Korean grammar '-세요/으세요.'

 

1. Explanation

 : '-세요/으세요.' is used to form request, instruction or question sentences. Generally, it's a very polite expression. However even if someone uses this ending particle, they may look anger or rude, it would be a more overbearing expression. So, when you listen these expressions in a K-drama, don't be confussed. While it is usually used politly, there are rare instances where it may be expressed differently. Also basically these expressions used in restaurants, theaters, museums and so on.

 '-세요/으세요.' conjugates with a verb stem. But '-세요.' and '-으세요.' have different usages. Fisrt, '-세요.' conjugates with 'ㄹ ending or vowel ending verbs'. On the other hand, '-으세요.' conjugates with 'consonant ending verbs'. Let's look at examples together.

 

Source : National Institute of Korean Langugae

 

2. Examples

 사이다 한 병 주세요. (Give me a bottle of Cider.)

 *주다 to give 

  1) A verb stem is '주-'

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅜ'

  3) It conjugates with '-세요.'

  4) 주세요.

  

 이쪽으로 오세요. (Come this way.)

 *오다 to come

  1) A verb stem is '오-'

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅗ'

  3) It conjugates with '-세요.'

  4) 오세요.

 

 앞으로 쭉 가세요. (Go straitght ahead.)

 *가다 to go 

  1) A verb stem is '가-'

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅏ'

  3) It conjugates with '-세요.'

  4) 가세요.

 

 편하게 쉬세요. (Please relax.)

 *쉬다 relax 

  1) A verb stem is '쉬-'

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅟ'

  3) It conjugates with '-세요.'

  4) 쉬세요.

 

 저를 따라 하세요. (Repeat after me.)

 *따라 하다 to repeat 

  1) A verb stem is '따라 하-'

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅏ'
  3) It conjugates with '-세요.'

  4) 따라 하세요.

 

 왼쪽 음식 먼저 먹으세요. (Eat the food on the left first.)

 *먹다 to eat 

  1) A verb stem is '먹-'

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㄱ'

  3) It conjugates with '-으세요.'

  4) 먹으세요.

 

 일본어 부분을 읽으세요. (Read the Japanese part.)

 *읽다 to read 

  1) A verb stem is '읽-'

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㄺ'

  3) It conjugates with '-으세요.'

  4) 읽으세요.

 

 오른쪽 끝 좌석에 앉으세요. (Please sit in the seat at the end of right.)

 *앉다 to sit 

  1) A verb stem is '앉-'

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㄵ'

  3) It conjugates with '-으세요.'

  4) 앉으세요.

 

 무슨 색 옷을 찾으세요? (What color cothes are you looking for?)

 *찾다 to look for 

  1) A verb stem is '찾-'

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㅈ'

  3) It conjugates with '-으세요.'

  4) 찾으세요.

  5) Make it as a question

  6) Add question marker '?'

  7) 찾으세요?

 

 질문 있으세요? (Do you have any questions?)

 *있다 to have 

  1) A verb stem is '있-'

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㅆ'

  3) It conjugates with '-으세요.'

  4) 있으세요.

  5) Make it as a question

  6) Add question marker '?'

  7) 있으세요?

 

  * You can add 'please' for every sentence.

 

 

3. Practice

 Wait for a moment. 

 잠깐 기다리(세요/으세요). ( *기다리다 to wait )

 

 Go for 30 more minutes.

 30분 더 가(세요/으세요). ( *가다 to go )

 

 Apply on the home page.

 홈페이지에서 신청하(세요/으세요). ( *신청하다 to apply )

 

 Eat the steak with the sauce. 

 스테이크와 소스를 함께 먹(세요/으세요). ( *먹다 to eat )

 

 Give me your best dish.

 제일 잘하는 음식 주(세요/으세요). ( *주다 to give )

 

 Read it slowly.

 천천히 읽(세요/으세요). ( *읽다 to read ) 

 

 Sit by the window.

 창가 쪽 좌석에 앉(세요/으세요). ( *앉다 to sit )

 

 Visit again tomorrow.

 내일 다시 방문하(세요/으세요). ( *방문하다 to visit )

 

4. Vocabulary

 사이다 Cider / 한 병 a bottle of / 주다 to give (me) / 이쪽 this way / -으로 particle(direction) / 오다 to come / 앞으로 ahead / 쭉 straight / 가다 to go / 편하게 comfortably / 쉬다 to take a rest / 저를 따라 하세요 to repeat after me / 왼쪽 left / 음식 food / 먼저 first / 먹다 to eat / 일본어 Japanese / 부분 part / 읽다 to read / 오른쪽 right / 끝 end of / 에 particle(location) / 앉다 to sit / 무슨 what / 색 color / 옷 clothes / 찾다 to look for / 질문 question / 있다 to have / 잠깐 a moment / 기다리다 to wait / 30분 30 minutes / 더 more / 가다 to go / 홈페이지 home page / 에서 particle(place) / 신청하다 to apply / 스테이크 steak / 와 and / 소스 sauce / 함께 with / 제일 best / 잘하다 be good at / 천천히 slowly / 창가 window / 쪽 particle(direction) / 내일 tomorrow / 다시 again / 방문하다 to visit 

 

5. Answer

  기다리세요. / 가세요. / 신청하세요. / 먹으세요. / 주세요. / 읽으세요. / 앉으세요. / 방문하세요.