Today we're going to build on the previous lesson and learn all about different levels of speech in Korean. This will help you feel super-confident that you can choose the appropriate word in any given situation. After all, you want to try your best to fit in with the locals! In our culture section, we will take a look at the dialects of different regions.
Language Lesson
Speech Levels
As you might already know, Korean culture derives a lot of its practices from Confucian traditions, and according to those traditions, every person has a rank or social status. Depending on people's rank or status, the way you talk to them and the way they respond will be different.
Seven Levels
There are seven levels of speech in Korean. The level you choose shows a different degree of respect for a person. Each level requires a different ending for words.
Among the seven, there are six formal forms, called "존댓말/jondaetmal" and the only informal form is called "반말/banmal". In modern Korean society, only a few of the seven levels are used. The other most formal levels are becoming archaic and can only be seen in movies and novels.
"하소서체/Hasosuche" is the highest level you can speak in Korean. It is extremely formal and polite, but it no longer exists in modern Korean. Yet it is still used in bibles and historical dramas.
"합쇼체/Hapsyoche" is the common level spoken between strangers, by TV announcers and to customers. It is formal and polite.
"하오체/Haoche" is only spoken among older people. Some younger generations use it online but it is hardly ever spoken. It is formal and neutrally polite.
"하게체/Hageche" is generally used by older people when they are addressing younger people, but it is getting less popular. It is formal and neutrally polite.
"해라체/Haerache" is used between close friends, family members of similar ages or to younger people. It is also used almost universally in books, newspapers etc. It is formal and either neutrally polite or impolite.
"해요체/Haeyoche" is the most common level used between strangers. It was traditionally used more by women but men in Seoul have started using this level instead of "합쇼체/hapsyoche". It is informal but polite.
"해체/Haeche" is mostly used between close friends or to someone younger. It is informal and either neutrally polite or impolite. It is the only "반말/banmal" out of the seven levels and is the only level where word endings vary in a statement, question, proposal, command or exclamation.
I know you would probably fall asleep if we tried to explain all the seven levels today! Don't worry! We are not going to do that! Besides, it's not necessary to use all levels in today's the society anyway.
Some Examples
Here are some examples of verbs in each most common level of speech: "합쇼체/hapsyoche", "해라체/haerache", "해요체/haeyoche" and "해체/haeche".
먹다
mukda
to eat (infinitive form)
Speech level
Non-honorific
Honorific
합쇼체
먹습니다
드십니다
hapsyoche
mukseumnida
deushimnida
해라체
먹는다
드신다
haerache
mukneunda
deushinda
해요체
먹어요
드세요
haeyoche
mukuyo
deuseyo
해체
먹어
드셔
haeche
mukuh
deushuh
