A2 Speech Levels 11 min read Easy

Honorific 'To Be' (계시다)

Use 계시다 to respectfully say a high-status person is present or staying in a location.
Mark as Learned
Practice it

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use '계시다' instead of '있다' when talking about someone you need to show respect to.

  • Use '계시다' for elders, teachers, or superiors: '할머니께서 집에 계세요.'
  • Use '있다' for yourself, friends, or objects: '저는 집에 있어요.'
  • Always pair '계시다' with honorific particles like '께서' instead of '이/가'.
Subject(Honorific) + 께서 + 계시다

Overview

Korean is a language where social relationships are encoded directly into the grammar. This system, known as 존대말 (jondaetmal), uses specific vocabulary and grammatical markers to show respect to the subject of a sentence. One of the most fundamental and non-negotiable honorifics you'll learn is the verb 계시다 (gyesida).

계시다 is the honorific equivalent of 있다 (itda), which means 'to be,' 'to have,' or 'to exist.' However, it's not formed by simply adding a polite suffix. Instead, 계시다 is a suppletive honorific. This means it's a completely different word that replaces the standard one.

This lexical substitution signals a much higher level of respect than a simple grammatical alteration. Think of it as the difference between saying "is here" and "is present" or "resides" in English, but with a mandatory social component.

You use 계시다 when the person who is or exists in a location is someone you must show deference to—an elder, a boss, a customer, or a public figure. Mastering 계시다 is a critical step beyond just polite endings; it demonstrates your understanding of the core cultural principle of honoring the individual's very presence. It is used exclusively to talk about a respected person, never about yourself.

How This Grammar Works

The function of 계시다 is precise: it replaces 있다 only when referring to the physical location or existence of a respected person. This is the single most important rule to remember. The choice to use 계시다 is dictated entirely by the social status of the subject of the sentence, not the listener.
If the subject is worthy of honor, you must use 계시다.
A major point of confusion for A2 learners is the distinction between 계시다 and 있으시다 (isseusida). Both are honorific forms related to 있다, but they are not interchangeable. Their domains are completely separate:
  1. 1계시다 (gyesida): For location and existence of a person. Use this to state where a respected person is.
  2. 2있으시다 (isseusida): For possession, attributes, or the existence of something related to a respected person. Use this to state that a respected person has something or that something exists for them.
This distinction arises because the Korean language elevates the very being or presence of a respected person with a unique verb (계시다), while their possessions or associated concepts are handled by the standard verb 있다 plus the honorific infix -(으)시-.
Let's compare this directly:
| Concept | Non-Honorific (친구, friend) | Honorific (사장님, CEO) | Explanation |
| :------------------- | :--------------------------------------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------ | :--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Location/Presence | 친구가 사무실에 있어요. (chinguga samusire isseoyo) | 사장님께서 사무실에 계세요. (sajangnimkkeseo samusire gyeseyo) | The subject (사장님) is a respected person, so their presence requires the suppletive verb 계시다. |
| Possession | 친구가 차가 있어요. (chinguga chaga isseoyo) | 사장님께서는 차가 있으세요. (sajangnimkkeseoneun chaga isseuseyo) | The thing that exists is a car (차), not the CEO. The CEO possesses it. We honor the CEO by adding -(으)시- to 있다. |
| Abstract Concepts | 친구가 질문이 있어요. (chinguga jilmuni isseoyo) | 사장님께서는 질문이 있으세요. (sajangnimkkeseoneun jilmuni isseuseyo) | A question (질문) exists. The CEO has it. We use 있으시다 because the CEO is not the question; they possess the question. |
To internalize this, ask yourself: "What is the thing that is existing?" If it's the honored person themselves, use 계시다. If it's a car, a question, an appointment, or a child that the honored person has, use 있으시다.
  • Correct: 할머니께서 거실에 계세요. (halmeonikkeseo geosire gyeseyo) - Grandma is in the living room.
  • Incorrect: 할머니께서 차가 계세요.
  • Correct: 할머니께서는 차가 있으세요. (halmeonikkeseoneun chaga isseuseyo) - Grandma has a car.

Formation Pattern

1
Since 계시다 is already an honorific verb, you never add the honorific infix -(으)시-. The verb stem is 계시- (gyesi-). You conjugate this stem directly by attaching the appropriate endings for tense and speech level. Attempting to add another layer of honorifics (e.g., *계시시다) is redundant and grammatically incorrect.
2
The conjugation is straightforward once you know the stem. Below is a comprehensive table of its most common forms.
3
| Speech Level & Tense | Ending / Rule | Conjugation | Romanization | Usage Context |
4
| :------------------------------ | :------------------------------ | :---------------------------------------------- | :----------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
5
| Present - Formal Polite | ~ㅂ니다 | 계십니다 | gyesimnida | Formal announcements, news, high-formality business settings. |
6
| Present - Standard Polite | ~어요 | 계세요 | gyeseyo | The most common, all-purpose polite form for daily conversation. |
7
| Present - Intimate/Plain | ~어 | 계셔 | gyesyeo | Rarely used. Speaking about a respected elder to a close friend, for example. |
8
| Past - Formal Polite | ~었습니다 | 계셨습니다 | gyesyeotseumnida | Formal report of a past presence. "He was present." |
9
| Past - Standard Polite | ~었어요 | 계셨어요 | gyesyeosseoyo | Common polite form for past tense. "She was at home." |
10
| Past - Intimate/Plain | ~었어 | 계셨어 | gyesyeosseo | Casual speech about a respected person's past location. |
11
| Future - Formal Polite | ~(으)실 겁니다 | 계실 겁니다 | gyesil geomnida | Formal statement of future presence. "The professor will be in his office." |
12
| Future - Standard Polite | ~(으)실 거예요 | 계실 거예요 | gyesil geoyeyo | Common polite way to express future presence. "My parents will be home later." |
13
| Conjunctive - 'and' | ~고 | 계시고 | gyesigo | Connecting clauses. "My father is at work, and my mother is at home." |
14
| Conjunctive - 'but' | ~지만 | 계시지만 | gyesijiman | Contrasting clauses. "The doctor is in, but he is busy." |
15
| Adjectival - Present | ~는 | 계시는 | gyesineun | Modifying a noun. "The teacher who is in the office..." (사무실에 계시는 선생님) |
16
| Adjectival - Past | ~(으)ㄴ | 계신 | gyesin | Modifying a noun in the past. "The guest who was here yesterday..." |
17
Negative Forms: To negate 계시다, you add 안 before the verb or use the ~지 않다 pattern.
18
안 계시다: This is the most common and natural-sounding negation.
19
부모님께서는 집에 안 계세요. (bumonimkkeseoneun jibe an gyeseyo) - My parents are not at home.
20
계시지 않다: This form is more emphatic or formal.
21
회장님은 현재 자리에 계시지 않습니다. (hoejangnimeun hyeonjae jarie gyesiji anseumnida) - The chairman is not at his seat at the moment.

When To Use It

Using 계시다 correctly is about social awareness. You use it when referring to someone whose position, age, or role demands respect relative to you. You are honoring the subject of the verb.
1. Elders and Respected Family Members:
This is the most common context. It is mandatory for grandparents and generally used for parents. Its usage for older siblings depends on the family's level of formality and the age gap.
  • 할아버지, 어디 계세요? (harabeoji, eodi gyeseyo?) - Grandfather, where are you?
  • 어머니는 지금 은행에 계실 거예요. (eomeonineun jigeum eunhaenge gyesil geoyeyo) - My mother is probably at the bank right now.
2. Professional and Academic Superiors:
In any hierarchical environment like a workplace or university, 계시다 is essential when speaking about your boss, manager, team lead, professor, or any senior colleague.
  • 김 부장님은 회의실에 계십니다. (gim bujangnimeun hoeuisire gyesimnida) - Department Head Kim is in the conference room.
  • 교수님, 내일 연구실에 계실까요? (gyosunim, naeil yeongusire gyesilkkayo?) - Professor, will you be in your office tomorrow?
3. Customers and Clients:
In service industries, employees refer to customers using honorifics to show respect and maintain professionalism. Although the employee may be older, the customer's role (손님, 고객님) dictates the use of 계시다.
  • A receptionist speaking: 잠시만요, 담당자분께서 지금 자리에 안 계셔서요. (jamsimanyo, damdangjabunkkeseo jigeum jarie an gyesyeoseoyo) - Just a moment, the person in charge isn't at their desk right now.
4. Public Figures and People of High Social Standing:
You would use 계시다 when referring to a president, a religious leader, a famous artist, or the CEO of another company, even if you don't know them personally.
  • News report: 대통령은 현재 청와대에 계십니다. (daetongnyeongeun hyeonjae cheongwadaee gyesimnida) - The president is currently at the Blue House.
When NOT to use 계시다:
  • For yourself: Never. Using 계시다 for yourself (*저는 집에 계세요) is a serious grammatical and social error, implying you are elevating yourself.
  • For those younger than you or of equal/lower status: It would sound unnatural and awkward.
  • For inanimate objects or animals: This is a very common mistake. Animals and objects 있어요, they don't 계세요. Using honorifics for a pet, while perhaps endearing, is grammatically incorrect in standard Korean and can sound comical.
  • Incorrect: *강아지가 소파 위에 계세요. (My puppy is on the sofa.)
  • Correct: 강아지가 소파 위에 있어요.

Common Mistakes

Navigating honorifics involves avoiding several common pitfalls. Understanding why these are mistakes is key to mastering 계시다.
Mistake 1: Confusing 계시다 (location) with 있으시다 (possession).
This is the most frequent error. Learners incorrectly use 계시다 to mean 'to have'.
  • Incorrect: *선생님은 질문이 계세요?
  • Why it's wrong: The thing that exists is a 'question' (질문), not the teacher. The teacher has a question. The honorific infix -(으)시- is attached to 있다 to honor the possessor.
  • Correct: 선생님, 질문이 있으세요? (seonsaengnim, jilmuni isseuseyo?) - Teacher, do you have a question?
Mistake 2: Using 계시다 for objects belonging to a respected person.
This is a subtle extension of the first mistake. Even if an object belongs to someone important, the object itself is not honored.
  • Incorrect: *사장님 차가 주차장에 계십니다.
  • Why it's wrong: The car (차) is in the parking lot. A car cannot be honored with 계시다. It sounds like you are speaking about the car as if it were a person.
  • Correct: 사장님 차가 주차장에 있습니다. (sajangnim chaga juchajange isseumnida) - The CEO's car is in the parking lot.
Mistake 3: Redundantly adding -(으)시- to 계시다.
Learners often over-apply the -(으)시- rule, attaching it to words that are already honorific.
  • Incorrect: 할머니께서 방에 계시셔요. (gyesisyeoyo)
  • Why it's wrong: 계시다 is a complete, suppletive honorific. The stem 계시- already contains the honorific meaning. Adding another 시 is like saying "He is-is here" with honorifics.
  • Correct: 할머니께서 방에 계세요. (halmeonikkeseo bange gyeseyo) - Grandma is in her room.
Mistake 4: Using 계시다 when the honored person is not the subject.
The honorific verb must match the sentence's subject. If the honored person is the object, another verb is needed.
  • Incorrect: *저는 선생님이 계시는 것을 봤어요. (A literal but very awkward translation of "I saw the teacher who is existing.")
  • Why it's wrong: While grammatically you can create a modifying clause like this, it's unnatural. The main action is 'seeing' (보다), not 'being'. You simply use the standard verb for 'see'.
  • Correct: 저는 선생님을 봤어요. (jeoneun seonsaengnimeul bwasseoyo) - I saw the teacher.

Real Conversations

Textbook examples are clean, but real-life usage is faster and more contextual. Here’s how 계시다 appears in modern, everyday situations.

S

Situation 1

Office phone call

(An employee, Lee, calls a manager at another company, Park.)

> 이대리: 안녕하세요, 박 과장님. 자리에 계신가요?

> (Lee: Hello, Manager Park. Are you at your desk?)

>

> 박과장: 네, 이대리님. 무슨 일이세요?

> (Park: Yes, Assistant Manager Lee. What can I do for you?)

O

Observation

~에 계신가요? is a very common and polite way to ask if someone is available over the phone.*
S

Situation 2

Texting a friend about their parents

> 영수: 오늘 저녁에 너희 집에 가도 돼? 부모님 계셔?

> (Yeongsu: Can I go to your house tonight? Are your parents home?)

>

> 민준: 응, 괜찮아. 아버지는 약속 있으셔서 안 계시고 어머니만 계실 거야.

> (Minjun: Yeah, that's fine. My dad has plans so he won't be here, only my mom will be.)

O

Observation

Between close friends, the plain form 계셔 and conjunctive 안 계시고 are used. It shows respect for the parents (부모님) even in a casual conversation.*
S

Situation 3

At a cafe (barista to a customer)

> 바리스타: 주문하신 아메리카노 나왔습니다. 진동벨 가지고 계신 고객님, 픽업대로 와주세요.

> (Barista: The Americano you ordered is ready. The customer who has the vibrating buzzer, please come to the pickup counter.)

O

Observation

This is a tricky one! 가지고 계시다 is the honorific for 가지고 있다 (to have/hold). It uses 계시다 because it describes the state of holding, a continuous action of being with an item. This is an advanced pattern but shows how 계시다 can be part of larger phrasal verbs.*
S

Situation 4

Social Media Post

(A person posts a photo with their respected mentor.)

> 캡션: 항상 제 곁에서 힘이 되어 주시는 교수님. 오래오래 건강하게 저희 곁에 계셔주세요. 사랑합니다!

> (Caption: Professor, you are always by my side giving me strength. Please stay by our side, healthy, for a long, long time. I love you!)

O

Observation

The form ~어/아 주다 combines with 계시다 to become 계셔 주다, a respectful way to ask someone to do the favor of staying somewhere.*

Quick FAQ

Q: Can I use 계시다 for my older brother or sister?
A: It depends. If the age gap is significant (e.g., 10+ years) or your family maintains a very formal structure, you might. However, for siblings who are close in age, it can sound distant and overly formal. Most people would just use 있어 or 있어요.
Q: What is the difference between 계세요 and the 계셔요 I sometimes see?
A: 계세요 is the standard contraction of 계시어요. 계셔요 is a more direct, but now somewhat archaic, alternative conjugation. While grammatically correct, 계세요 is overwhelmingly the standard in modern spoken Korean. Using 계셔요 might make you sound like you're reciting a line from an older drama.
Q: Can I use 계시다 to ask "How are you?"
A: No. 계시다 is strictly for location or existence. To ask "How are you?" to a respected person, you should use 어떻게 지내세요? (eotteoke jinaeseyo?) or 잘 지내세요? (jal jinaeseyo?).
Q: You said 계시다 isn't for animals, but I've heard people use it for the king in a folktale who is an animal. Why?
A: That's a great observation about anthropomorphism. In stories, fables, or when a pet is given a human-like persona (often humorously), speakers might break the rule and use honorifics like 계시다 to treat the animal as a respected character. This is a creative, exceptional use case.
For any real-world animal, 99.9% of the time, it's incorrect.
Q: Is there an honorific for 없다 (to not exist)?
A: Yes, there are two. If you are negating location, you use 안 계시다. If you are negating possession, you use 없으시다 (eopseusida). This follows the same logic as 계시다 vs. 있으시다.
  • Location: 선생님은 지금 교실에 안 계세요. (The teacher is not in the classroom now.)
  • Possession: 선생님은 시간이 없으세요. (The teacher does not have time.)

Conjugation of 계시다

Speech Level Present Past Future
Formal (하십시오)
계십니다
계셨습니다
계실 것입니다
Polite (해요)
계세요
계셨어요
계실 거예요
Plain (해라)
계신다
계셨다
계실 것이다

Meanings

The honorific form of the verb '있다' (to be/exist/stay), used to show respect to the subject of the sentence.

1

Existence/Location

To be present or located somewhere (honorific).

“사장님께서 사무실에 계세요.”

“어머니께서 방에 계십니다.”

2

Staying

To stay or remain in a place (honorific).

“여기 잠시 계세요.”

“집에 계시는 게 좋겠어요.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Honorific 'To Be' (계시다)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Subject + 께서 + 계시다
할머니께서 계십니다.
Negative
Subject + 께서 + 안 계시다
할머니께서 안 계십니다.
Question
Subject + 께서 + 계십니까?
할머니께서 계십니까?
Past
Subject + 께서 + 계셨다
할머니께서 계셨습니다.
Future
Subject + 께서 + 계실 것이다
할머니께서 계실 것입니다.
Polite Request
Subject + 께서 + 계셔 주세요
여기 계셔 주세요.

Formality Spectrum

Formal
할머니께서 집에 계십니다.

할머니께서 집에 계십니다. (Family)

Neutral
할머니께서 집에 계세요.

할머니께서 집에 계세요. (Family)

Informal
할머니 집에 계셔.

할머니 집에 계셔. (Family)

Slang
할머니 집에 계심.

할머니 집에 계심. (Family)

The 'To Be' Hierarchy

To Be (Existence)

Neutral

  • 있다 Standard

Honorific

  • 계시다 For people
Sign up free to read full explanation

Examples by Level

1

할머니께서 집에 계세요.

Grandmother is at home.

2

선생님께서 학교에 계십니다.

The teacher is at school.

3

아버지가 계세요?

Is father here?

4

어머니께서 방에 계세요.

Mother is in the room.

1

사장님께서 사무실에 안 계세요.

The boss is not in the office.

2

할아버지께서 병원에 계십니다.

Grandfather is at the hospital.

3

지금 어디에 계세요?

Where are you (honorific) right now?

4

손님께서 밖에 계십니다.

The guest is outside.

1

부모님께서는 지금 고향에 계십니다.

My parents are in their hometown right now.

2

교수님께서 연구실에 계시는지 확인해 보세요.

Please check if the professor is in the lab.

3

어르신께서 여기 잠시 계셔도 될까요?

May the elder stay here for a moment?

4

부장님께서 회의실에 계시니까 나중에 오세요.

The manager is in the meeting room, so come later.

1

할머니께서 건강하게 오래 계시길 바랍니다.

I hope grandmother stays healthy for a long time.

2

어머니께서 집에 계시지 않아서 전화를 드렸습니다.

Mother wasn't home, so I called her.

3

그분은 지금 해외에 계시는 것으로 알고 있습니다.

I understand that he/she is currently abroad.

4

사장님께서 자리에 계실 때 보고를 드려야 합니다.

I must report to the boss when he is at his desk.

1

선생님께서 이곳에 계셔 주셔서 정말 든든합니다.

It is very reassuring that you (teacher) are here with us.

2

어르신께서 댁에 계시지 않는다면 어디에 가셨을까요?

If the elder is not at home, where could they have gone?

3

그분께서 아직도 그 회사에 계시는지 궁금하네요.

I wonder if he/she is still at that company.

4

부모님께서 곁에 계시는 것만으로도 큰 힘이 됩니다.

Just having my parents by my side is a great strength.

1

어르신께서 평소에 즐겨 계시던 자리에 앉으셨습니다.

The elder sat in the seat where they usually stay/sit.

2

그분께서 그곳에 계셨더라면 상황이 달라졌을 것입니다.

If he/she had been there, the situation would have been different.

3

선생님께서 자리에 계시지 않음에도 불구하고 회의는 진행되었습니다.

Even though the teacher was not present, the meeting proceeded.

4

부모님께서 늘 건강하게 곁에 계셔 주시기를 간절히 기원합니다.

I earnestly pray that my parents will always stay by my side in good health.

Easily Confused

Honorific 'To Be' (계시다) vs 있다 vs 계시다

Learners often use them interchangeably.

Honorific 'To Be' (계시다) vs 계시다 vs 있으시다

Both are honorifics.

Honorific 'To Be' (계시다) vs 이/가 vs 께서

Learners forget to switch particles.

Common Mistakes

✗

저는 집에 계세요.

✓

저는 집에 있어요.

Never use honorifics for yourself.
✗

할머니가 계세요.

✓

할머니께서 계세요.

Use honorific particle 께서 with honorific verbs.
✗

선생님이 있다.

✓

선생님께서 계시다.

Must use honorific verb for teachers.
✗

어머니가 계십니다.

✓

어머니께서 계십니다.

Particle mismatch.
✗

사장님이 계시나요?

✓

사장님께서 계시나요?

Particle mismatch.
✗

할아버지가 계실 거예요.

✓

할아버지께서 계실 거예요.

Particle mismatch.
✗

선생님은 집에 있다.

✓

선생님께서는 집에 계시다.

Need honorific verb.
✗

부모님께서 시간이 계십니다.

✓

부모님께서 시간이 있으십니다.

Use 있으시다 for possession.
✗

교수님께서 계시지 않으십니다.

✓

교수님께서 안 계십니다.

Keep it simple.
✗

그분은 집에 계신다.

✓

그분께서는 집에 계십니다.

Register mismatch.
✗

어르신께서 계셔 주셔서 감사합니다.

✓

어르신께서 계셔서 감사합니다.

Over-honorification.

Sentence Patterns

___께서 ___에 계세요.

___께서 ___에 안 계세요.

___께서 ___에 계신지 아세요?

___께서 ___에 계시길 바랍니다.

Real World Usage

Texting very common

선생님, 지금 학교에 계세요?

Job Interview common

부모님께서 고향에 계십니다.

Food Delivery occasional

사장님께서 안에 계세요?

Travel common

가이드님께서 어디에 계십니까?

Social Media common

할머니께서 집에 계심.

Family Gathering constant

할아버지께서 방에 계세요.

Sign up free to see all examples
💡

Self-Check

Always ask: 'Am I talking about myself?' If yes, never use '계시다'.
⚠️

Particle Check

Always pair '계시다' with '께서'.
🎯

Possession vs Location

Use '계시다' for location, '있으시다' for possession.
💬

Social Harmony

Using '계시다' shows you respect the other person's status.

Smart Tips

Always check if you used '께서' and '계시다'.

할머니가 집에 있다. → 할머니께서 집에 계시다.

Use '있으시다' instead of '계시다'.

할머니께서 돈이 계시다. → 할머니께서 돈이 있으시다.

Never use honorifics for your own actions.

저는 집에 계십니다. → 저는 집에 있습니다.

Use the honorific question form '계십니까?'.

할머니가 집에 있나요? → 할머니께서 집에 계십니까?

Pronunciation

gye-sim-ni-da

Linking

The 'ㅅ' in '계십니다' is pronounced clearly.

Rising

계세요? ↑

Questioning tone.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of '계시다' as a 'King-sita'. Kings get respect, so they get the special '계시다' verb.

Visual Association

Imagine a king sitting on a throne. You wouldn't just say 'he is there', you'd say 'he is present' (계시다).

Rhyme

For friends use '있다', for elders '계시다'.

Story

You are at a party. You see your friend and say '있다'. Then your teacher walks in. You immediately switch to '계시다' to show respect. It's like a mental switch you flip.

Word Web

계시다있다께서어르신선생님부모님사장님

Challenge

Write 3 sentences about your family members using '계시다' today.

Cultural Notes

Respect for elders is paramount. Using '계시다' is a basic requirement for social harmony.

Derived from the honorific suffix '-시-' and the verb '있다'.

Conversation Starters

“

지금 부모님께서 어디에 계세요?

“

선생님께서 지금 학교에 계십니까?

“

사장님께서 사무실에 계신지 아세요?

“

어르신께서 댁에 계시지 않다면 어디에 가셨을까요?

Journal Prompts

Describe where your grandparents are today.
Write a short note to your teacher asking if they are in the office.
Reflect on the importance of honorifics in Korean culture.
Write a story about a surprise visit to an elder.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Sign up free to see all tips

Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

할머니께서 집에 ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 계시다
Use honorific for grandmother.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 할머니께서 집에 계세요.
Correct honorific usage.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

선생님이 집에 계십니다.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 선생님께서 집에 계십니다.
Use 께서.
Change to honorific. Sentence Transformation

아버지가 집에 있다.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 아버지께서 집에 계시다.
Honorific verb and particle.
Is this true? True False Rule

Can you use '계시다' for yourself?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: No
Never use honorifics for self.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: 사장님 어디 계세요? B: ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 사무실에 계세요.
Polite response.
Build the sentence. Sentence Building

할머니 / 계시다 / 집에 / 께서

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 할머니께서 집에 계시다.
Correct word order.
Sort by verb type. Grammar Sorting

Sort: 있다, 계시다, 있으시다

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Neutral, Honorific(Loc), Honorific(Pos)
Correct classification.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

할머니께서 집에 ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 계시다
Use honorific for grandmother.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 할머니께서 집에 계세요.
Correct honorific usage.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

선생님이 집에 계십니다.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 선생님께서 집에 계십니다.
Use 께서.
Change to honorific. Sentence Transformation

아버지가 집에 있다.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 아버지께서 집에 계시다.
Honorific verb and particle.
Is this true? True False Rule

Can you use '계시다' for yourself?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: No
Never use honorifics for self.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: 사장님 어디 계세요? B: ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 사무실에 계세요.
Polite response.
Build the sentence. Sentence Building

할머니 / 계시다 / 집에 / 께서

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 할머니께서 집에 계시다.
Correct word order.
Sort by verb type. Grammar Sorting

Sort: 있다, 계시다, 있으시다

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Neutral, Honorific(Loc), Honorific(Pos)
Correct classification.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Translate to Korean using honorifics. Translation

Is the teacher in the classroom?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 선생님, 교실에 계세요?
Reorder to say 'My parents are in Korea.' Sentence Reorder

부모님은 / 계세요 / 한국에

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 부모님은 한국에 계세요
Complete the formal sentence. Fill in the Blank

회장님께서 지금 회의실에 ____.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 계십니다
Match the situation with the correct verb. Match Pairs

Match the pairs:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Talking about a teacher : 계세요
Which is the correct past tense for an elder? Multiple Choice

Choose the correct past tense:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 계셨어요
Correct the self-honorific mistake. Error Correction

질문이 있으면 저는 도서관에 계실 거예요.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 질문이 있으면 저는 도서관에 있을 거예요.
Translate: 'Grandmother is at home.' Translation

Grandmother is at home.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 할머니는 집에 계세요.
Complete the progressive honorific form (is doing). Fill in the Blank

어머니께서 요리하고 ____.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 계세요
Pick the polite negative form. Multiple Choice

He/She is not here (politely):

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 안 계세요
Reorder: 'Where is the professor?' Sentence Reorder

어디 / 교수님은 / 계세요 / ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 교수님은 어디 계세요?

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

No, '계시다' is for people you need to show respect to. Use '있다' for friends.

It is the honorific version of '이/가'. It matches the honorific verb '계시다'.

When in doubt, use '계시다'. It's better to be too polite than rude.

No. '계시다' is for location, '있으시다' is for possession.

Yes, absolutely. It is required for superiors.

It's considered 'self-honorification', which is culturally inappropriate in Korean.

Yes, it is used in formal reports and letters.

Add '-었-' to the stem: '계셨습니다'.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

Sign up free to practice

In Other Languages

Spanish low

estar

Korean changes the verb itself for respect.

French low

être

Korean uses honorific verbs.

German low

sein

Korean uses honorific verbs.

Japanese high

irassharu

Both languages use honorific verbs for existence.

Arabic low

wujida

Korean uses honorific verbs.

Chinese low

zai

Korean uses honorific verbs.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Korean 'To' for VIPs: The Honorific Particle 께
Next
Honorific Eating: 드시다 & 잡수시다

Learn These First

A1 Builds On

Being & Having (있다/없다)

Overview In Korean, the verbs `있다` (itda) and `없다` (eopda) are fundamental for expressing both **existence** and **p...

Related Grammar Rules

B1

Humble Verbs: Taking & Serving Superiors (모시다)

Overview Korean, much like its East Asian linguistic relatives, is a language where social context dictates expression....
A2

Special Honorific Verb: To Sleep (주무시다)

Overview Korean communication operates within a sophisticated system of **honorifics** (높임말, _noppimmal_), which are...
A2

Honorific Eating: 드시다 & 잡수시다

Overview Korean society is deeply rooted in hierarchical respect, a principle that permeates its language, especially ev...
B1

Respectful VIP Verbs (계시다, 드시다)

Overview In Korean, showing respect extends beyond mere politeness levels; it's intricately woven into the very fabric...
B1

Respectful Asking (여쭙다/여쭤보다)

Overview Korean communication is deeply interwoven with a sophisticated system of honorifics, which acknowledges the soc...
Was this helpful?

Comments (0)

Login to Comment
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!