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🎩 Formal Korean
Unit 30 of 30 in the Kaja Hangul course (an optional unit — it sits in the path but never blocks it).
Every phrase below is shown in 한글 with a romanisation, what it actually means, and a recording you can play.
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The phrases
안녕하십니까
annyeonghasimnikka
Hello (most formal)
하십시오체 is the highest register. You will hear it far more than you say it.
감사드립니다
gamsadeurimnida
Thank you (formal)
드리다, the humble 'give', built into the thanks itself.
성함이 어떻게 되세요?
seonghami eotteoke doeseyo?
May I ask your name?
성함 is the honorific of 이름. Korean has whole separate words for respect, not just endings.
말씀 많이 들었습니다
malsseum mani deureosseumnida
I've heard a lot about you
말씀 is the honorific of 말 (words, speech).
어떻게 오셨습니까?
eotteoke osyeosseumnikka?
What brings you here?
The -시- is the honorific infix, and it appears everywhere in this register.
잠시만 기다려 주십시오
jamsiman gidaryeo jusipsio
Please wait a moment (formal)
-(으)십시오 is the formal command. You'll hear it far more than you'll say it.
알겠습니다
algesseumnida
Understood
Said 알겟씀니다. The nasal rule turns 습니다 into 씀니다, every time.
다시 한번 말씀해 주시겠습니까?
dasi hanbeon malsseumhae jusigesseumnikka?
Could you say that once more?
말씀하다 = to speak (honorific). Stacking -시-, -겠- and -습니까 makes it maximally polite.
연세가 어떻게 되세요?
yeonsega eotteoke doeseyo?
May I ask your age?
연세 is the honorific of 나이 (age). Asking is normal — age decides how you speak.
식사하셨습니까?
siksahasyeosseumnikka?
Have you eaten? (formal)
식사 is the polite word for a meal, where 밥 is the everyday one.
안녕히 가십시오
annyeonghi gasipsio
Goodbye (most formal)
The 하십시오체 version of 안녕히 가세요.
축하드립니다
chukadeurimnida
Congratulations (formal)
축하 = congratulation, and 드리다 makes it humble. Casual: 축하해.
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The Korean here was written by a learner and is being checked by a native speaker — if something
reads wrong to you, it may well be.