Oppa, Unnie, Seonbae: How to Address People in Korean

In English, you can call almost anyone "you" or use their first name. In Korean, what you call someone reflects your relationship, their age, and their role. Getting this right is a big part of sounding polite and natural. Here is a friendly guide to the most important terms.

씨: the basic polite suffix

Add 씨 after a person's full name or given name to address them politely. It is common among coworkers and acquaintances of similar status.

• 지수 씨, 안녕하세요.

  [jisu ssi annyeonghaseyo]

  Hello, Jisu.

• 김민수 씨, 들어오세요.

  [gimminsu ssi deureooseyo]

  Mr. Kim Minsu, please come in.

Never use 씨 with your own name, and avoid using it for someone clearly older or more senior. Attaching 씨 to a surname alone, such as 김 씨, can sound impolite in many situations.

Saying 씨 correctly

씨 starts with the tense consonant ㅆ, not the plain ㅅ. Say it tight and clipped, without a puff of air. If it comes out as a soft 시, it can sound like a different word. Fun fact: 씨 on its own also means "seed."

• 민수 씨

  [minsu ssi]

  Minsu (polite)

Three common mistakes, with natural alternatives:

• Using 씨 for yourself. Say 저는 민수예요 (I'm Minsu), never 저는 민수 씨예요.
• Calling out a bare family name. 김 씨! sounds bossy when you speak to someone directly. Use the given name or the full name instead.
• Using 씨 for your teacher or boss. Use a title with 님, such as 선생님 or 팀장님.

• 저는 민수예요.

  [jeoneun minsueyo]

  I'm Minsu.

• 김민수 씨, 들어오세요.

  [gimminsu ssi deureooseyo]

  Kim Minsu, please come in.

You will often see 김 모 씨 or A 씨 in Korean news. That is a way of referring to someone anonymously in a report, not a way of addressing them, so it does not break the rule above.

님: extra respect

님 shows higher respect. It attaches to titles and sometimes to names in customer service or online.

• 선생님

  [seonsaengnim]

  teacher; also a respectful term for professionals

• 고객님

  [gogaengnim]

  valued customer

• 사장님

  [sajangnim]

  boss; owner of a business

At restaurants and shops, customers often call the owner 사장님 as a friendly, respectful term, even if they do not know whether the person actually owns the place.

More titles that take 님

Beyond 선생님, 고객님, and 사장님, you will hear 님 on many everyday titles:

• 기사님: driver (taxi or bus)
• 손님: guest, customer
• 교수님: professor
• 선배님: senior, more respectful than 선배 alone
• 어머님 / 아버님: mother / father, used respectfully for someone else's parents or for in-laws
• 형님: a respectful version of 형, also used between in-laws

• 기사님, 여기서 세워 주세요.

  [gisanim yeogiseo sewo juseyo]

  Driver, please stop here.

• 손님, 몇 분이세요?

  [sonnim myeot buniseyo]

  How many are in your party? (staff to a customer)

• 교수님, 질문 있습니다.

  [gyosunim jilmun itseumnida]

  Professor, I have a question.

• 선배님, 조언 좀 해 주세요.

  [seonbaenim joeon jom hae juseyo]

  Could you give me some advice? (to a senior)

• 어머님, 맛있게 드세요.

  [eomeonim masitge deuseyo]

  Please enjoy your meal. (to a friend's mother)

님 also appears after names in two modern settings. Some Korean companies ask everyone to call each other by name plus 님, to make the office feel less hierarchical. And online, people add 님 to a stranger's username to stay polite.

• 하늘 님, 댓글 감사해요!

  [haneul nim daetgeul gamsahaeyo]

  Thanks for the comment, Haneul! (to a username online)

Spacing: 민수 씨 vs 선생님

In standard spelling, 씨 and 님 after a person's name are written with a space: 민수 씨, 김민지 님. When 님 is part of a title, it is attached: 선생님, 사장님. You will see 민수씨 without a space in casual writing, but the spaced form is correct.

Family-style titles among friends

Koreans often use family words for friends and acquaintances, based on age and the speaker's gender.

• 오빠: older brother, used by females for older males
• 형: older brother, used by males for older males
• 언니: older sister, used by females for older females
• 누나: older sister, used by males for older females
• 동생: younger sibling or someone younger (used when talking about them, not usually as a direct address)

• 언니, 같이 가요.

  [eonni gachi gayo]

  Unnie, let's go together.

• 형, 이거 어때요?

  [hyeong igeo eottaeyo]

  Hyung, how about this?

These words show both respect for age and closeness. Many younger Koreans switch to these titles once they feel comfortable with each other.

Watch for the switch

The move from name plus 씨 to a family-style title is a big moment in a Korean relationship, and dramas love it. Two coworkers might start like this:

• 지훈 씨, 내일 시간 있어요?

  [jihun ssi naeil sigan isseoyo]

  Jihun, are you free tomorrow?

Later, once they are close, the same question sounds completely different:

• 오빠, 내일 시간 있어?

  [oppa naeil sigan isseo]

  Oppa, are you free tomorrow?

The title changes from 지훈 씨 to 오빠, and the speech level drops from polite 해요체 to casual 반말 at the same time. When you hear that switch, the relationship has changed.

Work and school titles

In workplaces, people usually use job titles, often with 님.

• 팀장님, 회의 시작할까요?

  [timjangnim hoeui sijakalkkayo]

  Team leader, shall we start the meeting?

• 선배, 조언 좀 해 주세요.

  [seonbae joeon jom hae juseyo]

  Senior, please give me some advice.

선배 means someone who started school or work before you, and 후배 means someone who started after you. These relationships matter even after graduation.

Why "you" is avoided

Korean has second-person pronouns, but they are tricky. 너 is casual and only for close friends or people younger than you. 당신 sounds distant or argumentative in most conversations, though couples may use it affectionately. So Koreans use names and titles instead, or simply omit the subject.

• 선생님은 커피 드세요?

  [seonsaengnimeun keopi deuseyo]

  Do you (teacher) drink coffee?

• 민지 씨는 어디 살아요?

  [minji ssineun eodi sarayo]

  Where do you live, Minji?

Restaurant and street terms

• 저기요: "excuse me," used to call staff
• 아저씨: middle-aged man (casual; use with care)
• 아주머니: middle-aged woman (polite form; 아줌마 is more casual)
• 이모: literally "aunt," used affectionately for women working in casual restaurants

• 저기요, 여기 물 좀 주세요.

  [jeogiyo yeogi mul jom juseyo]

  Excuse me, could we get some water here?

씨 or 님? A quick guide

• Coworker at your level: name + 씨, or name + 님 if your workplace prefers it
• Your teacher: 선생님
• Your manager: job title + 님, such as 팀장님
• Restaurant owner: 사장님
• Taxi driver: 기사님
• A stranger online: username + 님
• Yourself: neither

Tips for learners

• When unsure, use the person's name with 씨, or a title with 님.
• Ask what someone prefers: 뭐라고 부르면 될까요? (What should I call you?)
• Watch how others address the same person and follow their lead.

Terms of address are like a map of Korean relationships. Learn the basics, observe carefully, and you will navigate social situations with confidence.