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Formal polite speech in Korean

In formal situations we want to use formal polite speech. It is very respectful, so it’s not used with friends or acquaintances. Formal polite speech is used in official announcements, speeches, formal letters, meeting a new boss, in the Korean army and similar situations.

Two common sentences you might have already heard that use formal polite speech:

생일 축하합니다.

Happy birthday.

잘 먹겠습니다.

Thank you for the food. (Used before eating)

How to use formal polite speech

Section titled “How to use formal polite speech”

The 니다 form are used for making formal polite statements.

  1. Get the verb stem.
  2. Depending on the ending:
    • If it ends in a consonant: Attach 습니다.
    • If it ends in a vowel: ㅂ니다.
    • However, if it ends in a ㄹ: Remove ㄹ, then attach ㅂ니다.

For example:

  • 하다 → 합니다
  • 먹다 → 먹습니다
  • 살다 → 삽니다

For questions you would use the 니까 form instead.

  1. Get the verb stem.
  2. Depending on the ending:
    • If it ends in a consonant: Attach 습니까.
    • If it ends in a vowel: ㅂ니까.
    • However, if it ends in a ㄹ: Remove ㄹ, then attach ㅂ니까.

For example:

  • 하다 → 합니까
  • 먹다 → 먹습니까
  • 살다 → 삽니까

For commands and suggestions you would use different endings:

  • For commands: Use (으)십시오, e.g. 가십시오. (Please go.)
  • For suggestions: Use ㅂ시다 / 읍시다, e.g. 갑시다. (Let’s go.) Avoid this form when speaking to someone who needs more respect, as it can sound too direct. See Making suggestions for more details.

Future tense with formal polite speech

Section titled “Future tense with formal polite speech”

There are two common ways to build future tense with formal polite speech.

One way is to change the end of the 것이다 form.

So for sentences this will become 것입니다, commonly shortened to 겁니다.

For questions it will become 것입니까, commonly shortened to 겁니까.

저는 갈 겁니다.

I will go. (Formal polite speech)

사장님도 가실 겁니까?

Will you go too, boss?

The other way is to use 겠다. The future tense 겠다 form sounds more polite than the future tense 것이다 form.

Verb Stem + 겠다

  1. Get the verb stem.
  2. Attach 겠다 and conjugate it. So either 겠습니다 or 겠습니까 in formal polite speech.

제가 하겠습니다.

I will do it. (Formal polite speech)

언제 나가겠습니까?

When will you leave?

Past tense with formal polite speech

Section titled “Past tense with formal polite speech”

To make the past tense form of formal polite speech you also use 습니다 / 습니까.

Get the past tense verb stem and attach 습니다 / 습니까.

제가 했습니다.

I did it. (Formal polite speech)

사장님이 하셨습니까?

Did you do it, boss?

Sources & References