elementary · freeInteractive lesson
Polite ≠ honorific
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Polite 요/합니다 marks your speech level toward the listener situation.
Honorific 시 raises the subject: 가세요, 선생님께서 오셨어요.
You can be polite without honorifics (talking about yourself), and you can combine both.
For respected recipients of giving, upgrade verbs (드리다) and particles (께) too.
Examples
지금 집에 가요.
I’m going home. (polite, about me)
어머니께서 주무세요.
Mother is sleeping. (honorific subject)
선생님께 여쭤 볼게요.
I’ll ask the teacher. (humble ask)
Common mistakes
- Thinking 요 alone makes every sentence honorific about elders.
- Using 먹다 about a respected elder’s eating in careful speech.
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