-으세요
-euseyo
polite ending (please; -s/does)
The informal polite sentence-final ending (해요 speech level) used equally for statements, questions, commands, and requests, distinguished only by intonation. It attaches after a consonant-final stem (-세요 after a vowel) and always shows respect toward the subject.
Form
- Attaches to
- Verb, Adjective, 이다, Auxiliary
- Other shapes
- -세요. -으셔요 · -셔요 · -으시어요 · -시어요
Meanings
- 1
(informal addressee-raising) A sentence-final ending used to describe, ask a question, order, and request.
(두루높임으로) 설명, 의문, 명령, 요청의 뜻을 나타내는 종결 어미.
Examples
이 시간에 어디 가세요?
Where are you going at this hour?
부모님께서는 언제 집에 들어오세요?
When do your parents come home?
그곳으로 한 번에 가시려면 버스를 타세요.
If you want to get there in one trip, take the bus.
점심을 못 드셔서 허기지실 텐데 이거라도 드세요.
You must be hungry since you couldn't eat lunch—please have at least this.
김 선생님은 지금 어디에 계시나요? 교무실로 가 보세요.
Where is Mr. Kim right now? Go check the teachers' office.
어떤 책을 읽으세요?
What kind of books do you read?
Examples: 한국어기초사전, CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.
Don’t confuse with
Forms with a close meaning — a favourite source of wrong answers on TOPIK.
Quick check
1. What does ‘-으세요’ mean?
2. Which form means “polite ending (please; -s/does)”?