-(으)세요

Build it

When to use it

As a request: 여기 앉으세요 (please sit here). As an honorific statement: 선생님께서 신문을 읽으세요 (the teacher is reading the newspaper). The subject tells you which reading applies — no subject means you are addressing the listener.

It is built from the honorific marker -(으)시- plus the polite ending, which is why the same form covers both. Attachment follows the consonant rule and the ㄹ drops: 만들다 gives 만드세요.

A handful of everyday verbs have their own honorific words, and using the regular form instead is one of the most audible learner errors: 먹다 → 드세요, 자다 → 주무세요, 있다 → 계세요, 말하다 → 말씀하세요. Never use any of this about yourself.

How to attach it

In use

1. 여기 앉으세요.

   Please sit here.

2. 많이 드세요.

   Please help yourself. (at a meal)

3. 안녕히 주무세요.

   Good night.

4. 선생님은 지금 안 계세요.

   The teacher isn’t here at the moment.

5. 조심해서 가세요.

   Take care on your way.

6. 잠시만 기다려 주세요.

   Please wait a moment.

Compared with

• -(으)십시오

  The formal counterpart, used in announcements, signs, and service settings. -(으)세요 is what you use with people face to face.

  이쪽으로 오세요. (everyday)  /  이쪽으로 오십시오. (announcement)

• -아/어 주세요

  -(으)세요 tells someone to do something; -아/어 주세요 asks them to do it for you. When you are the beneficiary, the second is the courteous choice.

  문을 여세요. (open the door)  /  문을 열어 주세요. (please open it for me)

• -지 마세요

  The negative. 않다 cannot form a request, so prohibitions are built on 말다.

  여기에 앉으세요.  /  여기에 앉지 마세요.

Watch out

• 저녁을 만들으세요.

  저녁을 만드세요.

  Stems ending in ㄹ drop it before this ending, as they do with -(으)니까 and -ㅂ니다.

• 많이 먹으세요.

  많이 드세요.

  먹다 has its own honorific word. 먹으세요 is understandable but noticeably plain when offering food to a guest or an elder.

• 저는 지금 집에 가세요.

  저는 지금 집에 가요.

  Honorifics raise other people, never the speaker. Use the plain polite ending for anything about yourself.

Next

← All TOPIK 1 grammar