal Times

With 드시다:

• 맛있게 드세요 (Enjoy your meal)
• 많이 드세요 (Eat a lot)
• 진지 드셨어요? (Did you eat? - respectful)
• 천천히 드세요 (Eat slowly)

Presence and Location

With 계시다:

• 어디 계세요? (Where are you?)
• 집에 계세요 (Please stay home)
• 잠시만 계세요 (Please wait a moment)
• 여기 계셨어요? (Were you here?)

Bedtime

With 주무시다:

• 편히 주무세요 (Sleep well / Good night)
• 잘 주무셨어요? (Did you sleep well?)
• 안녕히 주무세요 (Good night - very respectful)

Speaking

With 말씀하시다:

• 말씀해 주세요 (Please tell me)
• 천천히 말씀하세요 (Please speak slowly)
• 뭐라고 말씀하셨어요? (What did you say?)

Example Sentences

드시다 (eat/drink)

• 할머니께서 아침 진지를 드세요 (Grandmother eats breakfast)
• 커피 드시겠어요? (Would you like coffee?)
• 많이 드셨어요 (You ate a lot)
• 이것 좀 드셔 보세요 (Please try eating this)

계시다 (be/stay)

• 선생님께서 사무실에 계세요 (Teacher is in the office)
• 부모님께서 집에 계셨어요? (Were your parents home?)
• 할아버지께서 어디 계세요? (Where is grandfather?)
• 잠시만 여기 계세요 (Please stay here for a moment)

주무시다 (sleep)

• 할아버지께서 주무세요 (Grandfather is sleeping)
• 편히 주무셨어요? (Did you sleep comfortably?)
• 벌써 주무실 거예요? (Are you going to sleep already?)
• 잘 주무세요 (Sleep well - polite goodbye)

말씀하시다 (speak)

• 선생님께서 말씀하신 것처럼 (Like teacher said)
• 천천히 말씀해 주세요 (Please speak slowly)
• 무슨 말씀하시는 거예요? (What are you saying?)

돌아가시다 (pass away)

• 할머니께서 작년에 돌아가셨어요 (Grandmother passed away last year)
• 언제 돌아가셨어요? (When did [they] pass away?)

Example Dialogues

Dialogue 1: Meal Time

Grandchild: 할머니, 진지 드셨어요?
(Grandmother, did you eat?)

Grandmother: 아직 안 먹었어.
(Not yet.)

Grandchild: 같이 드세요!
(Please eat together!)

Grandmother: 그래, 고마워.
(Okay, thank you.)

Dialogue 2: Looking for Teacher

Student: 선생님께서 어디 계세요?
(Where is teacher?)

Another student: 교무실에 계세요.
([Teacher] is in the teachers' room.)

Student: 감사합니다!
(Thank you!)

Dialogue 3: Good Night

Child: 할아버지, 안녕히 주무세요!
(Grandfather, good night!)

Grandfather: 너도 잘 자.
(You sleep well too.)

Child: 편히 주무세요!
(Sleep comfortably!)

Dialogue 4: At Work

Employee: 사장님께서 말씀하신 내용이 뭐였죠?
(What was it that the boss said?)

Colleague: 회의가 3시라고 말씀하셨어요.
([Boss] said the meeting is at 3.)

Employee: 아, 그렇군요. 감사합니다.
(Ah, I see. Thank you.)

Dialogue 5: Asking Question

Student: 선생님, 질문 좀 여쭤봐도 될까요?
(Teacher, may I ask a question?)

Teacher: 그럼요, 물어보세요.
(Of course, please ask.)

Student: 이 문제를 어떻게 풀어요?
(How do you solve this problem?)

Quick Reference Table

Regular	Honorific	Usage
먹다 / 마시다	드시다	eat / drink
있다	계시다	exist / be / stay
자다	주무시다	sleep
죽다	돌아가시다	die (pass away)
말하다	말씀하시다	speak / say
먹다 (formal)	잡수시다	eat (very formal)

Humble Verbs (for context)

These lower yourself to honor the recipient:

Regular	Humble	Usage
주다	드리다	give (to respected)
묻다	여쭙다	ask (respected)
보다	뵙다	see/meet (respected)
데리다	모시다	accompany (respected)

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 할머니가 먹으세요

Using regular verb with -(으)시-

✅ Correct: 할머니께서 드세요

Use special honorific verb 드시다

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❌ Incorrect: 선생님이 있으세요

Using regular verb

✅ Correct: 선생님께서 계세요

Use special honorific verb 계시다

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❌ Incorrect: 할아버지께서 죽으셨어요

Using 죽다 for respected person

✅ Correct: 할아버지께서 돌아가셨어요

Use euphemistic 돌아가시다

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❌ Incorrect: 제가 드세요

Using honorific for yourself

✅ Correct: 제가 먹어요

Don't use honorifics for yourself

When to Use Which

드시다 vs 잡수시다

드시다: Modern, standard honorific 잡수시다: Very formal, traditional, less common

Generally use 드시다 in daily life

계시다 vs 있으시다

계시다: Proper honorific (preferred) 있으시다: Grammatical but less respectful

Always use 계시다 for respected persons

Regular + -(으)시- vs Special Verb

When special verb exists: Use the special verb When no special verb: Use regular + -(으)시-

Key Takeaways

• ✅ Special verbs more respectful: Than regular + -(으)시-
• ✅ Essential three: 드시다 (eat/drink), 계시다 (be), 주무시다 (sleep)
• ✅ Use for: Parents, grandparents, teachers, elders, bosses
• ✅ 드시다: Covers both eating AND drinking
• ✅ 계시다: Replaces 있다 for location and existence
• ✅ 돌아가시다: Respectful way to say someone died
• ✅ Conjugate normally: These verbs take regular endings
• ✅ Don't use for yourself: Never honor your own actions
• ✅ Cultural awareness: Using these shows proper Korean etiquette

Mastering these special honorific verbs is crucial for showing proper respect in Korean. Start with the essential three (드시다, 계시다, 주무시다) and gradually learn the others. Using these correctly will make your Korean sound natural and show cultural awareness!