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Korean - Requests and Suggestions

Korean has a variety of grammar forms to express requests, commands, and suggestions, which vary greatly based on the level of politeness and formality required.

The most common and essential forms for a beginner/intermediate learner are:

  1. Requests/Commands (Polite): ~(으)세요
  2. Suggestions (Polite): ~(으)ㅂ시다
  3. Suggestions (Informal): ~자

1. Polite Request/Command: ~(으)세요

The ending ~(으)세요 is a very common and polite way to ask someone to do something. It is used to give gentle commands, polite instructions, or requests.

A. Structure

Stem Ends In... Structure Example Meaning
Vowel or $ㄹ$ 세요 (seyo) 가 + 세요 $\rightarrow$ 가세요 Please go
Consonant 으세요 (euseyo) 먹 + 으세요 $\rightarrow$ 먹으세요 Please eat

B. Usage and Nuances

  • Polite Commands/Instructions: Used in service settings (restaurants, shops) or when giving instructions to peers/subordinates politely.

    • 여기 앉으세요. (Yeogi an-euseyo.) $\rightarrow$ Please sit here.
    • 천천히 오세요. (Cheoncheonhi oseyo.) $\rightarrow$ Please come slowly.

  • Asking for Confirmation/Opinion (with Honorifics): This form can sometimes be used to ask what the subject (when they are an elder/superior) does or what they will be doing, often using the honorific 시 (which is embedded in ~(으)세요).

    • 아버지는 주무세요? (Abeoji-neun jumu-seyo?) $\rightarrow$ Is Father sleeping? (주무시다 is the honorific for 자다 'to sleep').

  • Formal Command (for comparison): In formal settings, the ending is ~(으)십시오 (e.g., 앉으십시오 - Please sit).

2. Polite Suggestion: ~(으)ㅂ시다

The ending ~(으)ㅂ시다 ((eu)bsida) is the standard and polite way to make a suggestion that includes the speaker ("Let's...").

A. Structure

Stem Ends In... Structure Example Meaning
Vowel ㅂ시다 (psida) 가 + ㅂ시다 $\rightarrow$ 갑시다 Let's go
Consonant 읍시다 (eupsida) 먹 + 읍시다 $\rightarrow$ 먹읍시다 Let's eat

B. Usage

This form is often used in public or professional group settings where politeness is required. It is less common in casual conversation between friends.

  • Example 2:
    • 이제부터 열심히 공부합시다.
    • Ije-buteo yeolsimhi gongbu-hapsida.
    • From now on, let's study hard.

3. Very Common and Versatile Suggestions

While ~(으)ㅂ시다 is polite, two other forms are far more common for suggestions in everyday speech:

A. Informal Suggestion: ~자 (ja)

The ending ~자 (ja) is the most casual way to say "Let's..." and is used only with close friends, children, or those younger than the speaker.

  • Example 3:
    • 우리 영화 보자.
    • Uri yeonghwa boja.
    • Let's watch a movie.

B. Politer/Softer Suggestion: ~(으)ㄹ까요?

This ending is used when the speaker is proposing or suggesting something while soliciting the listener's opinion ("Shall we?", "Should we?"). It is the most common way to make a suggestion to a peer.

  • Example 4:
    • 우리 내일 만날까요? (To a friend/peer)
    • Uri naeil mannal-kkayo?
    • Shall we meet tomorrow?
    • 무엇을 먹을까요? (To an elder/customer)
    • Mueos-eul meogeul-kkayo?
    • What shall we eat? (Asking for their choice)