Honorific particle: 께 (to respected person)

The particle 께 is a dative particle in Korean. This is just a fancy word for indicating a receiver. When you give, tell, or send something to someone, you use this. In basic Korean, you use 한테 in speech or 에게 in writing. However, these are neutral or casual. If the receiver is socially "higher" than you, you must switch. You swap those neutral particles for the respectful 께. This change signals that the recipient deserves special treatment. It is not just about being polite to the person you are talking to. It is specifically about the person who is getting the action. For example, if you tell your friend about a gift for your teacher. You would still use 께 for the teacher because the teacher is the recipient. It acts as a marker of high status. Think of it like a badge of honor for the person you are mentioning. It is a simple swap that carries a lot of weight. Even native speakers mess this up sometimes when they are nervous! But once you master it, you will feel much more confident in formal settings.

1. 1Identify the person who is receiving the action.
2. 2Check if they are older or have a higher social status than you.
3. 3Take the noun representing that person (e.g., 선생님, 할머니).
4. 4Simply attach 께 directly to the end of the noun.
5. 5Unlike many other particles, there is no change for consonants or vowels.
6. 6선생님 (ends in consonant) + 께 = 선생님께
7. 7의사 (ends in vowel) + 께 = 의사께
8. 8Ensure the verb at the end of the sentence also matches this respect level.
9. 9Usually, you will use honorific verbs like 드리다 instead of 주다.

You should use 께 whenever the receiver is someone you need to respect. This usually includes anyone significantly older than you. Think of your grandparents, parents, or elderly neighbors. It also includes people with higher professional titles. Your boss, your professors, and your doctors all fall into this category. You also use it in official or formal writing. If you are writing an email to a client, use 께. If you are sending a letter to a senior colleague, use 께. Imagine you are at a job interview and mentioning a former mentor. Using 께 shows you have great manners and professional etiquette. It is also common in religious contexts when addressing deities or clergy. Basically, if you would use a title like "Sir" or "Ma'am" in English, use 께. It is better to be too polite than not polite enough. If you are unsure, err on the side of using 께 for anyone older. It will never be seen as an insult to show too much respect!

Do not use 께 for your friends or younger siblings. It would sound very strange, almost like you are teasing them. Think of it like calling your younger brother "Your Majesty." It is just too much! Also, never use 께 for yourself. You cannot show honorific respect to yourself in Korean. That would make you sound extremely arrogant or just confused. You should also avoid using it for animals or inanimate objects. Giving a bone 께 to your dog is a big grammar no-no. Dogs get 한테. Similarly, sending a package 께 to a company is technically incorrect. For organizations or locations, you should use 에 instead. Only humans (and sometimes spiritual figures) can receive the respect of 께. If the person is of equal status and you are close friends, stick to 한테. Using 께 in a casual hangout might make your friends think you are being sarcastic. Keep it for the people who truly hold a higher position in your life.

The most common mistake is the "Verb Mismatch." This happens when you use 께 but forget to use an honorific verb. For example, saying 선생님께 줬어요 is a bit like wearing a tuxedo with muddy sneakers. The particle 께 (tuxedo) is formal, but 줬어요 (sneakers) is too casual. You must use 드렸어요 instead. Another mistake is confusing 께 with 께서. Remember that 께 means "to" someone. 께서 is the honorific version of the subject markers 이/가. It means "this person is doing the action." Do not mix them up! A third mistake is using it for people of lower status. If a boss is talking to an intern, the boss will not use 께. The intern uses it for the boss, but not vice versa. Hierarchy is a two-way street in Korean. Finally, some learners try to change 께 based on the final consonant. Remember: 께 is a "one size fits all" particle. It never changes to 이께 or anything else. Just stick it on and you are good to go!

Let's compare 께 with its cousins: 한테 and 에게. 한테 is the king of spoken Korean. It is what you use 90% of the time with friends, coworkers, and family. It feels warm and casual. 에게 is more formal and is mostly used in writing or news reports. It is the "textbook" version of "to." 께 sits at the very top of this pyramid. It is the most respectful and is reserved for specific people. If 한테 is a t-shirt and 에게 is a button-down shirt, then 께 is a full three-piece suit. There is also 한테서 and 에게서, which mean "from" someone. The honorific version of "from" is 께로부터 or sometimes just 께 depending on the verb. However, usually, 께 focuses on the direction of "to." Another pattern is 께 말씀드리다. This specifically replaces 한테 말하다 (to talk to). Whenever you speak to a senior, you don't just use 께, you also change the verb. Mastering these contrasts is the key to sounding like a pro. You need to choose the right tool for the right job.