Honorific nouns - Special respectful vocabulary

Korean has a system called "Subject Honorifics." This means if the person doing the action (the subject) is someone older or higher in status than you, the language needs to change. You have two main tools: adding the suffix -시- to verbs and using special honorific nouns. Most nouns stay the same, but a handful of very common words—like "name," "age," "house," and "meal"—have special "VIP versions." When you use these, you are signaling that the person you're talking about is worthy of extra respect. It’s like switching from a casual "Hey" to a formal "Good evening, Sir." Interestingly, these words don't just exist for the sake of being fancy; they are deeply rooted in Korean etiquette. If you use the plain word for a senior's house (집), it feels slightly cold or overly familiar. Using 댁 instead creates a polite distance that is actually considered warm and respectful in Korea. Think of it like a grammar traffic light: the honorific noun is the green light for a smooth, respectful conversation.

1. 1Unlike regular grammar rules where you add a predictable ending, honorific nouns are all about memorization. There isn't a magic formula like adding "-ing" in English. You just have to learn the pairs. Here are the heavy hitters you'll see every day:
2. 2Plain Noun → Honorific Noun
3. 3밥 (Meal) → 진지
4. 4이름 (Name) → 성함
5. 5나이 (Age) → 연세
6. 6집 (House) → 댁
7. 7말 (Speech/Words) → 말씀
8. 8생일 (Birthday) → 생신
9. 9이 (Teeth) → 치아 (More formal/medical) or 연세 (sometimes used for elder's health context).
10. 10Special Verbs (These often go hand-in-hand with honorific nouns):
11. 11먹다 (To eat) → 드시다 or 잡수시다
12. 12자다 (To sleep) → 주무시다
13. 13있다 (To be/stay) → 계시다
14. 14아프다 (To be sick) → 편찮으시다
15. 15죽다 (To die) → 돌아가시다 (Literally "to go back")

Use honorific nouns whenever the person you are talking about is someone you need to respect. This usually includes:

• Grandparents and Parents: Even if you are close, using 진지 or 댁 shows you value your roots.
• Bosses and Professors: In the workplace or at school, using 성함 instead of 이름 is the bare minimum for professionalism.
• Customers and Clients: If you work in service, everyone is a VIP! You'll always ask for a customer's 성함.
• Strangers older than you: When asking for directions or help from an elder, these words are your best friends.
• Formal Situations: Job interviews, speeches, or weddings are high-honorific zones.

Imagine you're at a job interview. If you ask the interviewer 이름이 뭐예요? (What's your name?), you might as well pack your bags. But if you ask 성함이 어떻게 되세요?, you’ve just earned major brownie points before the interview even starts.

This is the part where most people trip up. Never use honorific nouns for yourself. It sounds incredibly weird, like you're calling yourself "Your Majesty."

• Mistake: 제 진지는 맛있어요 (My [honorific] meal is delicious).
• Correction: 제 밥은 맛있어요 (My [plain] meal is delicious).

Similarly, don't use them for people younger than you or your very close friends (unless you're being sarcastic, but let's save that for B2 level!). If you use 주무시다 (honorific sleep) for your 5-year-old nephew, people will look at you like you’ve lost your mind. Also, avoid "over-honorifying" objects. Your boss's coffee doesn't have a 성함. The honorific applies to the person, not the inanimate things they own, though some exceptions like 댁 (house) and 성함 (name) are specific to the person's identity.

1. 1Mixing Levels: Using an honorific noun with a casual verb ending. Saying 할머니 진지 먹어 (Grandma, eat [casual] your [honorific] meal) is like wearing a tuxedo with flip-flops. Keep it consistent: 할머니, 진지 드세요.
2. 2The "Self-Honorific": As mentioned, calling your own house 댁 or your own birthday 생신. This is the #1 mistake for beginners.
3. 3Confusion between 드시다 and 잡수시다: Both mean "to eat" honorifically. 드시다 is much more common and modern. 잡수시다 is very traditional and usually reserved for much older people. If in doubt, stick with 드시다.
4. 4Forgetting 계시다: Many learners use 있으시다. While 있으시다 exists (it's for things someone *has*), 계시다 is the correct word for where a person *is*. 선생님이 교실에 계세요 (The teacher is in the classroom).

How do these special nouns differ from just adding -시-? Adding -시- is the "regular" way to honorify almost any verb (e.g., 가다 → 가시다). However, for the words we listed in the Formation Pattern, the "regular" way isn't enough. You can't just say 밥을 먹으시다. It exists, but it sounds like a learner who hasn't learned the "real" word yet. The special honorific nouns and verbs (like 진지 and 드시다) are suppletive forms, meaning they completely replace the original word. It’s the difference between saying "The person is eating" and "The guest is dining." One is fine, but the other shows you understand the social nuance of the situation.