Absolute Beginner > Lesson 6
Lesson 6. 반말 (Casual, Informal) vs 존댓말 (Polite, Formal)
In this lesson, we’ll learn the difference between 반말(casual or informal) vs 존댓말 (polite or formal) along with Basic Greetings.
Please note that more in-depth grammar of 존댓말 sentence endings (요, -ㅂ/습니다) will be covered in Beginner 1 Course.
- Ways of speaking in Korean.
There are 2 ways of speaking in Korean:
1) Casual or Informal = 반말.
2) Polite / Formal = 존댓말.
- Differentiating between 반말 and 존댓말.
- The most basic way to recognize 존댓말 is to check the ending of a sentence in Korean. If the sentence ends in either –요 or –니다 it is a Formal i.e. 존댓말
- Casual Korean i.e. 반말 sentences have no fixed endings. It is always shorter than its 존댓말 equivalent
- How to use 반말 and 존댓말.
- 반말 is used when speaking casually among close friends, family or with little children and in casual settings only where you may have an agreement or permission to speak casually. However, it is often determined by intimacy or the closeness of relationship between the speaker and listener rather than age gap.
- 존댓말 is used when speaking to someone who you need to show respect towards. This can be people who are older than you, teachers, superiors and most importantly strangers you have met for the first time (except for little children) and anyone with whom you do not have a casual relationship with.
- Again, the nature of relationship between the speaker and listener determines the use of 반말 or 존댓말 rather than age gap.
- It is also possible to witness people who share a close relationship to still use the Formal speech with each other. This is mostly common among colleagues in workplaces.
- Some basic greetings in 반말 and 존댓말.
A) 존댓말:
- 안녕하세요 = Hi, Hello.
- 만나서 반갑습니다/만나서 반가워요 = Nice to meet you.
- 네 / 예 = Yes.
- 감사합니다 = Thank you.
- 저 = I.
Ex. 저는 권지수입니다 = I am Jisoo Kwon.
Ex. 저는 선생님입니다 = I am a teacher.
Ex. 저는 학생이에요* = I am a student.
Ex. 저는 요리사예요* = I am a chef.
*Using the Formal -요 ending:
When a word in Korean ends in a consonant i.e. it has a 받침, –이에요 is attached to it.
Ex. 저는 사람이에요 = I am a human. (사람 = human)
When a word in Korean ends in a vowel i.e. it does not have a 받침, –예요 is attached to it.
Ex. 저는 의사예요 = I am a doctor. (의사 = doctor)
(We’ll learn more about this grammar in Beginner 1 Course.)
B) 반말:
- 안녕 = Hi, Hello.
- 고마워 = Thank you.
- 응/어 = Yes.
- 나 = I.
- 너 = You. (*There is no one fixed form of “You” in 존댓말. Check # 6.)
Ex. 너는 여자야 = You are a woman.
Ex. 나는 심지수야* = I am Jisoo Shim.
Ex. 나는 선생님이야* = I am a teacher.
Ex. 나는 학생이야 = I am a student.
Ex. 나는 요리사야 = I am a chef.
*Using the Informal ending:
When a word in Korean ends in a consonant i.e. it has a 받침, –이야 is attached to it.
Ex. 나는 사람이야 = I am a human. (사람 = human)
When a word in Korean ends in a vowel i.e. it does not have a 받침, –야 is attached to it.
Ex. 나는 의사야 = I am a doctor. (의사 = doctor)
(We’ll learn more about this grammar in Beginner 1 Course.)
- Sample Dialogues in 반말 and 존댓말.
| 존댓말 (Polite, Formal) | ENGLISH TRANSLATION |
– 안녕하세요. – 안녕하세요. – 저는 이지연이에요. – 저는 김재호입니다. – 만나서 반갑습니다. – 네, 저도 반가워요.
| – Hello. – Hello. – I am Jiyeon Lee. – I am Jaeho Kim. – Nice to meet you. – Yes, it’s nice to meet you too. |
| 반말 (Casual, Informal) | ENGLISH TRANSLATION |
– 안녕? – 안녕. – 너는 이름이 뭐야? – 나는 박서영이야. 넌? – 난 이지수야. 너 정말 예쁘다. – 고마워.
| – Hello. – Hello. – What’s your name? – I am Seoyoung Park. And you? – I am Jisoo Lee. You are really pretty. – Thank you. |
- “You” in 존댓말.
- Unlike in 반말, there is no single direct way to say “You” in 존댓말. Various words are used to say “You” depending on different situations and who is being addressed.
For example, in a conversation between a student addressing her teacher:
– 선생님! 안녕하세요. – 응 지수도 안녕. 잘 지내니? – 네. 선생님은요*?
| – Hello teacher! – Yes Jisoo, hello to you as well. Are you doing well? – Yes. How about you? |
*Jisoo address her teacher using the word 선생님 (teacher). The word ‘선생님’ has a more respectable meaning to it than the English word ‘teacher’.
- Since there is no fixed word for ‘You’ in Formal Korean, some alternative ways of addressing another person while speaking in 존댓말 are:
- By name+씨
Ex. 지수 씨 = Miss Jisoo.
Ex. 제프 씨 = Mr. Jeff.
2. By job/social title.
Ex. 선생님 = Teacher.
Ex. 손님 = Guest/Customer.
Ex. 사장님 = Boss.
Ex. 엄마 = Mom.