반말: Casual speech in Korean

The speech used in the chapters so far has been polite speech, 존댓말. It’s better to sound too polite (a little awkward) than too casual (rude).

With close friends who are the same age as you or younger it’s possible to use casual speech, 반말.

How to use casual speech (반말)

To make your speech casual conjugate a verb as usual without adding a 요 at the end, and without using any honorific speech or humble speech.

Saying I in casual speech (반말)

In casual speech you use 나 instead of 저 for saying I / me.

A few common combinations of 나 with particles:

• 나 + 의 → 나의 → 내
• 나 + 가 → 내가
• 나 + 는 → 나는 or 난
• 나 + 를 → 나를 or 날

How to say you in casual speech (반말)

With close friends who are the same age as you or younger you can either:

1. Use their name. If it ends in a consonant, attach 이.
2. Use the word 너. But be careful with using it, as it can sound like you are speaking down to someone, only use it in very close relationships.

With close friends who are older than you use the appropriate titles such as 형, 오빠, 누나 or 언니.

You can always ask what they’d prefer.

너 with common particles:

• 너 + 의 → 너의 → 네 (This is more often pronounced as “니”, to avoid confusion with 내 (mine))
• 너 + 가 → 네가 (This is more often pronounced as “니가”, to avoid confusion with 내가)
• 너 + 는 → 너는 or 넌
• 너 + 를 → 너를 or 널

Yes and no in casual speech (반말)

The words for yes and no are different in casual speech.

To say yes (네) use 응. You might also encounter 어 to be used for the same thing.

To say no (아니요) use 아니.

이다 and 아니다 in casual speech (반말)

The verbs 이다 and 아니다 have different conjugations in casual speech.

이다 will become 이야 after a consonant, or 야 after a vowel.

아니다 will become 아니야.

Dropping the object marker

In casual speech the object marker (을 or 를) is often dropped to help make speaking faster and easier. However, only do this when the meaning of the sentence is still clear.

나는 요즘 한국어를 공부하고 있어. → 나는 요즘 한국어 공부하고 있어.

It’s also possible to drop the object marker when speaking politely (존댓말). However, know that dropping the object marker will often make your Korean sound less formal.

Casual commands

Instead of using the (으)세요 form you can also make commanding casual speech by conjugating the verb as usual.

Honorific: 빨리 하세요 → Do it quickly.
Honorific: 빨리 해 주세요 → Please do it quickly.

Informal: 빨리 해요. → Do it quickly.
Informal: 빨리 해 주세요. → Please do it quickly.

Casual: 빨리 해. → Do it quickly.
Casual: 빨리 해 줘. → Please do it quickly.

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Note

Be very careful with using casual speech (반말). Remember, it’s always better to sound too polite (a little awkward) than too casual (rude).

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Sources & References

• Billy Go’s Beginner Korean Course | #76: Speaking with Friends