TeacherJoy

I want to begin this lesson with the phrase “주세요.” So, what is it exactly? Many learners say, “Isn’t it like ‘please’ in English?”

Let’s break it down.

“주세요” consists of 4 parts: the verb stem ‘주-’ (to give), the subject honorific marker ‘-시-,’ the connective ending ‘-아’ (I called this the glue in a previous lesson), and finally, the listener honorific marker ‘-요.’

Most Korean teachers don’t explain this deeply because it’s hard to grasp all at once. Instead, we teach it as a chunk like ‘-으세요’ because when you’re asking for a favor, the doer is usually the listener.

Subject honorific speech is used when you want to elevate the grammatical subject. You add ‘-으시-’ after a verb stem that ends with a consonant, and ‘-시-’ after one that ends with a vowel.

Let’s practice.

Take the verb ‘주다’ (to give). Remove the ending ‘-다.’ Now you have ‘주-’ as the stem. Since it ends with a vowel, you add ‘-시-.’

If you’re a beginner, the 요-form is essential, so I’ll skip the deep details here.

Because the stem ends with the vowel /ㅣ/, attach ‘-어요.’ That gives us ‘주시어요,’ which shortens to 주셔요 or 주세요.

So literally, ‘주세요’ means give me, but grammatically, it means: “I show respect to the doer of the action with ‘-으시-,’ and to the listener with ‘-요.’”

So far, you’ve learned the subject honorific speech and the listener honorific speech (the 요-form).

Hang in there. We’re almost done.

The 요-form (Casual-Polite Form)

Now, let’s organize everything starting from the 요-form. We’ll use the verbs ‘읽다[익따]’ (to read) and ‘주다’ (to give).

General statement

읽어요, 줘요. With the subject honorific: 읽으세요, 주세요.

Question

읽어요? 줘요? Same spelling, just a rising tone. With the subject honorific, 읽으세요? 주세요? 

Request & command

Same pattern, 읽어요, 줘요. With the subject honorific: 읽으세요, 주세요. When you’re making a request, say it softly.

When you’re commanding, say it firmly. People will get the nuance.

Mode	Plain 요-form	요-from with subject honorific marker
General Statement	읽어요 줘요	읽으세요 주세요
Question	읽어요? 줘요?	읽으세요? 주세요?
Request	읽어요 줘요	읽으세요 주세요
Command	읽어요 줘요	읽으세요 주세요

Banmal (Intimate Form)

Now, when you’re talking with close friends, you use 반말 (casual speech). Simply remove the ‘-요.’

General statement

읽어. 줘. With the subject honorific, 읽으셔, 주셔.

Question

읽어? 줘?  With the subject honorific, 읽으셔? 주셔? 

Request

just add ‘-자.’ 읽자[익짜], 주자.

This one can’t take an honorific marker, because the doer can’t honor themselves. Requests in Korean always include both speaker and listener. Like “Let’s go,” “가자.”

Command

읽어. 줘. With the subject honorific, 읽으셔, 주셔.

Normally, banmal (casual speech) is used only between people who are really close — like friends or family.

So, when someone suddenly says something in an honorific way while speaking casually, it often sounds a bit playful or teasing.

The speaker is technically “elevating” the doer, even though they’re close enough not to.

That’s why it feels like a lighthearted joke, not real politeness.

I included this example because it’s actually heard quite often in everyday conversations.

Mode	Plain banmal	요-from with subject honorific marker
General Statement	읽어 줘	읽으셔 주셔
Question	읽어? 줘?	읽으셔? 주셔?
Request	읽자 주자	X
Command	읽어 줘	읽어 줘

The 니다-form (Formal Form)

And now comes the tricky one. The ‘니다-form.’ I just call it that to make it easier to remember. 

Native Koreans call it ‘합쇼체,’ but you don’t need to memorize that.

The 니다-form is used in formal or business settings, or in fixed polite expressions like ‘감사합니다.’

General statement

Add ‘-습니다’ after a consonant-ending stem, and ‘-ㅂ니다’ after a vowel-ending stem. 

So: 읽습니다, 줍니다. With the subject honorific: 읽으십니다, 주십니다.

Question

Add ‘-습니까’ after consonant-ending stems, and ‘-ㅂ니까’  after vowel-ending stems.

So: 읽습니까?, 줍니까? With the subject honorific: 읽으십니까?, 주십니까?

Request

Add ‘-읍시다’ after consonant-ending stems, and ‘-ㅂ시다’ after vowel-ending stems. 

So: 읽읍시다, 줍시다. With the subject honorific: 읽으십시다, 주십시다.

Command

Add ‘-으시오’ after consonant-ending stems, and ‘-시오’ after vowel-ending stems.

So: 읽으시오, 주시오. With the subject honorific: 읽으십시오, 주십시오. 

When spoken fast, they sound like 읽으쇼, 주쇼, 읽으십쇼, 주십쇼.

Mode	Plain banmal	요-from with subject honorific marker
General Statement	읽습니다 줍니다	읽으십니다 주십니다
Question	읽습니까? 줍니까?	읽으십니까? 주십니까?
Request	읽읍시다 줍시다	읽으십시다 주십시다
Command	읽으시오 주시오	읽으십시다 주십시다

‘주세요’ doesn’t literally mean please. It’s actually a very polite way to say give me.

If you survived this explanation, you’ve already learned more than most textbooks teach.

See you in the next lesson!