습니다 vs 세요: Differences in Polite Sentence Endings

Real-world examples

• ⭕

  안녕하세요?

  an-nyeong-ha-se-yo?, an nyeong ha se yo?

  세요 is natural and common in greetings.

• ⭕

  안녕하십니까?

  an-nyeong-ha-sip-ni-kka?, an nyeong ha sip ni kka?

  습니다 form is official and formal for greetings.

• ⭕

  이것은 책입니다.

  i-geos-eun chaek-ip-ni-da., i geos eun chaek ip ni da.

  습니다 is suitable for formal sentences.

• ❌

  이것은 책세요.

  i-geos-eun chaek-se-yo., i geos eun chaek se yo.

  Attaching 세요 to a noun like '책' is grammatically incorrect.

• ⭕

  가세요.

  ga-se-yo., ga se yo.

  세요 is appropriate to politely tell someone to go.

• ⭕

  갑니다.

  gap-ni-da., gap ni da.

  갑니다 is correct in formal situations.

• ⭕

  보고서 작성합니다.

  bo-go-seo jak-seong-hap-ni-da., bo go seo jak seong hap ni da.

  습니다 form is used in reports or official documents.

• ❌

  보고서 작성하세요.

  bo-go-seo jak-seong-ha-se-yo., bo go seo jak seong ha se yo.

  Using 세요 for report writing is informal and inappropriate.

1. Which ending is appropriate for politely asking a friend?

   친구에게 정중하게 부탁할 때 적절한 종결어미는?(chin-gu-e-gejeong-jung-ha-gebu-tak-halttaejeok-jeol-hanjong-gyeol-eo-mi-neun?, chinguegejeongjunghagebutakhalttaejeokjeolhanjonggyeoleomineun?)
   • 습니다(seup-ni-da, seupnida)
   • 세요(se-yo, seyo)
   • 합니다(hap-ni-da, hapnida)

2. Which ending is used in formal presentations?

   공식 발표에서 사용하는 종결어미는?(gong-sikbal-pyo-e-seosa-yong-ha-neunjong-gyeol-eo-mi-neun?, gongsikbalpyoeseosayonghaneunjonggyeoleomineun?)
   • 세요(se-yo, seyo)
   • 습니다(seup-ni-da, seupnida)
   • 해요(hae-yo, haeyo)

3. Which expression is appropriate when ordering in a store?

   가게에서 주문할 때 적절한 표현은?(ga-ge-e-seoju-mun-halttaejeok-jeol-hanpyo-hyeon-eun?, gageeseojumunhalttaejeokjeolhanpyohyeoneun?)
   • 주세요(ju-se-yo, juseyo)
   • 줍니다(jup-ni-da, jupnida)
   • 주십시오(ju-sip-si-o, jusipsio)