Politeness levels in one minute
- Polite (해요체): ends in -요. Safe with almost everyone: shop staff, coworkers, strangers. Use this by default.
- Formal (합쇼체): ends in -습니다/-ㅂ니다. Announcements, presentations, fixed expressions like 감사합니다.
- Casual (반말): no -요. Only with close friends, younger people who agreed to it, or children.
Tip: 주세요 is your best friend
Noun + 주세요 means "please give me ___": 물 주세요, 이거 주세요. Verb + -아/어 주세요 means "please do ___": 천천히 말해 주세요.
All phrases written by Hanmadi.
FAQ
Should I bow when I say 안녕하세요?
A small nod or slight bow is common and polite, especially with older people or in shops. It is not required in every situation.
What if the audio sounds robotic?
It uses your device's built-in Korean voice. Google and Apple voices usually sound the most natural; check your system speech settings.