댁 (honorific house) - Home/Residence

Korean has a dual-track vocabulary system. We have "plain" words and "honorific" words. 댁 belongs to the honorific track. When you use it, you are performing a verbal bow. It functions exactly like a normal noun, meaning you can attach particles like 이/가, 을/를, or 에 to it. The magic happens when you swap out 집 for 댁 in a sentence. This simple switch changes the entire vibe of the conversation. It signals to your listener that you are speaking about someone who deserves high regard. It is a bit like the difference between saying "his place" and "his residence" in English, but with a much stronger cultural punch. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes when they are nervous! Just remember: 댁 is for them, never for you.

1. 1Using 댁 is incredibly straightforward. It does not require complex verb conjugations or ending changes.
2. 2Identify the person whose house you are talking about.
3. 3Ensure they are someone of higher status or an elder (Teacher, Boss, Grandparents).
4. 4Add their title or name followed by the possessive marker 의 (though 의 is often dropped in speech).
5. 5Place 댁 after the name or title.
6. 6Example: 선생님 (Teacher) + 댁 = 선생님 댁 (Teacher's house).
7. 7Example: 사장님 (CEO) + 댁 = 사장님 댁 (CEO's house).
8. 8You can also use it with specific family relations. For example, 할머니 댁 (Grandmother's house) is much more natural and respectful than 할머니 집. It is like a grammar traffic light: 집 is green for friends, but 댁 is the red light that tells you to slow down and show respect.

You should reach for 댁 in three main scenarios. First, when speaking to someone of higher social status about their own home. If you are asking your professor if they are at home, you would say, "댁에 계세요?" (Are you at your residence?). Second, when talking to a third party about an elder's home. If you are telling a friend that you visited your grandfather's house, use 할아버지 댁. It shows that you are a well-mannered person who respects their elders. Third, in formal phone etiquette. When calling a landline and wanting to confirm you reached the right family, you ask, "김 선생님 댁입니까?" (Is this the residence of Mr. Kim?). Using 댁 here makes you sound incredibly professional and polite. It is like an instant "professionalism" buff for your Korean speaking skills.

This is where most learners trip up. Never use 댁 to refer to your own house. If you say "우리 댁에 오세요" (Come to my honorific residence), you will sound like you think you are royalty! It is unintentionally hilarious but quite awkward. In Korean, you must always be humble about yourself and your own belongings. Always use 집 or the even more humble 저희 집 when talking about your own place. Also, avoid using 댁 for people younger than you or close friends of the same age. Using it for your 10-year-old brother would be like calling his bedroom a "majestic estate." It just feels weird. Think of it like a crown; you only put it on other people's heads, never your own.

The most frequent mistake is the "Self-Honorific Trap" we just mentioned. Even if you live in a literal palace, it is still your 집. Another common error is mixing speech levels. If you use 댁, you should almost always use the honorific verb 계시다 (to be/stay) instead of 있다. Saying "선생님 댁에 있어요" is like wearing a tuxedo with flip-flops. It is a mismatch! Instead, say "선생님 댁에 계세요." Finally, don't over-honorific. You don't need to use 댁 for a restaurant or a shop unless the owner is your direct superior and you are focusing on their personal living space. Stick to 집 for businesses like "맛집" (famous restaurant).

The main rival here is 집.

• 집 is for your home, your friends' homes, and general buildings.
• 댁 is for your boss, your teacher, your elders, and strangers in formal settings.

Another word you might hear is 가정 (home/family). While 댁 refers to the physical residence or the "household" in a social sense, 가정 is more abstract, like "home life" or "family environment." You wouldn't usually visit someone's 가정, but you would definitely visit their 댁. There is also 시댁 (the husband's family's house), which is a specific term used by married women. Don't confuse it with 처가 (the wife's family's house)—Korean family terms are a whole different puzzle!