Subject Honorifics -(eu)si: The "VIP" Verb Endings
-(으)시 to honor the person DOING the action, unless that person is you.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use -(eu)si to show respect to the subject of your sentence when they are older or in a higher social position.
- Add -si if the verb stem ends in a vowel: 가다 -> 가시다.
- Add -usi if the verb stem ends in a consonant: 먹다 -> 먹으시다.
- Use -si- with irregular stems like 'ㄹ' dropping: 만들다 -> 만드시다.
Overview
The Korean language is built on a complex and nuanced system of respect, and one of its most fundamental pillars is the concept of subject honorification. This is where the verb suffix -(으)시- (-(eu)si-) comes in. Think of it as a grammatical spotlight you shine on the person performing an action to show them deference and respect.
It elevates the subject of the verb, signaling that they hold a higher social status than the speaker or are someone deserving of public politeness.
This is fundamentally different from the politeness level of your sentence ending (like -ㅂ니다 vs. -어), which is about respecting the person you are talking to. -(으)시- is about respecting the person you are talking about.
Mastering this distinction is a critical milestone in moving from a beginner to an intermediate speaker. Forgetting it can make you sound blunt or disrespectful, but using it correctly demonstrates cultural fluency and social awareness. It is used constantly in everyday life, from speaking with family to interacting with customers and navigating the workplace.
For instance, if you are telling your friend about your professor, the professor is the subject, and you must elevate the verb. If you are telling your professor about your friend, the friend is the subject, and you must not. The -(으)시- suffix is the tool that makes this switch possible, embedding social hierarchy directly into the structure of the sentence.
Conjugation Table
| Verb Category | Stem End | Rule | Dictionary Form | Verb Stem | Honorific Stem | Polite Present (-세요) |
Formal Present (-십니다) |
Polite Past (-셨어요) |
Polite Future (-실 거예요) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ||
| Vowel Stem | Vowel | Add -시- |
가다 (to go) |
가- |
가시- |
가세요 |
가십니다 |
가셨어요 |
가실 거예요 |
||
| Vowel Stem | Vowel | Add -시- |
배우다 (to learn) |
배우- |
배우시- |
배우세요 |
배우십니다 |
배우셨어요 |
배우실 거예요 |
||
| Consonant Stem | Consonant | Add -으시- |
읽다 (to read) |
읽- |
읽으시- |
읽으세요 |
읽으십니다 |
읽으셨어요 |
읽으실 거예요 |
||
| Consonant Stem | Consonant | Add -으시- |
닫다 (to close) |
닫- |
닫으시- |
닫으세요 |
닫으십니다 |
닫으셨어요 |
닫으실 거예요 |
||
ㄹ Irregular |
ㄹ |
Drop ㄹ, add -시- |
살다 (to live) |
살- |
사시- |
사세요 |
사십니다 |
사셨어요 |
사실 거예요 |
||
ㄹ Irregular |
ㄹ |
Drop ㄹ, add -시- |
만들다 (to make) |
만들- |
만드시- |
만드세요 |
만드십니다 |
만드셨어요 |
만드실 거예요 |
||
ㄷ Irregular |
ㄷ |
ㄷ -> ㄹ |
듣다 (to listen) |
듣- |
들으시- |
들으세요 |
들으십니다 |
들으셨어요 |
들으실 거예요 |
||
ㅂ Irregular |
ㅂ |
ㅂ -> 우 |
눕다 (to lie down) |
눕- |
누우시- |
누우세요 |
누우십니다 |
누우셨어요 |
누우실 거예요 |
||
ㅅ Irregular |
ㅅ |
ㅅ drops |
짓다 (to build) |
짓- |
지으시- |
지으세요 |
지으십니다 |
지으셨어요 |
지으실 거예요 |
||
| Suppletive | N/A | Unique Word | 있다 (to be/exist) |
있- |
계시- |
계세요 |
계십니다 |
계셨어요 |
계실 거예요 |
||
| Suppletive | N/A | Unique Word | 먹다 (to eat) |
먹- |
드시- |
드세요 |
드십니다 |
드셨어요 |
드실 거예요 |
||
| Suppletive | N/A | Unique Word | 자다 (to sleep) |
자- |
주무시- |
주무세요 |
주무십니다 |
주무셨어요 |
주무실 거예요 |
||
| Suppletive | N/A | Unique Word | 말하다 (to speak) |
말하- |
말씀하시- |
말씀하세요 |
말씀하십니다 |
말씀하셨어요 |
말씀하실 거예요 |
How This Grammar Works
-(으)시- is to separate respect for the listener from respect for the subject. This is a crucial concept. Korean grammar manages two independent axes of respect:- 1Addressee Honorification (상대 높임법, sangdae nopimbeop): This honors the listener and is determined by the sentence-final ending. Using
합니다is formal and shows high respect to the listener; using-어요is polite but less formal; using-어is casual and shows intimacy.
- 1Subject Honorification (주체 높임법, juche nopimbeop): This honors the subject of the sentence (the one doing the action) and is handled by
-(으)시-. This is independent of the listener.
교수님) and a friend (친구).- Talking TO your friend ABOUT the professor: You use a casual speech level for your friend, but you must use
-(으)시-for the professor. 교수님께서 지금 강의실에 가셔.(The professor is going to the classroom now.)- Here,
가셔is a contraction of가시-(honorific) +-어(casual ending).
- Talking TO the professor ABOUT your friend: You use a formal speech level for the professor, but you must NOT use
-(으)시-for your friend. 교수님, 제 친구가 지금 강의실에 갑니다.(Professor, my friend is going to the classroom now.)- The verb
갑니다shows respect to the listener (the professor) but not the subject (the friend).
- Talking TO the professor ABOUT another professor: You must honor both. You use a formal speech level for the listener and
-(으)시-for the subject. 교수님, 박 교수님께서 지금 강의실에 가십니다.(Professor, Professor Park is going to the classroom now.)
-(으)세요, which is a contraction of the honorific stem plus the polite ending -아요/어요.- Formation of
-(으)세요:-(으)시-+-어요→-(으)셔요→-(으)세요 보시다+-어요→보셔요→보세요- Formation of
-(으)셨어요:-(으)시-+-었-(past tense) +-어요 읽으시다+-었-+-어요→읽으셨어요
Formation Pattern
-(으)시- is a reliable, three-step process. Follow it precisely to form correct honorific verbs.
-다 from the dictionary form of the verb. This is your base.
찾다 (to find) → 찾-
기다리다 (to wait) → 기다리-
열다 (to open) → 열-
으 acts as a euphonic connector when needed.
-시- directly to the stem.
기다리- + -시- → 기다리시-
할머니께서 저를 기다리세요. (My grandmother is waiting for me.)
-으시- to the stem. The 으 vowel bridges the consonant-to-consonant sound.
찾- + -으시- → 찾으시-
사장님께서 서류를 찾으십니다. (The boss is looking for the documents.)
ㄹ: This is a key exception. The ㄹ is dropped, and then you add -시- as if it were a vowel stem.
열- → (drop ㄹ) 여- + -시- → 여시-
선생님께서 창문을 여세요. (The teacher opens the window.)
기다리시-, 찾으시-, 여시-) as the base for all further conjugations.
... + -어요 → -(으)세요
... + -ㅂ니다 → -(으)십니다
... + -었어요 → -(으)셨어요
... + -었습니다 → -(으)셨습니다
... + -ㄹ 거예요 → -(으)실 거예요
When To Use It
-(으)시- in the following situations:- Social Superiors: This is the most obvious use case. It is required when the subject is an elder, a parent or grandparent, a teacher, a boss, or a senior colleague (
선배, seonbae). 아버지께서 신문을 읽으세요.(My father reads the newspaper.)김 부장님은 회의에 참석하셨습니다.(Manager Kim attended the meeting.)
- Customers and Clients: In any service context, the customer is treated as a superior. Honorifics are the default for all communication.
- Barista:
커피 나오셨습니다.(Your coffee has come out.) Note: This is a controversial but extremely common form of indirect honorification. - Receptionist:
성함과 연락처를 여기에 적어주시겠어요?(Would you please write your name and contact information here?)
- Strangers and Public Figures: As a sign of general politeness and respect,
-(으)시-is used for strangers who are adults. It is also the standard in news reporting and formal announcements about public figures. 어르신, 먼저 앉으세요.(Elder, please sit first.)- News Anchor:
대통령은 내일 미국을 방문하실 예정입니다.(The president is scheduled to visit the United States tomorrow.)
- Indirect Honorification: This is a more advanced but common usage where you honor someone by raising an attribute, possession, or even an idea associated with them. The grammatical subject is inanimate, but the honor is directed at the person.
할머니는 귀가 아주 밝으세요.(Grandmother's hearing is very sharp.) The subject is귀(ears), but the honor is for할머니(grandmother).교수님의 연구가 아주 뛰어나십니다.(The professor's research is outstanding.)
When Not To Use It
-(으)시- is just as important as using it correctly. Using it in the wrong context can sound sarcastic, distant, or simply ungrammatical.- For Yourself: Never use
-(으)시-to describe your own actions. Doing so is the most common and jarring mistake a learner can make. It is perceived as arrogant or ignorant. - ❌ Wrong:
제가 곧 도착하시겠습니다. - ✓ Correct:
제가 곧 도착하겠습니다.(I will arrive soon.)
- For Subjects of Lower Status: Do not use honorifics for people younger than you, your juniors (
후배, hubae), or (in most cases) your close friends of the same age. It creates an awkward social distance. - ❌ Wrong (to a friend about your little brother):
제 동생이 숙제를 하세요. - ✓ Correct:
제 동생이 숙제를 해요.(My younger brother is doing his homework.)
- Inanimate Objects (that don't represent a person): While indirect honorification exists, you do not honor a general object. The context must clearly link the object to a respected person.
- ❌ Wrong:
날씨가 좋으시다.(The weather is honorably good.) - ✓ Correct:
날씨가 좋다.(The weather is good.)
압존법(Abjonbeop / Squeezedown Honorifics): This is a traditional rule that is fading but still exists in some conservative settings (families, military, some corporations). The rule states: if your listener outranks the subject of your sentence, you do not use an honorific for the subject. For example, when speaking to your grandfather about your father, you would traditionally say아버지가 왔습니다(not오셨습니다). However, this rule is confusing and often ignored by the younger generation. The modern standard is leaning towards always using-(으)시-for a subject who deserves honor, regardless of the listener's status.
Common Mistakes
-(으)시-. Be mindful of these common traps.- 1The
있다Confusion: The verb있다has two distinct honorific forms. Using the wrong one is a frequent mistake.
- Use
있으시다for possession or inherent states. It's the standard-(으)시-conjugation. 사장님은 좋은 차가 있으세요.(The boss has a nice car.)질문 있으신 분?(Anyone who has a question?)- Use
계시다(a suppletive verb) for location or existence. 어머니는 지금 거실에 계세요.(My mother is in the living room now.)- ❌ Wrong:
어머니는 지금 거실에 있으세요.(While becoming more common colloquially, this is grammatically incorrect.)
- 1Redundant Honorifics: Suppletive honorific verbs like
드시다(to eat) and주무시다(to sleep) already contain the honorific meaning. Do not add another-(으)시-to them.
- ❌ Wrong:
할아버지께서 진지를 드시십니다. - ✓ Correct:
할아버지께서 진지를 드십니다.(Grandfather eats his meal.)
- 1Past Tense Contractions: The past tense form is
-(으)셨다, not-(으)시었다. The시and었always merge.
- ❌ Wrong:
선생님께서 오시었어요. - ✓ Correct:
선생님께서 오셨어요.(The teacher came.)
- 1Particle Mismatch: In formal situations or when showing a high degree of respect, the subject marking particles
이/가and topic particles은/는are often upgraded to께서and께서는respectively. While using the basic particles isn't strictly an error in polite (-해요) speech, using the honorific particles elevates the sentence to a higher level of formality and is expected in formal (-ㅂ니다) speech.
- Good:
사장님이 회의에 가세요. - Better/More Formal:
사장님께서 회의에 가십니다.
Memory Trick
To remember the core function of -(으)시-, connect it to the sound and the target.
- The Suffix -(으)**시- is for the Subject. This simple alliteration helps you distinguish it from other politeness markers.
- Think of the 으 (eu) as a flexible
Honorific Conjugation Table
| Verb Stem | Ending | Honorific Form | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
가
|
-시
|
가시다
|
가십니다
|
|
먹
|
-으시
|
먹으시다
|
먹으십니다
|
|
보
|
-시
|
보시다
|
보십니다
|
|
읽
|
-으시
|
읽으시다
|
읽으십니다
|
|
만들
|
-시
|
만드시다
|
만드십니다
|
|
듣
|
-으시
|
들으시다
|
들으십니다
|
Meanings
The -(eu)si suffix is used to elevate the subject of the sentence, showing respect to someone older or of higher status.
Direct Honorific
Respecting the subject's action.
“할머니께서 주무십니다.”
“사장님께서 말씀하십니다.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Stem + (으)시 + -ㅂ니다
|
가십니다
|
|
Negative
|
Stem + (으)시 + -지 않다
|
가지 않으십니다
|
|
Question
|
Stem + (으)시 + -ㅂ니까?
|
가십니까?
|
|
Past
|
Stem + (으)시 + -었/았-
|
가셨습니다
|
|
Future
|
Stem + (으)시 + -겠-
|
가시겠습니다
|
|
Polite
|
Stem + (으)시 + -어요
|
가세요
|
Formality Spectrum
선생님께서 식사하십니다. (Talking about a teacher)
선생님께서 식사하세요. (Talking about a teacher)
선생님께서 식사해. (Talking about a teacher)
쌤 밥 먹어. (Talking about a teacher)
Honorific Logic
Target
- Teacher 선생님
- Boss 사장님
Action
- Go 가시다
- Eat 드시다
Examples by Level
선생님께서 오십니다.
The teacher is coming.
할머니께서 주무십니다.
Grandmother is sleeping.
아버지가 읽으십니다.
Father is reading.
사장님이 일하십니다.
The boss is working.
어머니께서 식사하십니다.
Mother is eating.
교수님께서 말씀하십니다.
The professor is speaking.
누가 오셨습니까?
Who has come?
선생님은 무엇을 하십니까?
What is the teacher doing?
할아버지께서 선물을 만드십니다.
Grandfather is making a gift.
부장님께서 회의에 참석하십니다.
The manager is attending the meeting.
어머니께서 전화를 받으십니다.
Mother is answering the phone.
선생님께서 숙제를 내주셨습니다.
The teacher gave us homework.
사장님께서 직접 결정을 내리셨습니다.
The CEO made the decision personally.
어르신께서 길을 물으셨습니다.
The elder asked for directions.
교수님께서 논문을 검토하십니다.
The professor is reviewing the thesis.
부모님께서 여행을 가십니다.
My parents are going on a trip.
회장님께서 이번 행사에 참석하시겠다고 하셨습니다.
The chairman said he would attend this event.
선생님께서는 평소에 무엇을 즐겨 하십니까?
What do you usually enjoy doing, sir?
할머니께서 편찮으셔서 병원에 가셨습니다.
Grandmother is ill, so she went to the hospital.
교수님께서 제안하신 의견을 수용합니다.
I accept the opinion suggested by the professor.
어르신께서 말씀하시기를, 인생은 짧다고 하셨습니다.
The elder said that life is short.
사장님께서 직접 방문하시어 상황을 살피셨습니다.
The CEO visited in person to examine the situation.
교수님께서 연구를 주도하시며 많은 성과를 내셨습니다.
The professor led the research and achieved many results.
부모님께서 저희를 위해 희생하신 것을 잊지 않습니다.
I do not forget the sacrifices my parents made for us.
Easily Confused
Learners mix up honoring the subject vs the listener.
Common Mistakes
제가 가십니다.
제가 갑니다.
책이 읽으십니다.
책을 읽습니다.
만들으십니다.
만드십니다.
선생님께서 먹으십니다.
선생님께서 잡수십니다.
Sentence Patterns
___께서 ___십니다.
Real World Usage
사장님께서 제안하셨습니다.
어머니께서 오세요?
선생님께서 가르치십니다.
부장님께서 확인하셨습니다.
회장님께서 말씀하십니다.
할아버지께서 드십니다.
Check the Subject
Self-Honorifics
Irregulars
Social Distance
Smart Tips
Always use '께서' with '-(eu)si'.
Drop the ㄹ before adding -si.
Check if the verb has a special honorific form.
If the person is older, use honorifics to be safe.
Pronunciation
Linking
The 's' sound carries over to the next syllable.
Statement
가십니다 ↘
Neutral declarative
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'si' as 'Sir'—if you'd call them Sir, add 'si' to the verb.
Visual Association
Imagine a VIP red carpet. The person walking on it gets a golden '-si' badge attached to their action.
Rhyme
Vowel ends in -si, Consonant ends in -usi, don't use it for yourself, or you'll look like a busy-body.
Story
My teacher walked into the room. Because he is a VIP, his walking became 'walk-si'. He sat down, so his sitting became 'sit-si'. I watched him, but I didn't use 'si' for myself because I am not the VIP.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 3 sentences about your teacher or parents using the honorific form today.
Cultural Notes
Honorifics are the bedrock of social harmony in Korea.
Derived from ancient Korean honorific markers.
Conversation Starters
선생님께서 오늘 무엇을 하십니까?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
선생님께서 학교에 ___ (가다).
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
어머니가 먹습니다.
아버지가 읽습니다.
만들다 -> ?
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A: 선생님 어디 가세요? B: ___.
사장님 / 회의 / 참석하다
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises선생님께서 학교에 ___ (가다).
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
어머니가 먹습니다.
아버지가 읽습니다.
만들다 -> ?
가다 / 먹다 / 읽다 / 자다
A: 선생님 어디 가세요? B: ___.
사장님 / 회의 / 참석하다
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercises어머니가 텔레비전을 ___.
Match the pairs
Talking about your grandfather:
school / did / you / go / to / ?
선생님이 피자를 먹어요.
부모님은 서울에 ___.
Sit here, please.
Music ___.
언제 ___ 거예요?
할머니가 오세요.
Match context to verb form
Score: /11
FAQ (8)
No, it is reserved for those older or of higher status. Using it for friends sounds sarcastic or distant.
The ㄹ drops and you add -si. For example, '만들다' becomes '만드시다'.
No. Polite speech (-yo) respects the listener; -(eu)si respects the subject.
Generally no, unless you are joking. It is for humans.
Some verbs have special honorific forms that replace the standard verb entirely.
Yes, use the honorific subject marker '께서' instead of '이/가' when using -(eu)si.
Yes, especially in formal reports or news about public figures.
Most irregulars follow standard rules, but ㄹ-dropping is the most common one to watch for.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Keigo
Korean uses specific suffixes like -(eu)si more systematically.
Usted
Korean conjugates the verb itself.
Sie-form
Korean changes the verb structure.
Vouvoiement
Korean changes the verb structure.
Honorific titles
Korean uses verb suffixes.
Nin
Korean uses verb suffixes.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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Irregular ㅎ Verbs: Colors & 'Like that' (파랗다, 그렇다)
Overview The `ㅎ` irregular (히읗 불규칙 동사) rule governs a specific set of Korean descriptive verbs, primarily those...
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Overview The Korean `ㅂ` irregular rule, often dubbed the "Hot & Cold Verbs," is a crucial phonological phenomenon that...
Irregular Verbs (ㄷ → ㄹ): Walking, Hearing, Asking
Overview In Korean, verb conjugation often follows predictable patterns. However, certain verbs undergo systematic chang...
The 'Eu' Drop Pattern: Why 으 Disappears
Overview The Korean '으' (eu) drop pattern is a fundamental phonological rule governing the conjugation of many verbs an...
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