One of the first things learners notice about Korean is that the same sentence can be said in multiple ways depending on who you're talking to. This isn't optional; using the wrong speech level is genuinely rude. The good news: you don't need to master every level. You need two.
The two levels you actually need
Korean has six speech levels, but modern Korean speakers primarily use two:
해요체 (haeyoche): polite informal. Ends in 요. Use this with: strangers, coworkers, people older than you, service staff.
해체 (haerache): casual (banmal). No 요. Use this with: close friends your age or younger, children, yourself in your head. Everything else (formal written language, very high honorifics) you can learn later.
The 요 rule
The simplest way to think about it: add 요 to make it polite.
| Casual (banmal) | Polite (haeyoche) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 가 | 가요 | go |
| 먹어 | 먹어요 | eat |
| 있어 | 있어요 | there is / have |
| 괜찮아 | 괜찮아요 | it's okay |
| 몰라 | 몰라요 | I don't know |
This works for most verbs and adjectives. Just add 요.
When NOT to use 요
Dropping 요 (speaking banmal) without permission can be offensive. The general rule:
Don't use banmal until the other person explicitly says it's okay, or until you're clearly close friends. In K-dramas you'll often see a moment when characters say "우리 말 놓자" (uri mal noja). "let's drop formalities." This is a significant social moment. It signals a shift in relationship.
Until that happens: keep the 요.
Verbs of respect: -(으)시-
There's a second layer beyond 요: you can add -(으)시- before the verb ending to show respect for the subject of the sentence (not just the listener).
선생님이 오셨어요. (The teacher came.): respectful 선생님이 왔어요. (The teacher came.): polite but not respectful
You use -(으)시- when talking about:
- Your boss
- Teachers
- Elders
- Customers (in service industry)
In practice: when in doubt, add it. It's never wrong to show too much respect. It is wrong to show too little.
Special vocabulary for elders
Korean has special "humble" vocabulary for actions that concern elders or superiors. You don't use regular verbs for their actions:
| Regular | Honorific | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 먹다 | 드시다 / 잡수시다 | to eat |
| 자다 | 주무시다 | to sleep |
| 있다 | 계시다 | to be / to stay |
| 말하다 | 말씀하시다 | to speak |
| 죽다 | 돌아가시다 | to pass away |
You wouldn't say "할머니가 밥을 먹어요" to a Korean person. It would sound disrespectful. You'd say "할머니가 밥을 드세요."
The practical cheat sheet
- Talking to anyone you just met? → 요 ending, always.
- Talking about someone older or higher status? → Add -(으)시- + use honorific vocab.
- Talking to a close friend your age? → Drop 요.
- Unsure? → Keep 요. Being too polite is never a problem.
Practice tip
The best way to internalize honorifics is to listen to a lot of natural Korean speech: dramas, variety shows, YouTube. Pay attention to when characters switch levels.
A structured Korean course has this built in; lessons that specifically drill speech level switching with immediate feedback. Worth pairing with these grammar guides.
For a full breakdown of conjugation patterns at every speech level, my Korean Grammar Essentials workbook covers all 30 core patterns with practice exercises.