Thursday, January 7, 2021

Talk about honorifics in the Korean language

 

The Korean language contains a system of honorifics. We use honorifics when speaking to someone who is older, or someone who holds a higher rank. We also use honorifics when we first make someone's acquaintance. Using honorifics is a way to show respect. Some married couples use honorifics to each other as well.

Honorifics go beyond language. They are an important aspect of culture. Only a few languages in the world use honorifics that are as systematic as Korea's. It's something that a lot of foreigners learning Korean as a second language often struggle with.

There is even a Korean phrase to refer to speaking informally. You can do this when you feel close to someone after meeting them several times, or when you want to become closer to someone.

 

Are you having fun, learning Korean?

Yeah, It's a lof of fun.

Which aspects give you the most trouble?

I'm having a hard time learning honorifics.

I can imagine. There is no honorifics in English, right?

That's right. You can speak formally, but there is no such thing as honorifics.