📘 Day 49: The Honorific Particle “께” — A Very Polite Version of “to” and “from”

Hi everyone!
Today, we’re going to learn about a very polite particle in Korean: “께”.
You already know “한테” (casual) and “에게” (polite) — now it’s time to level up your honorific game!

Let’s take a look at how “께” is used and when to use it.

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💡 What is “께”?

“께” is an honorific particle that means “to” or “from”, just like “에게” or “한테”.
But here’s the key difference: “께” is used when talking to or about someone of higher status (like teachers, elders, or respected people).

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✨ “께” as “to” (doing something for someone)

Use “께” when you give, say, or do something to a respected person.

Korean English
선생님께 편지를 드렸어요. I gave a letter to the teacher.
할머니께 인사를 드렸어요. I greeted my grandmother.
부모님께 감사 인사를 했어요. I gave thanks to my parents.

Tip: Notice the use of honorific verbs like “드리다” (humble version of “주다” – to give) with “께”. They go hand in hand!

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✨ “께” as “from” (receiving something from someone)

Use “께” when you receive something from a respected person.

Korean English
교수님께 이메일을 받았어요. I got an email from the professor.
선생님께 조언을 들었어요. I received advice from my teacher.
아버지께 용돈을 받았어요. I got allowance from my dad.



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🆚 Comparing “한테”, “에게”, and “께”

Particle Style Use With Example
한테 Casual People, animals 친구한테 전화했어요.
에게 Polite People, animals 친구에게 전화했어요.
께 Honorific Respected people 선생님께 전화드렸어요.

Remember: “께” is used only for honorific expressions. You wouldn’t use it for friends or animals.

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📝 Let’s Practice!

Try making your own sentences with “께”:
1. “I sent a message to my teacher.”
2. “I received a gift from my grandmother.”
3. “I said hello to my boss.”

Using honorifics correctly is a big step toward sounding more natural and respectful in Korean!

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Great job today!
By learning honorifics like “께”, you’re not just learning grammar — you’re learning Korean culture and politeness, too.
See you in the next lesson!

화이팅! You’re doing awesome!