Humble verbs: 여쭙다/여쭤보다 (ask respected person)

Korean has different levels of speech. Some verbs have special "humble" forms. 여쭙다 is the humble form of 묻다. You use it when you are the one asking. The person you are asking must be "higher" than you. This could be an older person or a boss. It could also be a teacher or a stranger. By using 여쭙다, you are being very polite. It sounds much softer than the standard 묻다. Most people use 여쭤보다 in daily conversation. This adds the meaning of "trying" to ask. It sounds even more natural and gentle.

1. 1Start with the base verb 여쭙다.
2. 2To make it softer, add -어 보다.
3. 3This creates the combined form 여쭤보다.
4. 4For the present tense, use 여쭤봐요 or 여쭙습니다.
5. 5For the past tense, use 여쭤봤어요 or 여쭈었습니다.
6. 6For the future tense, use 여쭤볼게요 or 여쭙겠습니다.
7. 7Remember the "p" irregular rule here.
8. 8When 여쭙 meets a vowel, ㅂ changes to 우.
9. 9This is why we get 여쭈어 which becomes 여쭤.
10. 10It looks tricky but you will get used to it.

You should use this in professional settings. Use it when talking to your professor at university. It is perfect for job interviews. Use it when you meet your partner's parents. It is great for asking directions from elderly people. Use it whenever you want to be extra careful. If you are at a fancy restaurant, use it. If you are at a government office, use it. It shows you are a person of high culture. It makes people want to help you more.

Do not use this with your close friends. It will sound very weird and sarcastic. Do not use it for people younger than you. Avoid using it for your younger siblings or pets. Your cat does not need humble verbs! Also, do not use it for yourself. You cannot "humbly ask" yourself a question. If a teacher asks you a question, do not use it. In that case, the teacher is the one asking. You only use it when *you* are the asker. It is like a one-way street of respect.

Many people confuse 여쭙다 with 말씀드리다. 말씀드리다 is for "telling" or "saying" something. 여쭙다 is strictly for "asking" a question. Another mistake is using the wrong particle. You should use the particle 께 with the person. Do not use 한테 or 에게 with respected people. For example, say 선생님께 여쭤봐요. Some people forget the "p" irregular conjugation. They might say 여쭙어 which is wrong. Always remember to change it to 여쭤. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes! Just keep practicing and you will be fine.

Let's compare 묻다, 물어보다, and 여쭤보다. 묻다 is the basic, blunt dictionary form. 물어보다 is the standard polite way for equals. 여쭤보다 is the high-level humble version. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. 묻다 is red (be careful). 물어보다 is yellow (standard). 여쭤보다 is green (very safe for superiors). Also, compare it to 시 honorifics. 시 is used when the other person does the action. 여쭙다 is used when *you* do the action to them. It is a subtle but very important difference.