Titles, Age, and Honorific Culture

In Korean society, calling someone directly by their name is rare. Choosing the right title and speech level based on age, rank, and relationship is the starting point of politeness.

Why Age Matters

Asking someone's age at a first meeting is not rude curiosity but a way to set the social hierarchy and decide the proper level of speech.

실례지만 나이를 여쭤봐도 될까요?

sillyejiman naireul yeojjwobwado doelkkayo?

Excuse me, may I ask how old you are?

Titles by Relationship

Title	When Used
선배 (seonbae)	A senior who joined your school or workplace before you
후배 (hubae)	A junior who joined later
형/오빠 (hyeong/oppa)	An older male (the speaker's gender determines which word)
누나/언니 (nuna/eonni)	An older female (the speaker's gender determines which word)
사장님 (sajangnim)	An honorific for a shop owner or boss
선생님 (seonsaengnim)	An all-purpose honorific when you don't know the name or title
이모/사장님 (imo/sajangnim)	A friendly way to call a restaurant server

민수 씨, 이 일은 김 과장님께 먼저 보고드리세요.

minsu ssi, i ireun gim gwajangnimkke meonjeo bogodeuriseyo.

Minsu, please report this to Manager Kim first.

혹시 제가 형이라고 불러도 괜찮을까요?

hoksi jega hyeongirago bulleodo gwaenchaneulkkayo?

Would it be all right if I called you 'hyeong'?

선생님이라고 부르는 게 편하시겠어요?

seonsaengnimirago bureuneun ge pyeonhasigesseoyo?

Would you prefer that I address you as 'seonsaengnim'?

Job Titles and the Suffix '-nim'

At work, addressing someone by 'title + -nim' rather than their name is standard, and 'seonsaengnim' is the safest honorific when you don't know the title.

팀장님, 잠시 시간 괜찮으실까요?

timjangnim, jamsi sigan gwaenchaneusilkkayo?

Team Leader, do you have a moment?

Levels of Honorific Speech

Honorifics are not just adding '-yo'; they include subject elevation with '-si-', object elevation with verbs like 'deurida' and 'yeojjupda', and the formal '-seumnida' ending.

할아버지께서 진지를 잡수십니다.

harabeojikkeseo jinjireul japsusimnida.

Grandfather is eating his meal. (fully honorific form)

사장님께서 잠깐 자리에 안 계십니다.

sajangnimkkeseo jamkkan jarie an gyesimnida.

The boss is away from the desk for a moment. (uses the honorific 'gyesida')

💡 Tip: Apjonbeop is the old rule of lowering a higher person when speaking of them before an even higher one. It is rarely enforced at modern workplaces, so don't feel pressured by it.

💡 Tip: Use honorifics until you've grown close, and only switch to casual speech once the other person invites you to with something like 'speak comfortably with me.'

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