Overview
The particle -께서 is an essential honorific subject marker in Korean, used to show respect towards the subject of a sentence. It functions similarly to the basic subject markers -이/가, but specifically applies when the person performing the action is someone of higher social status, an elder, or anyone you wish to address with utmost politeness.
Usage
You use -께서 when the grammatical subject of your sentence is a person deserving of respect. This could be your parents, grandparents, teachers, boss, or any senior figure. By using -께서, you elevate the politeness level of your speech, indicating deference to the subject. It directly replaces the standard subject markers -이/가 and can also be used in contexts where -은/는 might otherwise mark the subject, but with the added layer of honorifics. It is often paired with honorific verb endings like -(으)시- for a complete honorific expression.
Conjugation Rules
The particle -께서 attaches directly to the end of a noun or pronoun that refers to the respected subject, regardless of whether the noun ends in a consonant or a vowel.
Noun + -께서
Knowledge Plus
While -께서 marks the subject, its honorific counterpart for the object marker is -께 (which replaces -에게/한테). It's crucial to remember that -께서 is only for the subject. Also, when using -께서, it is almost always accompanied by the honorific infix -(으)시- in the verb to fully convey respect (e.g., 아버지께서 오시다). Failing to use -(으)시- with -께서 can sound incomplete or even awkward. For example, '선생님께서 오다' (incorrect) vs. '선생님께서 오시다' (correct). This particle is a cornerstone of polite Korean communication.