Korean irregular honorific verbs are special verb forms that replace regular verbs to show respect. Unlike regular honorific verbs formed with -(으)시, they change into completely different words, such as 먹다 → 드시다 and 자다 → 주무시다. Because they do not follow the standard honorific pattern in Korean grammar, they must be memorized individually. This complete Korean honorific verb list includes the most common irregular honorific verbs, along with clear explanations and example sentences to help you use them correctly.
Contents
- 1. What Are Korean Irregular Honorific Verbs?
- 2. Complete List of Korean Irregular Honorific Verbs
- 3. How to Use Korean Irregular Honorific Verbs (With Examples)
- 4. Common Korean Irregular Honorific Verbs
- 5. Practice Exercises
- 6. Frequently Asked Questions About Korean Irregular Honorific Verbs
- 7. Related Guides on Korean Honorifics
1. What Are Korean Irregular Honorific Verbs?
Korean irregular honorific verbs are verbs that do not follow the standard -(으)시 pattern. Instead of adding a suffix, the original verb changes into a different word. For example, 먹다 becomes 드시다, and 자다 becomes 주무시다. Because they are exceptions to the regular honorific rule, they must be learned individually.
These verbs are used when the subject of the sentence is someone respected, such as a teacher, elder, superior, or customer.
2. Complete List of Korean Irregular Honorific Verbs
Below is a list of the most common irregular honorific verbs in Korean.
| Base Verb | Honorific Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 자다 | 주무시다 | to sleep (honorific) |
| 먹다 / 마시다 | 드시다 | to eat/drink (honorific) |
| 있다 | 계시다 | to be/exist (honorific) |
| 있다 | 있으시다 | to have (rare) |
| 말하다 | 말씀하시다 | to speak (honorific) |
| 주다 | 주시다 | to give (honorific subject) |
| 주다 | 드리다 (super polite) | to give (honorific recipient) |
| 묻다 | 여쭈다 / 여쭙다 (super polite) | to ask (honorific) |
| 보다 | 뵈다 / 뵙다 (super polite) | to see/meet (honorific) |
| 데리다 | 모시다 (super polite) | to accompany (honorific) |
| 죽다 | 돌아가시다 | to pass away (honorific) |
| 아프다 | 편찮으시다 | to be ill (honorific) |
3. How to Use Korean Irregular Honorific Verbs (With Examples)
Irregular honorific verbs are used when the respected person is the subject of the sentence. If the subject is someone older or socially higher than the speaker, you must replace the base verb with its honorific equivalent.
When to Use Irregular Honorific Verbs
Use them when:
- Talking about elders (grandparents, parents)
- Referring to teachers or professors
- Speaking about customers or clients
- Addressing someone in a higher social position
They are not used when referring to yourself.
4. Common Korean Irregular Honorific Verbs
Below are the most frequently used Korean irregular honorific verbs with examples.
(1) 주무시다 (Honorific of 자다)
Used when referring to a respected person who is sleeping.
Examples:
- 할아버지께서 지금 주무시고 계세요.
(Grandfather is sleeping now.) - 어머님께서는 보통 밤 10시에 주무세요.
(Mother usually sleeps at 10 PM.) - 할머니께서 낮잠을 주무시는 중이세요.
(Grandmother is taking a nap.)
(2) 드시다 (Honorific of 먹다 / 마시다)
Used for both eating and drinking when referring to a respected person.
Examples:
- 선생님께서 점심을 드셨어요?
(Did the teacher eat lunch?) - 부장님께서는 커피를 드시지 않으세요.
(The department head doesn’t drink coffee.) - 할아버지께서 아침 식사를 맛있게 드셨습니다.
(Grandfather enjoyed his breakfast.)
(3) 말씀하시다 (Honorific of 말하다)
Used when a respected person is speaking.
Examples:
- 대통령께서 연설을 말씀하셨습니다.
(The president gave a speech.) - 선생님께서 중요한 말씀을 하셨어요.
(The teacher said something important.) - 할아버지께서 옛날 이야기를 말씀해 주셨어요.
(Grandfather told an old story.)
(4) 여쭙다 (Honorific of 묻다)
Used when asking something to a respected person.
Examples:
- 선생님께 질문을 여쭈어도 될까요?
(May I ask the teacher a question?) - 부모님께 여행 계획에 대해 여쭈어 봤어요.
(I asked my parents about the travel plans.) - 할아버지께 건강 상태를 여쭈었어요.
(I asked Grandfather about his health.)
(5) 뵙다 (Honorific of 보다 – meeting someone)
Used when seeing or meeting someone respected.
Examples:
- 오늘 오후에 교수님을 뵙기로 했어요.
(I’m scheduled to meet the professor this afternoon.) - 내일 사장님을 뵙고 보고 드릴 예정입니다.
(I plan to meet the CEO tomorrow and report.) - 다음 주에 은사님을 뵈러 갈 거예요.
(I’m going to see my former teacher next week.)
(6) 모시다 (Honorific of 데리다 – to accompany)
Used when accompanying or serving someone respected.
Examples:
- 저는 사장님을 공항으로 모시고 갔습니다.
(I accompanied the CEO to the airport.) - 주말에 할머니를 모시고 공원에 갔어요.
(I took grandmother to the park on the weekend.) - 내일 교수님을 학회에 모시고 갈 거예요.
(I’m going to accompany the professor to the conference tomorrow.)
(7) 돌아가시다 (Honorific of 죽다)
A respectful way to refer to someone’s death.
Examples:
- 그분의 할아버지께서 작년에 돌아가셨어요.
(His grandfather passed away last year.) - 존경하는 선생님께서 지난달에 돌아가셨다는 소식을 들었어요.
(I heard that a respected teacher passed away last month.) - 그녀의 할머니는 90세에 돌아가셨습니다.
(Her grandmother passed away at the age of 90.)
(8) 편찮으시다 (Honorific of 아프다)
Used to respectfully refer to someone’s illness.
Examples:
- 어머니께서 감기로 편찮으셔서 병원에 가셨어요.
(Mother went to the hospital because she was ill with a cold.) - 할아버지께서 몸이 조금 편찮으셔서 쉬고 계세요.
(Grandfather is resting because he is a little unwell.) - 사장님께서 갑자기 편찮으셔서 회의가 취소되었습니다.
(The meeting was canceled because the CEO suddenly became ill.)
(9) 계시다 (Irregular Honorific Form of 있다 — used for people)
계시다 is the irregular honorific form of 있다 when referring to a respected person’s existence or location.
- 교수님께서 연구실에 계세요.
(The professor is in the office.) - 부모님께서는 집에 계십니다.
(My parents are at home.) - 사장님께서 회의실에 계세요.
(The CEO is in the meeting room.)
⚠️ Common learner mistake: Many students incorrectly use 있으세요 instead of 계세요 when referring to a respected person’s location.
(10) 있으시다 (Regular Honorific Form of 있다)
있으시다 is formed by adding -(으)시 to 있다. It follows the regular honorific pattern and can be used in honorific contexts.
- 회장님께서 시간이 있으세요.
(The chairman has time.) - 선생님께서 질문이 있으세요.
(The teacher has a question.) - 어머님께서 약속이 있으세요.
(Mother has an appointment.)
🔎 Still confused about 있다 honorific forms?
Many learners mix up 계시다 and 있으시다 because both come from 있다 but function very differently in real Korean sentences.
👉 Read the full guide here:
계시다 vs 있으시다 – Complete Difference Guide
(11) 주시다 (Honorific Form of 주다)
주시다 is formed by adding -(으)시 to 주다 and is used when a respected person performs the action of giving.
- 선생님께서 선물을 주셨어요.
(The teacher gave a gift.) - 할아버지께서 용돈을 주셨어요.
(Grandfather gave allowance money.) - 사장님께서 조언을 주셨어요.
(The CEO gave advice.)
(12) 드리다 (Humble Form of 주다 — used when the speaker gives something respectfully)
드리다 replaces 주다 when the speaker gives something respectfully to a respected person.
- 저는 부모님께 선물을 드렸어요.
(I gave a gift to my parents.) - 학생이 선생님께 질문을 드렸어요.
(The student asked the teacher a question.) - 제가 교수님께 이메일을 드렸습니다.
(I sent an email to the professor.)
🔎 Not sure when to use 주시다 or 드리다?
Even advanced learners confuse these two because the difference depends on who is the subject and who receives the action.
👉 Read the full explanation here:
주시다 vs 드리다 – Subject vs Recipient Explained
5. Practice Exercises
Fill in the blanks with the correct irregular honorific verb form:
- 선생님께서 _____________ (sleep) 계세요.
(The teacher is sleeping.) - 할머니께서 텔레비전을 보고 _____________ (see) .
(My grandmother is watching TV.) - 아버지께서 저에게 돈을 _____________ (give) .
(My father gave me money.) - 어머니께서 저에게 물을 _____________ (give) .
(My mother gave me water to drink.) - 형님께서 잘 _____________ (sleep).
(My older brother slept well.) - 선생님께서 학교에 _____________ (be).
(The teacher was at school.) - 교수님께서 연구실에 _____________ (be).
(The professor will be in the lab.) - 선생님께서 점심을 _____________ (eat).
(The teacher ate lunch.) - 어머님께서 저에게 선물을 _____________ (give).
(My mother gave me a gift.) - 선생님께서 학교에 ____________ (be).
(The teacher is at school.)
Answers
- 주무시고 계세요 (The teacher is sleeping.)
- 보시고 계세요 (My grandmother is watching TV.)
- 주셨어요 (My father gave me money.)
- 드셨어요 (My mother gave me water to drink.)
- 주무셨어요 (My older brother slept well.)
- 계셨어요 (The teacher was at school.)
- 계실 거예요 (The professor will be in the lab.)
- 드셨어요 (The teacher ate lunch.)
- 주셨어요 (My mother gave me a gift.)
- 계세요 (The teacher is at school.)
6. Frequently Asked Questions About Korean Irregular Honorific Verbs
1. What are Korean irregular honorific verbs?
Korean irregular honorific verbs are special verb forms that replace regular verbs to show respect. Unlike -(으)시 forms, they change into completely different words, such as 먹다 becoming 드시다 and 있다 becoming 계시다. They are exceptions to the standard honorific pattern and must be memorized individually.
2. How are irregular honorific verbs different from -(으)시 forms?
Irregular honorific verbs replace the entire verb instead of adding the -(으)시 suffix. Regular honorifics modify the verb stem, but irregular forms change it completely. For example, 주다 becomes 주시다 (a regular change), while 자다 changes to 주무시다 (an irregular change).
3. When should I use 드리다 instead of 주시다?
Use 드리다 when the respected person is the receiver of the action, and 주시다 when the respected person is the subject. For example, “I gave a gift to my teacher” uses 드리다, while “The teacher gave me a gift” uses 주시다.
4. What is the difference between 계시다 and 있으시다?
계시다 is the natural honorific verb for 있다 when referring to a respected person. Although 있으시다 is grammatically possible, it sounds unnatural in everyday Korean and is rarely used.
5. Do I always need to use irregular honorific verbs with elders?
Irregular honorific verbs are expected in formal or polite situations with elders or superiors. However, they may be omitted in casual conversations with close family members, such as when speaking to your grandmother at home.
Continue Learning Korean Honorific Verbs
If you want a deeper understanding of Korean honorific grammar, these detailed comparison guides will help:
👉 계시다 vs 있으시다 – Complete Difference Guide
👉 주시다 vs 드리다 – Subject vs Recipient Explained
Understanding these differences will help you speak more naturally and avoid common honorific mistakes.
7. Related Guides on Korean Honorifics
If you want to understand Korean honorifics more broadly, explore the following detailed guides: