What does 존댓말 mean?
존댓말 (jon-daet-mal) means: Respectful/formal speech — any register above 반말.
While it's often colloquially understood that 'polite language = haeyo form', strictly speaking, the hapsho form is also polite language.
Other sides of 존댓말
◆ Social Lubricant — Speakers use this to maintain formal distance, pairing it with actions like using polite forms even among peers who share close familiarity. It appears in contexts where maintaining an even, courteous tempo helps smooth over potential friction, such as when acquaintances choose to speak formally despite personal closeness. It combines with expressions denoting careful, deliberate speech.
Using polite forms even when unnecessary or among equals can create a rhythmic buffer, smoothing social friction and maintaining a deliberate emotional distance.
◆ Boundary Marker — Speakers use this speech form when addressing parents or teachers. Even when people share a close acquaintance, they are advised to maintain it in formal settings. It appears in contexts contrasted with informal speech, as seen when speakers navigate whether to drop familiar forms.
Dropping this form to switch to informal speech often marks a deliberate shift toward greater intimacy, while maintaining it can signal distance or a cautious boundary between speakers.
◆ Power Negotiation — Speakers use this to refer to forms used to show respect to a person or thing, pairing it with actions like using or doing it in formal settings. It appears in contexts where speakers deliberately maintain polite distance even among peers, or when guiding others on proper speech behavior. It frequently contrasts directly with informal speech forms in discussions of proper etiquette.
Using formal speech structures selectively or deliberately among peers can signal emotional distance, passive aggression, or a refusal to close a social gap.
Using polite forms even when unnecessary or among equals can create a rhythmic buffer, smoothing social friction and maintaining a deliberate emotional distance.
◆ Boundary Marker — Speakers use this speech form when addressing parents or teachers. Even when people share a close acquaintance, they are advised to maintain it in formal settings. It appears in contexts contrasted with informal speech, as seen when speakers navigate whether to drop familiar forms.
Dropping this form to switch to informal speech often marks a deliberate shift toward greater intimacy, while maintaining it can signal distance or a cautious boundary between speakers.
◆ Power Negotiation — Speakers use this to refer to forms used to show respect to a person or thing, pairing it with actions like using or doing it in formal settings. It appears in contexts where speakers deliberately maintain polite distance even among peers, or when guiding others on proper speech behavior. It frequently contrasts directly with informal speech forms in discussions of proper etiquette.
Using formal speech structures selectively or deliberately among peers can signal emotional distance, passive aggression, or a refusal to close a social gap.
🎙️ 존댓말은 표기 그대로 읽지 않아요 — 실제로는 [존댄말]로 소리나요 (비음화). 발음 연습하기 →
How it's actually used
- 부모님이나 선생님께는 존댓말을 써야 합니다.
bu-mo-nim-i-na seons-a-nim-kke-neun jon-daet-mal-eul sseo-ya ham-ni-da.
You must use honorific language with your parents or teachers.
💡 Shows the standard expectation of respectful speech toward elders and authority figures. - 공식적인 자리에는 서로 친분이 있어도 존댓말을 쓰는 것이 좋다.
gong-sik-jeok-in ja-ri-e-neun seo-ro chin-bun-i is-seo-do jon-daet-mal-eul sseo-neun geot-i jo-ta.
In official settings, it is good to use honorific language even if you are close to each other.
💡 Shows how situational formality can override personal closeness. - 동배인데 일부러 존댓말을 쓰며 지삼만이 눈을 치뜨고 항의한다.
dong-bae-in-de il-bu-reo jon-daet-mal-eul sseu-myeo ji-sam-man-i nun-eul chi-tteu-go hang-ui-han-da.
Being peers, Jisam-man purposely uses honorifics as he glares and protests.
💡 Shows peers deliberately adopting polite speech to create distance or tension.
Related words in Grammar
반말 ban-mal말 트기 mal teu-gi주시다 / 드리다 ju-si-da / deu-ri-da해요체 hae-yo-che합쇼체 / 하십시오체 hap-syo-che / ha-si-pi-o-che