{"id":102,"date":"2026-07-13T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/romanata.kz\/?p=102"},"modified":"2026-07-13T10:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T10:00:00","slug":"korean-speech-levels-facts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/romanata.kz\/blog\/korean-speech-levels-facts\/","title":{"rendered":"Korea’s Language of Respect: Why Korean Has Seven Speech Levels \/ \u042f\u0437\u044b\u043a \u0443\u0432\u0430\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044f: \u043f\u043e\u0447\u0435\u043c\u0443 \u0432 \u043a\u043e\u0440\u0435\u0439\u0441\u043a\u043e\u043c \u044f\u0437\u044b\u043a\u0435 \u0441\u0435\u043c\u044c \u0443\u0440\u043e\u0432\u043d\u0435\u0439 \u0432\u0435\u0436\u043b\u0438\u0432\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438"},"content":{"rendered":"

King Sejong the Great introduced Hangul, the Korean alphabet, in 1443 so that ordinary people \u2014 not just the educated elite who used Chinese characters \u2014 could read and write. It’s still praised by linguists today as one of the most logically designed writing systems in the world. But the language built around it hides something else remarkable: a grammar of respect.<\/span>\u0412 1443 \u0433\u043e\u0434\u0443 \u043a\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043b\u044c \u0421\u0435\u0434\u0436\u043e\u043d \u0412\u0435\u043b\u0438\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u0432\u0432\u0451\u043b \u0445\u0430\u043d\u0433\u044b\u043b\u044c \u2014 \u043a\u043e\u0440\u0435\u0439\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u0430\u043b\u0444\u0430\u0432\u0438\u0442, \u2014 \u0447\u0442\u043e\u0431\u044b \u0447\u0438\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c \u0438 \u043f\u0438\u0441\u0430\u0442\u044c \u043c\u043e\u0433\u043b\u0438 \u043e\u0431\u044b\u0447\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u043b\u044e\u0434\u0438, \u0430 \u043d\u0435 \u0442\u043e\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e \u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0437\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u043d\u0430\u044f \u044d\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0430, \u043f\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0437\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0432\u0448\u0430\u044f\u0441\u044f \u043a\u0438\u0442\u0430\u0439\u0441\u043a\u0438\u043c\u0438 \u0438\u0435\u0440\u043e\u0433\u043b\u0438\u0444\u0430\u043c\u0438. \u041b\u0438\u043d\u0433\u0432\u0438\u0441\u0442\u044b \u0434\u043e \u0441\u0438\u0445 \u043f\u043e\u0440 \u0441\u0447\u0438\u0442\u0430\u044e\u0442 \u0435\u0433\u043e \u043e\u0434\u043d\u043e\u0439 \u0438\u0437 \u0441\u0430\u043c\u044b\u0445 \u043b\u043e\u0433\u0438\u0447\u043d\u043e \u0443\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0445 \u0441\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0435\u043c \u043f\u0438\u0441\u044c\u043c\u0430 \u0432 \u043c\u0438\u0440\u0435. \u041d\u043e \u044f\u0437\u044b\u043a, \u043f\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0432\u043e\u043a\u0440\u0443\u0433 \u043d\u0435\u0433\u043e, \u0441\u043a\u0440\u044b\u0432\u0430\u0435\u0442 \u043a\u043e\u0435-\u0447\u0442\u043e \u0435\u0449\u0451 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u043c\u0435\u0447\u0430\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u0435 \u2014 \u0433\u0440\u0430\u043c\u043c\u0430\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0443 \u0443\u0432\u0430\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044f.<\/span><\/p>\n

Seven levels of speech, four in everyday use<\/span>\u0421\u0435\u043c\u044c \u0443\u0440\u043e\u0432\u043d\u0435\u0439 \u0440\u0435\u0447\u0438, \u0447\u0435\u0442\u044b\u0440\u0435 \u2014 \u0432 \u043f\u043e\u0432\u0441\u0435\u0434\u043d\u0435\u0432\u043d\u043e\u043c \u0438\u0441\u043f\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0437\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0438<\/span><\/h2>\n

Traditional Korean grammar recognises seven distinct speech levels, each with its own verb endings, ranging from deeply formal and archaic to blunt and familiar. Modern Korean has simplified daily use down to around four practical levels, but the underlying system still shapes nearly every sentence a speaker produces.<\/span>\u0412 \u0442\u0440\u0430\u0434\u0438\u0446\u0438\u043e\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0439 \u043a\u043e\u0440\u0435\u0439\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0439 \u0433\u0440\u0430\u043c\u043c\u0430\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0435 \u0432\u044b\u0434\u0435\u043b\u044f\u044e\u0442 \u0441\u0435\u043c\u044c \u0440\u0430\u0437\u043b\u0438\u0447\u043d\u044b\u0445 \u0443\u0440\u043e\u0432\u043d\u0435\u0439 \u0440\u0435\u0447\u0438, \u0443 \u043a\u0430\u0436\u0434\u043e\u0433\u043e \u2014 \u0441\u0432\u043e\u0438 \u0433\u043b\u0430\u0433\u043e\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u043e\u043a\u043e\u043d\u0447\u0430\u043d\u0438\u044f, \u043e\u0442 \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0447\u0451\u0440\u043a\u043d\u0443\u0442\u043e \u0444\u043e\u0440\u043c\u0430\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0445 \u0438 \u0430\u0440\u0445\u0430\u0438\u0447\u043d\u044b\u0445 \u0434\u043e \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044b\u0445 \u0438 \u0444\u0430\u043c\u0438\u043b\u044c\u044f\u0440\u043d\u044b\u0445. \u0412 \u0441\u043e\u0432\u0440\u0435\u043c\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e\u043c \u043a\u043e\u0440\u0435\u0439\u0441\u043a\u043e\u043c \u043f\u043e\u0432\u0441\u0435\u0434\u043d\u0435\u0432\u043d\u043e\u0435 \u0438\u0441\u043f\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0437\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u0443\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438\u043b\u043e\u0441\u044c \u043f\u0440\u0438\u043c\u0435\u0440\u043d\u043e \u0434\u043e \u0447\u0435\u0442\u044b\u0440\u0451\u0445 \u043f\u0440\u0430\u043a\u0442\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0445 \u0443\u0440\u043e\u0432\u043d\u0435\u0439, \u043d\u043e \u043b\u0435\u0436\u0430\u0449\u0430\u044f \u0432 \u043e\u0441\u043d\u043e\u0432\u0435 \u0441\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0435\u043c\u0430 \u043f\u043e-\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0436\u043d\u0435\u043c\u0443 \u0444\u043e\u0440\u043c\u0438\u0440\u0443\u0435\u0442 \u043f\u043e\u0447\u0442\u0438 \u043a\u0430\u0436\u0434\u043e\u0435 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0438\u0437\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0438\u043c\u043e\u0435 \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u043b\u043e\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435.<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s not just about politeness \u2014 it’s about relationships<\/span>\u0414\u0435\u043b\u043e \u043d\u0435 \u0442\u043e\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e \u0432 \u0432\u0435\u0436\u043b\u0438\u0432\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438 \u2014 \u0434\u0435\u043b\u043e \u0432 \u043e\u0442\u043d\u043e\u0448\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044f\u0445<\/span><\/h2>\n

Choosing the right speech level in Korean depends on age, social status, and how well you know the other person \u2014 sometimes all three at once. Ask a new acquaintance their age early in a conversation isn’t rude in Korean culture; it’s often necessary to know how to speak to them correctly.<\/span>\u0412\u044b\u0431\u043e\u0440 \u043d\u0443\u0436\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0443\u0440\u043e\u0432\u043d\u044f \u0440\u0435\u0447\u0438 \u0432 \u043a\u043e\u0440\u0435\u0439\u0441\u043a\u043e\u043c \u0437\u0430\u0432\u0438\u0441\u0438\u0442 \u043e\u0442 \u0432\u043e\u0437\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0430, \u0441\u043e\u0446\u0438\u0430\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0441\u0442\u0430\u0442\u0443\u0441\u0430 \u0438 \u0442\u043e\u0433\u043e, \u043d\u0430\u0441\u043a\u043e\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e \u0445\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0448\u043e \u0432\u044b \u0437\u043d\u0430\u043a\u043e\u043c\u044b \u0441 \u0441\u043e\u0431\u0435\u0441\u0435\u0434\u043d\u0438\u043a\u043e\u043c \u2014 \u0438\u043d\u043e\u0433\u0434\u0430 \u0441\u0440\u0430\u0437\u0443 \u043e\u0442 \u0432\u0441\u0435\u0445 \u0442\u0440\u0451\u0445 \u0444\u0430\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0432. \u0421\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0438\u0442\u044c \u043d\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0437\u043d\u0430\u043a\u043e\u043c\u043e\u0433\u043e \u043e \u0432\u043e\u0437\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0435 \u0432 \u043d\u0430\u0447\u0430\u043b\u0435 \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0430 \u0432 \u043a\u043e\u0440\u0435\u0439\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0439 \u043a\u0443\u043b\u044c\u0442\u0443\u0440\u0435 \u043d\u0435 \u0441\u0447\u0438\u0442\u0430\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f \u0433\u0440\u0443\u0431\u044b\u043c \u2014 \u0447\u0430\u0441\u0442\u043e \u044d\u0442\u043e \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e \u043d\u0435\u043e\u0431\u0445\u043e\u0434\u0438\u043c\u043e, \u0447\u0442\u043e\u0431\u044b \u043f\u043e\u043d\u044f\u0442\u044c, \u043a\u0430\u043a \u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0438\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e \u043a \u043d\u0435\u043c\u0443 \u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0449\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f.<\/span><\/p>\n

Honorifics change more than verb endings<\/span>\u0424\u043e\u0440\u043c\u044b \u0432\u0435\u0436\u043b\u0438\u0432\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438 \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f\u044e\u0442 \u043d\u0435 \u0442\u043e\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e \u0433\u043b\u0430\u0433\u043e\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u043e\u043a\u043e\u043d\u0447\u0430\u043d\u0438\u044f<\/span><\/h2>\n

Beyond speech levels, Korean has a separate honorific system that can swap out entire words: the plain verb «to eat» («meokda») becomes «deusida» when talking about someone you respect, such as an elder or a teacher. Even nouns like «house» or «name» have honorific alternatives.<\/span>\u041f\u043e\u043c\u0438\u043c\u043e \u0443\u0440\u043e\u0432\u043d\u0435\u0439 \u0440\u0435\u0447\u0438, \u0432 \u043a\u043e\u0440\u0435\u0439\u0441\u043a\u043e\u043c \u0435\u0441\u0442\u044c \u043e\u0442\u0434\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0430\u044f \u0441\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0435\u043c\u0430 \u0432\u0435\u0436\u043b\u0438\u0432\u044b\u0445 \u0444\u043e\u0440\u043c, \u043a\u043e\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0430\u044f \u043c\u043e\u0436\u0435\u0442 \u0437\u0430\u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f\u0442\u044c \u0446\u0435\u043b\u044b\u0435 \u0441\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0430: \u043e\u0431\u044b\u0447\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0433\u043b\u0430\u0433\u043e\u043b \u00ab\u0435\u0441\u0442\u044c\u00bb (\u00abmeokda\u00bb) \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0432\u0440\u0430\u0449\u0430\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f \u0432 \u00abdeusida\u00bb, \u043a\u043e\u0433\u0434\u0430 \u0440\u0435\u0447\u044c \u0438\u0434\u0451\u0442 \u043e \u0447\u0435\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435\u043a\u0435, \u043a\u043e\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0433\u043e \u043d\u0443\u0436\u043d\u043e \u0443\u0432\u0430\u0436\u0430\u0442\u044c, \u2014 \u043d\u0430\u043f\u0440\u0438\u043c\u0435\u0440, \u043e \u0441\u0442\u0430\u0440\u0448\u0435\u043c \u0438\u043b\u0438 \u0443\u0447\u0438\u0442\u0435\u043b\u0435. \u0414\u0430\u0436\u0435 \u0442\u0430\u043a\u0438\u0435 \u0441\u0443\u0449\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0438\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0435, \u043a\u0430\u043a \u00ab\u0434\u043e\u043c\u00bb \u0438\u043b\u0438 \u00ab\u0438\u043c\u044f\u00bb, \u0438\u043c\u0435\u044e\u0442 \u0432\u0435\u0436\u043b\u0438\u0432\u044b\u0435 \u0432\u0430\u0440\u0438\u0430\u043d\u0442\u044b.<\/span><\/p>\n

The alphabet itself was built on a theory of sound<\/span>\u0421\u0430\u043c \u0430\u043b\u0444\u0430\u0432\u0438\u0442 \u0431\u044b\u043b \u043f\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0435\u043d \u043d\u0430 \u0442\u0435\u043e\u0440\u0438\u0438 \u0437\u0432\u0443\u043a\u0430<\/span><\/h2>\n

Unlike alphabets that evolved gradually over centuries, Hangul’s consonant shapes were deliberately designed to mimic the shape your mouth, tongue, and throat make when producing each sound \u2014 making it, by design, one of the more learnable writing systems for a complete beginner.<\/span>\u0412 \u043e\u0442\u043b\u0438\u0447\u0438\u0435 \u043e\u0442 \u0430\u043b\u0444\u0430\u0432\u0438\u0442\u043e\u0432, \u043a\u043e\u0442\u043e\u0440\u044b\u0435 \u0441\u043a\u043b\u0430\u0434\u044b\u0432\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0441\u044c \u043f\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0435\u043f\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e \u043d\u0430 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0442\u044f\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0438 \u0432\u0435\u043a\u043e\u0432, \u0444\u043e\u0440\u043c\u044b \u0441\u043e\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0441\u043d\u044b\u0445 \u0432 \u0445\u0430\u043d\u0433\u044b\u043b\u0435 \u0431\u044b\u043b\u0438 \u043d\u0430\u043c\u0435\u0440\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e\u0442\u0430\u043d\u044b \u0442\u0430\u043a, \u0447\u0442\u043e\u0431\u044b \u043f\u043e\u0432\u0442\u043e\u0440\u044f\u0442\u044c \u043f\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u0440\u0442\u0430, \u044f\u0437\u044b\u043a\u0430 \u0438 \u0433\u043e\u0440\u043b\u0430 \u043f\u0440\u0438 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0438\u0437\u043d\u0435\u0441\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0438 \u043a\u0430\u0436\u0434\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0437\u0432\u0443\u043a\u0430, \u2014 \u0431\u043b\u0430\u0433\u043e\u0434\u0430\u0440\u044f \u0447\u0435\u043c\u0443 \u044d\u0442\u0430 \u0441\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0435\u043c\u0430 \u043f\u0438\u0441\u044c\u043c\u0430 \u0438\u0437\u043d\u0430\u0447\u0430\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e \u043e\u0434\u043d\u0430 \u0438\u0437 \u0441\u0430\u043c\u044b\u0445 \u0434\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0443\u043f\u043d\u044b\u0445 \u0434\u043b\u044f \u043f\u043e\u043b\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e \u043d\u043e\u0432\u0438\u0447\u043a\u0430.<\/span><\/p>\n

Learning Korean well means learning more than vocabulary \u2014 it means learning how the language encodes respect into nearly everything you say.<\/span>\u0425\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0448\u043e \u0432\u044b\u0443\u0447\u0438\u0442\u044c \u043a\u043e\u0440\u0435\u0439\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u2014 \u0437\u043d\u0430\u0447\u0438\u0442 \u0432\u044b\u0443\u0447\u0438\u0442\u044c \u043d\u0435 \u0442\u043e\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e \u043b\u0435\u043a\u0441\u0438\u043a\u0443, \u043d\u043e \u0438 \u0442\u043e, \u043a\u0430\u043a \u044f\u0437\u044b\u043a \u0432\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430\u0438\u0432\u0430\u0435\u0442 \u0443\u0432\u0430\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u0447\u0442\u0438 \u0432 \u043a\u0430\u0436\u0434\u0443\u044e \u0444\u0440\u0430\u0437\u0443.<\/span><\/p>\n

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→ See our Korean course page<\/span>\u0421\u0442\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0446\u0430 \u043a\u0443\u0440\u0441\u0430 \u043a\u043e\u0440\u0435\u0439\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0433\u043e \u044f\u0437\u044b\u043a\u0430<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

→ Book a trial lesson on WhatsApp<\/span>\u0417\u0430\u043f\u0438\u0441\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f \u043d\u0430 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0431\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0443\u0440\u043e\u043a \u0432 WhatsApp<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Korean grammar encodes age, status and relationship into almost every sentence. Here’s how the honorific system actually works. \u041a\u043e\u0440\u0435\u0439\u0441\u043a\u0430\u044f \u0433\u0440\u0430\u043c\u043c\u0430\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0430 \u0432\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430\u0438\u0432\u0430\u0435\u0442 \u0432\u043e\u0437\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442, \u0441\u0442\u0430\u0442\u0443\u0441 \u0438 \u0445\u0430\u0440\u0430\u043a\u0442\u0435\u0440 \u043e\u0442\u043d\u043e\u0448\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0439 \u043f\u043e\u0447\u0442\u0438 \u0432 \u043a\u0430\u0436\u0434\u043e\u0435 \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u043b\u043e\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435. \u0420\u0430\u0437\u0431\u0438\u0440\u0430\u0435\u043c\u0441\u044f, \u043a\u0430\u043a \u0443\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0435\u043d\u0430 \u0441\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0435\u043c\u0430 \u0432\u0435\u0436\u043b\u0438\u0432\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-languages"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/romanata.kz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/romanata.kz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/romanata.kz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/romanata.kz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/romanata.kz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=102"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/romanata.kz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/romanata.kz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/romanata.kz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/romanata.kz\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=102"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}