-(으)시-
Quick answer: -(으)시- means the honorific — raises the person you are talking about.
How to form it
No final consonant → -세요 · final consonant → -으세요 · 가다 → 가세요 · 읽다 → 읽으세요
In Korean: 받침 X → -세요 받침 O → -으세요 가다 → 가세요 읽다 → 읽으세요
What to know
This raises the person in the sentence, not the person you are speaking to. You use it about your parents and your teacher even when talking to a friend — which is the opposite of what English speakers expect, since English politeness is about the listener.
Examples
- 아버지는 회사에 다니세요.My father works at a company.
- 어머니는 오늘 쉬세요.My mother is resting today.
- 선생님은 책을 읽으세요.The teacher is reading a book.
Where it's taught
HanDa Level 1 (TOPIK I), Lesson 18: 아버지는 회사에 다니세요 — My father works at a company. Also in the Level 1 book.
Practise -(으)시- out loud
In the HanDa app this is Level 1, Lesson 18 — drills, a speaking check and an AI teacher that corrects what you say. Free for 7 days.