Banmal: Casual Korean Speech

What is Banmal (반말)?

Banmal (반말) is the casual or “intimate” speech style in Korean. It's used with people you are close to, such as friends, siblings, or people who are younger than you.

Using Banmal signifies a close, informal relationship. It drops the politeness markers you find in the formal style, Jondaetmal (존댓말).

When to Use Banmal

With close friends of the same age or younger.

With siblings and younger family members.

With a partner in a romantic relationship.

With children.

Important: You must have an agreement or clear understanding with the other person before switching to Banmal. Suddenly using it can be considered rude.

The Golden Rule of Basic Banmal

The most common and straightforward way to create Banmal is to take the polite 해요 (haeyo) style ending you've already learned and simply drop the final 요 (yo).

Polite Form ( -아요/어요/해요 ) - 요 = Casual Form (Banmal)

Examples

Polite (존댓말) · Transformation · Casual (반말)

가요 · Drop 요 · 가

먹어요 · Drop 요 · 먹어

봐요 · Drop 요 · 봐

공부해요 · Drop 요 · 공부해

있어요 · Drop 요 · 있어

Asking Questions in Banmal

In many cases, a Banmal question has the exact same written form as a statement. The only difference is the intonation—you raise your voice at the end of the sentence to signal it's a question.

Statement vs. Question

Sentence · As a Statement (Falling Intonation) · As a Question (Rising Intonation)

밥 먹었어. · I ate. · 밥 먹었어? (Did you eat?)

피곤해. · I'm tired. · 피곤해? (Are you tired?)

시간 있어. · I have time. · 시간 있어? (Do you have time?)

Question words like 뭐 (what), 어디 (where), and 언제 (when) are used in the same way as in Jondaetmal.

뭐 해? (What are you doing?)

어디 가? (Where are you going?)

이거 뭐야? (What is this?)

The Dangers of Using Banmal Incorrectly

While Banmal is essential for building close relationships, using it in the wrong situation can be one of the most common and serious mistakes for learners. It can come across as very rude and disrespectful.

Do NOT Use Banmal With:

People older than you (unless they are very close and have given you permission).

Strangers of any age.

Co-workers, bosses, or clients in a professional setting.

Store clerks, waiters, or anyone providing a service.

Your teachers or professors.

Rule of Thumb: When in doubt, always start with Jondaetmal (존댓말). It is always safer to be too polite than too casual.

Quick review

Avoid with strangers, elders, or in formal/professional settings

Can be very rude