Honorific nouns: 댁 (house/home)

Korean has two types of words. There are plain words and honorific words. 집 is the plain word for house. 댁 is the fancy honorific version. You use it when talking about someone else. Specifically, someone you need to respect. It replaces 집 entirely in the sentence. You do not need any special endings. It is just a noun substitution. Think of it as a respectful upgrade. It is like swapping a sedan for a limousine. The grammar around it stays the same. You still use particles like 에 or 이. Only the noun itself changes its form. It is one of the easiest honorifics to learn. You just have to remember who is who.

1. 1Identify the person who owns the house.
2. 2Decide if they need honorific treatment.
3. 3If they do, delete the word 집 from your mind.
4. 4Replace it with the word 댁.
5. 5Add your usual particles like 가, 이, 에, or 에서.
6. 6For example, take "Teacher’s house."
7. 7Plain: 선생님 집 (A bit rude!)
8. 8Polite: 선생님 댁 (Perfect!)
9. 9It is truly that simple. There are no irregular conjugations here. You do not have to worry about batchim. 댁 always stays as 댁.

Use 댁 when talking to or about elders. This includes grandparents and elderly neighbors. Use it for people higher in rank. Your boss at work definitely deserves a 댁. Your professors at university also fall here. Even strangers deserve this level of respect. If you visit a new acquaintance, use 댁. It is very common in formal settings. Are you in a job interview? Use 댁. Are you meeting your partner's parents? Definitely use 댁. In fact, a woman calls her husband's family 시댁. This is a very specific cultural usage. It shows the deep respect for the in-laws. Think of it like a grammar green light. It keeps your social interactions moving smoothly.

Never, ever use 댁 for your own house. This is the golden rule. Korean honorifics are for lifting others up. Using them for yourself sounds very arrogant. Even if you live in a palace, it’s a 집. Don't use it for your younger brother. Don't use it for your close best friend. If you do, they might think you're joking. Or they might think you're being sarcastic. It’s like calling your own room "the royal chambers." It feels a bit silly, right? Keep it for people on your "respect list." Also, don't use it for children's houses. A 5-year-old does not have a 댁. That would be a grammar traffic jam. Just stick to 집 for equals and juniors.

The biggest mistake is saying 우리 댁. This translates to "our honorific house." It makes you sound like a narcissist. Always say 우리 집 or 저희 집 instead. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes! Usually, it happens when they are nervous. Another mistake is forgetting the honorific suffix 님. You should say 선생님 댁, not just 선생 댁. The latter sounds very cold and aggressive. Don't mix plain and honorific words randomly. If you use 댁, use polite verb endings too. Don't say 선생님 댁에 있어. Say 선생님 댁에 계세요. Consistency is the key to good Korean. Think of it like matching your shoes. You wouldn't wear one boot and one sandal.

How does 댁 differ from 집? 집 is neutral and factual. It describes a building where people live. 댁 describes the home as a place of honor. It carries an emotional weight of respect. Sometimes you might see 주택. That means "housing" or "residence" in a technical way. You see 주택 in real estate ads. You use 댁 in warm, personal conversations. Another similar word is 가정. This means "household" or "family home." It is more abstract than 댁. If you want to be polite, 댁 is your best friend. It is more personal than a technical term. It is more respectful than the basic term. It sits right in the sweet spot.