Titles and Address

Korean Grammar 4

Course 4 · Chapter 4 · Titles, Address and Social Language

🤝 Titles, Address and Social Language — 호칭과 사회적 언어

Korean avoids the word "you" wherever it can. Instead of a pronoun, speakers use a name, a title or a relationship word, and they choose it according to age, rank and closeness. Getting this right matters as much as choosing the right speech level (Korean Grammar 2 1). This chapter is a map of the commonest choices. Real usage varies by region, family and workplace, so treat the tables as the safe default rather than a law.

The rule in one box 호칭 is how you call someone to their face; 지칭 is how you refer to someone when talking about them. Address a superior by title + 님 (not by name alone), a peer or junior by name + 씨 or just the name, and avoid 당신 for "you". Say "you" by repeating the name or title.

호칭 and 지칭

Situation	호칭 (calling)	지칭 (referring)
Your own mother	엄마 / 어머니!	우리 엄마 / 어머니
A manager	김 과장님!	김 과장님 (to a colleague)
A friend	민수야!	민수

Family terms

Siblings are named from the speaker's point of view: the word for an older sibling depends on whether the speaker is male or female.

Relative	Male speaker	Female speaker
Older brother	형	오빠
Older sister	누나	언니
Younger sibling	동생 (to refer to them); when calling, use their name
Mother / father	엄마 · 아빠 (casual, also used by adults); 어머니 · 아버지 (more formal)

To call a younger person or a close friend by name, add -아 after a final consonant and -야 after a vowel: 지은아, 민수야. Never use this with someone older or senior.

Workplace titles

In a company people are called by (surname) + job title + 님, not by name. Use the title that matches the person's position.

Title	Meaning	Example
사장님	company president; also a polite way to address a shop owner	사장님, 안녕하세요.
부장님	department head	박 부장님, 회의 시작할까요?
과장님	section chief	김 과장님, 확인 부탁드립니다.
팀장님	team leader	팀장님, 잠깐 시간 되세요?

님, 씨 and 선생님

Form	Used for	Careful with
-님	superiors, customers, respected people; attaches to titles	Do not add it to your own name or title.
-씨	equals and juniors, after a full name or first name	Not for superiors; 김 씨 (surname + 씨) sounds rude.
선생님	teachers, doctors, and respected people in general	Not limited to teachers: it is a respectful address for anyone.

Watch out: "you" is usually a name or title Do not translate "you" as 당신 in ordinary talk. It is used between married couples or in arguments, and can sound confrontational otherwise. Repeat the person's title or name instead: 부장님은 어떻게 생각하세요? ("What do you think, department head?"). Also prefer 우리나라 ("our country") to 저희 나라, because 저희 lowers the speaker's own side before an audience, and the country is not something to humble.

Polite refusals and requests

Purpose	Phrase	Meaning
Soft refusal	죄송하지만 어려울 것 같습니다.	I'm sorry, but I think that would be difficult.
Declining an offer	괜찮습니다, 감사합니다.	No, thank you.
Postponing	다음에 하겠습니다.	I'll do it next time.
Polite request	도와주시겠어요?	Would you help me?
Very polite request	도와주실 수 있을까요?	Might you be able to help me?
Calling attention	저, 실례지만…	Excuse me, but…

Customer-service language

Shops, banks and call centres use a stable set of phrases with -겠습니다 and the honorific -(으)시-.

Phrase	Meaning
고객님, 무엇을 도와드릴까요?	How can I help you, sir/madam?
확인해 보겠습니다.	I will check.
잠시만 기다려 주십시오.	Please wait a moment.
불편을 드려 죄송합니다.	We apologise for the inconvenience.
안내해 드리겠습니다.	I will guide you / explain it to you.

Watch out: do not honour things Staff sometimes say 커피 나오셨습니다 ("the coffee has come out", with the honorific -시- on the coffee). Many Koreans consider this wrong, because -(으)시- honours a person, not an object. The standard form is 커피 나왔습니다.

🗣️ In Use — 실제 예문

Three short exchanges.

① At the office

김 과장님, 지금 잠깐 시간 되세요? Manager Kim, do you have a moment now?

네, 말씀하세요. Yes, go ahead.

② Declining politely

오늘 저녁에 같이 식사하실래요? Would you like to have dinner together this evening?

죄송하지만 오늘은 어려울 것 같습니다. 다음에 하겠습니다. I'm sorry, but I think today is difficult. Next time.

③ At a service desk

고객님, 확인해 보겠습니다. 잠시만 기다려 주십시오. I will check for you. Please wait a moment.

📋 Quick Reference — 요약표

Need	Use
Call a superior	(surname) + title + 님
Call an equal or junior	name + 씨, or name + 아/야 for close friends
Say "you"	repeat the name or title
Older sibling	형 / 누나 (male speaker), 오빠 / 언니 (female speaker)
Refuse softly	죄송하지만 어려울 것 같습니다
Request politely	-아/어 주시겠어요?

✏️ Try It Yourself — 연습

Work out the answer first, then click to check.

1. You are male. What do you call your older sister, and what would a female speaker call her?

Show answer

You say 누나; a female speaker says 언니.

2. Call your friend 지은 by name, casually.

Show answer

지은아! (ends in a consonant, so -아)

3. Call your section chief, whose surname is 이.

Show answer

이 과장님!

4. Which is polite for a younger colleague: 민수 씨 or 민수 님?

Show answer

민수 씨. 님 is for superiors and customers.

5. Ask your department head "What do you think?" without using 당신.

Show answer

부장님은 어떻게 생각하세요?

6. Politely decline an offer of coffee.

Show answer

괜찮습니다, 감사합니다.

7. Ask a colleague, very politely, whether they could help you.

Show answer

도와주실 수 있을까요?

8. What is wrong with 커피 나오셨습니다, and what is the standard form?

Show answer

It puts the honorific -시- on an object. Say 커피 나왔습니다.

9. As a shop assistant, say "Please wait a moment."

Show answer

잠시만 기다려 주십시오.

Coming up in Chapter 5: Sino-Korean and Native Vocabulary. You will learn how 한자어 and 고유어 differ, how common roots build words, the prefixes and suffixes -적, -화, -성, 불- and 무-, and the 하다 / 되다 / 시키다 noun verbs.