Subject Honorifics (-시-, -께서)

In Korean, you show respect to the subject of a sentence by using special grammar. This is called 주체 높임법 , or 'subject honorifics'.

You use it when the subject is someone older than you, of higher social status, or someone you need to show respect to, like a grandparent, teacher, or boss.

The two main tools for this are the particle -께서 and the verb/adjective infix -시- .

The most common way to make a verb or adjective honorific is by adding -시- (or -으시- ) to the stem.

Rules for adding -시-/-으시-

Stem ends in... · Add... · Example (Plain → Honorific)

Vowel · -시- · 가다 → 가 + 시 → 가시다

Consonant · -으시- · 읽다 → 읽 + 으시 → 읽으시다

This -시- is placed right after the stem and before other endings like tense markers or sentence closers. For example, 가셨어요 (went, honorific past).

When the subject of the sentence is the person you're honoring, the standard subject particle -이/가 is replaced with -께서 .

For example, instead of '할아버지가 와요', you say '할아버지 께서 오세요' (Grandfather comes, honorific).

The topic particles -은/는 can still be used with an honored subject to add the nuance of topic or contrast. For example: '사장님 은 지금 안 계세요. 하지만 부장님 께서는 사무실에 계세요.'

Some very common verbs have completely different honorific forms that you must memorize. Using -시- with the plain form of these verbs is incorrect.

Common Special Verbs

있다 (to be/exist) → 계시다

먹다 → 드시다 or 잡수시다

마시다 → 드시다

자다 → 주무시다

말하다 → 말씀하시다

아프다 → 편찮으시다

죽다 → 돌아가시다

For example, you must say '할머니께서 주무세요 ' (Grandmother sleeps), not '할머니께서 자세요'.