Day 28: Giving and Following Commands in Korean – How to Tell Others to Do Things

Welcome to Day 28 of your Korean language journey! Today, we’ll learn how to give and follow commands in Korean.

In Korean, giving and following commands is an important part of communication. Whether you’re telling someone to do something, giving instructions, or asking for a favor, understanding how to use commands (imperatives) correctly will help you communicate clearly in various situations. It’s also essential to know how to give commands politely, especially in more formal settings.

By the end of today’s lesson, you’ll be able to give polite commands, ask for things to be done, and follow instructions in Korean.

1. How to Give Commands in Korean (명령형 사용하기)

In Korean, commands are typically formed by using imperative verb forms. The verb form you use depends on the level of politeness you want to convey. There are three main levels of politeness in giving commands:

Informal Commands (반말) – Used for people who are younger or your close friends.
Polite Commands (존댓말) – Used in polite conversations or with people you don’t know well.
Formal Commands (격식 있는 말) – Used in formal settings, such as workplace environments or when addressing strangers respectfully.

Let’s go over how to form commands based on these politeness levels.

2. Informal Commands (반말)

Informal commands are used when speaking to close friends, younger people, or people with whom you are familiar. The basic structure is the verb stem followed by -아/어 (a/eo).

Examples:

가다 (gada) – to go → 가 (ga) – Go
- 학교에 가! (Hakgyo-e ga!) – Go to school!
먹다 (meokda) – to eat → 먹어 (meogeoeo) – Eat
- 밥을 먹어! (Bapeul meogeoyo!) – Eat your meal!
하다 (hada) – to do → 해 (hae) – Do
- 숙제를 해! (Sukjereul hae!) – Do your homework!
보이다 (boida) – to show → 보여 (boyeo) – Show
- 이걸 보여! (Igeol boyeo!) – Show this!

Note: These informal commands are only used with people you are very familiar with, such as close friends or family.

3. Polite Commands (존댓말)

Polite commands are used to show respect to people you don’t know very well, elders, or people in formal situations. To form polite commands, use the -세요 (seyo) or -십시오 (sipsio) endings, depending on the level of formality.

-세요 (seyo): Used for polite speech (informal polite).
-십시오 (sipsio): Used for formal, very respectful speech.

Examples:

가다 (gada) – to go → 가세요 (gaseyo) – Please go
- 집에 가세요. (Jibe gaseyo.) – Please go home.
먹다 (meokda) – to eat → 먹으세요 (meogeuseyo) – Please eat
- 식사를 드세요. (Siksareul deuseyo.) – Please eat the meal.
하다 (hada) – to do → 하세요 (haseyo) – Please do
- 숙제를 하세요. (Sukjereul haseyo.) – Please do your homework.
보이다 (boida) – to show → 보이세요 (boiseyo) – Please show
- 그걸 보여 주세요. (Geugeol boyeo juseyo.) – Please show me that.

Note: Use -세요 (seyo) in casual settings or with people you are familiar with, and -십시오 (sipsio) for very formal situations.

4. Formal Commands (격식 있는 말)

Formal commands are used in situations where you need to show the highest level of respect, such as in business settings or with someone much older than you. The verb form -십시오 (sipsio) is used to express formal commands.

Examples:

가다 (gada) – to go → 가십시오 (gasipsio) – Please go (formal)
- 회사를 가십시오. (Hoesareul gasipsio.) – Please go to the company.
먹다 (meokda) – to eat → 드십시오 (deusipsio) – Please eat (formal)
- 이 음식을 드십시오. (I eumsigeul deusipsio.) – Please eat this food.
하다 (hada) – to do → 하십시오 (hasipsio) – Please do (formal)
- 업무를 하십시오. (Eobmureul hasipsio.) – Please do your work.

5. Following Commands in Korean (명령 따르기)

When someone gives you a command, you can follow it by simply performing the action. Here are some expressions you can use to show you’re following a command:

알겠어요 (algesseoyo) – I understand, okay
- Example: 숙제를 하세요. (Sukjereul haseyo.) – Please do your homework.
  알겠어요. (Algesseoyo.) – Okay, I will do it.
네 (ne) – Yes (casual response, agreeing)
- Example: 문을 열어 주세요. (Muneul yeoreo juseyo.) – Please open the door.
  네, 알겠습니다. (Ne, algesseumnida.) – Yes, understood.
하겠습니다 (hagesseumnida) – I will do it (formal)
- Example: 보고서를 제출하십시오. (Bogoseoreul chejeul hasipsio.) – Please submit the report.
  하겠습니다. (Hagesseumnida.) – I will do it.

6. Practice Giving and Following Commands

Let’s practice making commands and responding to them:

Go to the park!
공원에 가! (Gongwon-e ga!) (Informal)
공원에 가세요! (Gongwon-e gaseyo!) (Polite)
공원에 가십시오! (Gongwon-e gasipsio!) (Formal)
Please eat this.
이것을 먹어! (Igeoseul meogeoeo!) (Informal)
이것을 드세요! (Igeoseul deuseyo!) (Polite)
이것을 드십시오! (Igeoseul deusipsio!) (Formal)
Do your homework.
숙제를 해! (Sukjereul hae!) (Informal)
숙제를 하세요! (Sukjereul haseyo!) (Polite)
숙제를 하십시오! (Sukjereul hasipsio!) (Formal)
Please show me that.
그것을 보여! (Geugeoseul boyeo!) (Informal)
그것을 보여 주세요! (Geugeoseul boyeo juseyo!) (Polite)
그것을 보여 주십시오! (Geugeoseul boyeo jusipsio!) (Formal)

7. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using Informal Commands Too Often:
Be careful when using informal commands. Only use them with close friends or people you are familiar with. Avoid using 반말 (banmal) with people you don’t know well, especially in formal settings.
Overusing Formal Commands:
Formal commands should be used in specific, respectful situations. Don’t overuse them in casual conversations.
Not Conjugating Verbs Correctly for Commands:
When giving commands, make sure you conjugate the verbs correctly for the level of formality. For example, using -세요 for polite speech and -십시오 for formal speech.

What’s Next? (다음은 무엇인가요?)

Tomorrow, in Day 29, we’ll learn about how to express wishes and desires in Korean. You’ll learn how to talk about what you want, hope, and wish for in the future!