The Imperative in Korean — Giving Orders Politely (Yes, It's Possible)

<h2>How to Say "Do This" Without Offending Anyone</h2> <p>In English, imperatives are fairly direct: "Sit down," "Eat," "Come here." In Korean, it's an art form. There are at least <strong>four levels of imperative</strong>, from ultra-polite to brutally blunt, and choosing the wrong one can create monumental awkwardness. Trust me, I made this mistake during my first months in Seoul — I used the harsh form 먹어! (eat!) with an older colleague. The awkward silence that followed is still etched in my memory.</p> <h2>Imperative #1: -(으)세요 — The Polite Imperative (Most Common)</h2> <p>This is the form you'll use 90% of the time. It's polite, respectful, and appropriate in virtually every situation.</p> <h3>Construction</h3> <table> <tr><th>Stem ending</th><th>Addition</th><th>Example</th><th>Result</th></tr> <tr><td>Vowel</td><td>-세요</td><td>[가다](/en/dictionary/%EA%B0%80%EB%8B%A4) → 가</td><td>가세요</td></tr> <tr><td>Consonant</td><td>-으세요</td><td>읽다 → 읽</td><td>읽으세요</td></tr> <tr><td>ㄹ final</td><td>-세요 (ㄹ drops)</td><td>만들다 → 만드</td><td>만드세요</td></tr> </table> <h3>Common Examples</h3> <table> <tr><th>Korean</th><th>Romanization</th><th>Translation</th><th>Context</th></tr> <tr><td>앉으세요</td><td>anjeuseyo</td><td>Please sit down</td><td>Restaurant, office</td></tr> <tr><td>드세요</td><td>deuseyo</td><td>Please eat / Help yourself</td><td>Offering food</td></tr> <tr><td>들어오세요</td><td>deureo-oseyo</td><td>Please come in</td><td>Office, shop</td></tr> <tr><td>기다리세요</td><td>gidariseyo</td><td>Please wait</td><td>Queue, phone</td></tr> <tr><td>조심하세요</td><td>josimhaseyo</td><td>Be careful</td><td>Showing concern</td></tr> <tr><td>천천히 하세요</td><td>cheoncheonhi haseyo</td><td>Take your time</td><td>When someone is rushed</td></tr> </table> <p>The phrase 드세요 (eat/help yourself) — that's the one I hear most at my in-laws' house. Every meal starts with my mother-in-law saying "많이 드세요!" (eat a lot!). It's Korean hospitality embodied in a single phrase.</p> <h3>Note on 드시다</h3> <p>The verb "to eat" has a special honorific form: <strong>드시다</strong> (deusida) instead of 먹다 (meokda). When speaking to someone older, always use 드세요, never 먹으세요.</p> <h2>Imperative #2: -아/어 주세요 — The Polite Request</h2> <p>This form adds 주다 (juda — to give) to the imperative, creating the meaning "please do it <em>for me</em>." It's softer than -(으)세요 and used for <strong>requests</strong>.</p> <h3>Construction</h3> <p><strong>Stem + -아/어 주세요</strong></p> <table> <tr><th>Korean</th><th>Romanization</th><th>Translation</th></tr> <tr><td>도와주세요</td><td>dowajuseyo</td><td>Please help me</td></tr> <tr><td>알려 주세요</td><td>allyeo juseyo</td><td>Please let me know</td></tr> <tr><td>사진 찍어 주세요</td><td>sajin jjigeo juseyo</td><td>Please take a photo</td></tr> <tr><td>여기에 써 주세요</td><td>yeogie sseo juseyo</td><td>Please write here</td></tr> <tr><td>천천히 말해 주세요</td><td>cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo</td><td>Please speak slowly</td></tr> <tr><td>다시 한번 말해 주세요</td><td>dasi hanbeon malhae juseyo</td><td>Please say it again</td></tr> </table> <p>"천천히 말해 주세요" is probably the sentence I used most during my first two years in Seoul. It saved me in hundreds of situations. It's polite, humble, and Koreans always slow down with a smile when you say it.</p> <h3>Difference: -(으)세요 vs -아/어 주세요</h3> <table> <tr><th>-(으)세요</th><th>-아/어 주세요</th></tr> <tr><td>Instruction / advice</td><td>Request / favor</td></tr> <tr><td>앉으세요 (sit down)</td><td>앉아 주세요 (please sit down)</td></tr> <tr><td>Speaker has authority</td><td>Speaker asks for a service</td></tr> <tr><td>Teacher → student</td><td>Customer → waiter</td></tr> </table> <h2>Imperative #3: -아/어라 — The Direct Order (Informal)</h2> <p>⚠️ <strong>Warning</strong>: this form is blunt and direct. Only use it between very close friends of the same age, with children, or when watching K-dramas.</p> <table> <tr><th>Korean</th><th>Romanization</th><th>Translation</th><th>Tone</th></tr> <tr><td>가라!</td><td>gara!</td><td>Go away!</td><td>Harsh</td></tr> <tr><td>먹어라!</td><td>meogeora!</td><td>Eat!</td><td>Harsh</td></tr> <tr><td>조용히 해라!</td><td>joyonghi haera!</td><td>Be quiet!</td><td>Very harsh</td></tr> <tr><td>일어나라!</td><td>ireonara!</td><td>Get up!</td><td>Harsh</td></tr> <tr><td>공부해라!</td><td>gongbuhaera!</td><td>Study!</td><td>Parent → child</td></tr> </table> <p>You'll mainly hear this form in K-dramas when a character is angry, or between parents and children. My father-in-law uses 해라 with his grandchildren but never with adults. If someone uses it with you (and you're not a child), it's either very familiar or very disrespectful.</p> <h2>Imperative #4: -아/어 — The Most Casual (Between Friends)</h2> <p>Between close friends of the same age, simply use the informal verb form:</p> <table> <tr><th>Korean</th><th>Romanization</th><th>Translation</th></tr> <tr><td>와!</td><td>wa!</td><td>Come!</td></tr> <tr><td>먹어!</td><td>meogeo!</td><td>Eat!</td></tr> <tr><td>빨리 해!</td><td>ppalli hae!</td><td>Hurry up!</td></tr> <tr><td>봐!</td><td>bwa!</td><td>Look!</td></tr> </table> <p>With my long-time Korean friends, this is the form I use. "빨리 와!" (come quick!), "이거 봐!" (look at this!). It's the sign of true friendship — when a Korean speaks to you in 반말 ([banmal](/en/blog/banmal-when-and-how-to-use-casual-speech-in-korean-without-offending) — informal language), it means they consider you a real friend.</p> <h2>Negative Imperative: -지 마세요 / -지 마</h2> <p>To say "don't do":</p> <table> <tr><th>Form</th><th>Example</th><th>Romanization</th><th>Translation</th></tr> <tr><td>-지 마세요 (polite)</td><td>걱정하지 마세요</td><td>geokjeonghaji maseyo</td><td>Don't worry</td></tr> <tr><td></td><td>만지지 마세요</td><td>manjiji maseyo</td><td>Don't touch</td></tr> <tr><td></td><td>늦지 마세요</td><td>neutji maseyo</td><td>Don't be late</td></tr> <tr><td>-지 마 (informal)</td><td>걱정하지 마</td><td>geokjeonghaji ma</td><td>Don't worry</td></tr> <tr><td></td><td>울지 마</td><td>ulji ma</td><td>Don't cry</td></tr> <tr><td></td><td>가지 마</td><td>gaji ma</td><td>Don't go</td></tr> </table> <p>"걱정하지 마세요" (don't worry) is one of the phrases I hear most in Korea. Koreans use it constantly to reassure — at work, with family, between friends. It's almost a social reflex.</p> <h2>Imperatives in Daily Life</h2> <p>Here are situations where you'll use imperatives every day in Korea:</p> <h3>At a Restaurant</h3> <ul> <li>여기요! (yeogi-yo!) — Over here! (calling the waiter)</li> <li>물 좀 주세요 (mul jom juseyo) — Water please</li> <li>계산해 주세요 (gyesanhae juseyo) — Check please</li> <li>많이 드세요 (mani deuseyo) — Eat well!</li> </ul> <h3>In Transportation</h3> <ul> <li>여기서 내려 주세요 (yeogiseo naeryeo juseyo) — Drop me off here please (taxi)</li> <li>잠깐만요 (jamkkanmanyo) — Just a moment please</li> </ul> <h3>At Work</h3> <ul> <li>확인해 주세요 (hwaginhae juseyo) — Please verify</li> <li>이메일 보내 주세요 (imeil bonae juseyo) — Please send an email</li> </ul> <h2>Summary of Imperative Levels</h2> <table> <tr><th>Level</th><th>Form</th><th>Usage</th><th>Example</th></tr> <tr><td>Very polite</td><td>-(으)십시오</td><td>Announcements, official writing</td><td>앉으십시오</td></tr> <tr><td>Polite</td><td>-(으)세요</td><td>Standard daily use</td><td>앉으세요</td></tr> <tr><td>Polite request</td><td>-아/어 주세요</td><td>Asking for a service</td><td>도와주세요</td></tr> <tr><td>Informal</td><td>-아/어</td><td>Same-age friends</td><td>앉아</td></tr> <tr><td>Direct/harsh</td><td>-아/어라</td><td>Parents→children, anger</td><td>앉아라</td></tr> </table> <p>Ready to order politely at restaurants and give instructions like a pro? <a href="/en/signup">Join Seonsaengnim</a> and practice Korean imperatives in realistic scenarios.</p>