Politeness in Depth · Lesson 1 of 6

The Three Levels You'll Use

Casual, polite, formal — and why the polite ~요 you already speak is the perfect home base.

11 min

Here's a secret you've already been living: every lesson so far has taught you the perfect level of Korean politeness for a beginner. This course finally names the system you've been feeling — starting with the three levels you'll actually use.

One sentence, three levels

Korean wraps politeness into the ending of the sentence. The same thought can dress up or down:

고마워

gomawo

Thanks. — 반말 (casual)

Close friends, younger people, family. No 요.

고마워요

gomawoyo

Thank you. — 해요체 (polite)

The warm everyday default. The ~요 you already speak.

감사합니다

gamsahamnida

Thank you. — 합니다체 (formal)

Service, business, announcements. Crisp and respectful.

Your home base: 해요체

Notice the middle one — 해요체, the polite ~요 form. That's where you live. It's warm enough for friends, polite enough for strangers, and safe almost everywhere. You do not need to rush into casual speech to sound natural.

팁

The two outer levels are easy to recognize: 반말 drops the 요 (밥 먹었어? instead of 밥 먹었어요?), and 합니다체 ends in ~ㅂ니다/습니다 (감사합니다, 안녕하십니까). You'll hear 합니다체 from cashiers and announcements all day — you mostly need to understand it, not produce it.

The same greeting, three ways

안녕 / 안녕하세요 / 안녕하십니까

annyeong / annyeonghaseyo / annyeonghasimnikka

Hi / Hello / Hello (formal)

Casual, polite, formal — you've known the first two since Course 2.

Try it

Which level should a beginner use as their everyday default — and why?Show answer

해요체, the polite ~요 form. It's warm and safe almost everywhere; no need to rush into 반말.

You hear 안녕하십니까 from a store announcement. Which level is that?Show answer

합니다체 — the formal ~ㅂ니다 level. Recognize it; you don't have to speak it back.

What you just learned

Politeness lives in the sentence ending: 반말 / 해요체 / 합니다체.
해요체 (polite ~요) is your beginner home base — warm and safe.
반말 drops 요; 합니다체 ends in ~ㅂ니다/습니다.

Quick check

Did it stick?

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

1.Which level should a beginner use as their everyday default?

2.What makes 반말 different from 해요체?

3.감사합니다 and 안녕하십니까 are which level?

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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.

Back to the Learning Path