Learn Korean Formal Politeness

In Korean, showing respect is very important, and one way to do this is by using different politeness levels when you speak. This guide will help you learn about the formal politeness levels so you can talk nicely to people, like your teachers or elders.

The Formal Politeness Level is used when you want to show a lot of respect. You would use this level when talking to someone older or in a position of authority, like your teacher or a grandparent.

To make a sentence polite and formal in Korean, you usually add '-습니다' or '-ㅂ니다' to the verb stem. You use '-습니다' if the verb stem ends in a consonant and '-ㅂ니다' if it ends in a vowel.

When you ask questions politely, you add '-습니까?' or '-ㅂ니까?' to the verb stem. Again, use '-습니까?' if the verb stem ends in a consonant and '-ㅂ니까?' if it ends in a vowel.

Here are some examples of how you can use formal politeness in sentences. Remember, this is like using very polite words to show respect.