Politeness in Depth · Lesson 4 of 6

Honorific Words

Korean has a second, elevated vocabulary for people you respect — meet the ones that matter.

11 min

Korean goes one step further than endings: for people you truly respect, some everyday words swap out for elevated ones — a quiet second vocabulary of care. You only need a handful to start.

The everyday word → the honored word

진지jinjihonored “meal”plain: 밥 (bap)

드시다deusidahonored “eat”plain: 먹다 (meokda)

주무시다jumusidahonored “sleep”plain: 자다 (jada)

댁daekhonored “home”plain: 집 (jip)

성함seonghamhonored “name”plain: 이름 (ireum)

연세yeonsehonored “age”plain: 나이 (nai)

Three more you'll meet often: 분 (a person — the honored 사람, and the counter in 몇 분이세요? from Course 4), 말씀 (speech/words — the honored 말), and 계시다 (to be, for people — the honored 있다, from last lesson).

Putting them to work

진지 드셨어요?

jinji deusyeosseoyo?

Have you eaten? (to an elder)

The honored version of 밥 먹었어요? — food as care, lifted with respect.

성함이 어떻게 되세요?

seonghami eotteoke doeseyo?

May I ask your name?

The gentle, respectful way to ask a name — far softer than 이름이 뭐예요?.

말씀하세요

malsseumhaseyo

Please, go ahead (speak)

A warm “please, after you” — inviting a respected person to talk.

팁

Honest beginner framing: you can hold whole conversations without most of these. But recognizing them lets you understand elders and service staff, and sprinkling in 드세요 or 성함 shows a care that Koreans notice instantly.

Try it

Ask a respected elder, warmly, whether they've eaten.Show answer

진지 드셨어요? — honored “meal” (진지) + honored “eat” (드시다).

What's the respectful word for someone's age, and how do you ask it?Show answer

연세. 연세가 어떻게 되세요? — the gentle way to ask an elder's age.

What you just learned

Honored vocabulary: 진지 (meal), 드시다 (eat), 주무시다 (sleep), 댁 (home).
성함 (name), 연세 (age), 분 (person), 말씀 (speech), 계시다 (be).
진지 드셨어요? / 성함이 어떻게 되세요? — care, lifted with respect.

Quick check

Did it stick?

Three quick questions — instant answers, no grades, no pressure.

1.The honored word for “name” is…

2.“Have you eaten?” to an elder is…

3.계시다 is the honored form of…

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Want the why behind the words?

The reading path explains the culture and logic that make Korean click — a perfect companion to these lessons.

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