-세요: The Polite Command Form Explained
Written and reviewed by Jun and Jin, native Korean speakers
Published · How we write & review
After this page, you can use -세요 correctly in your own sentences.
10-second answer
How do you say -세요 in Korean?
-세요/-으세요 (-seyo/-euseyo) attaches to a verb stem to politely tell someone to do something, or make a respectful request — "please [verb]" with a gentle command feel. You've already seen it constantly across this site (안녕히 가세요, 읽으세요 — annyeonghi gaseyo, ilgeuseyo) without a dedicated explanation until now.
Quick check — did that land?
1. 읽다 (to read, consonant-ending stem) — polite command form?
가세요! It sounds like a command, but it's actually polite.
The Pattern
| Stem ends in… | Attach | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a vowel | -세요 | 가다 → 가세요 (please go / go, [honorific]) |
| a consonant (batchim) | -으세요 | 읽다 → 읽으세요 (please read) |
This is actually the honorific -시- infix (from the honorifics page) fused with the polite ending — 세요 is really 시 + 어요 contracted. That's why it carries built-in respect, not just politeness.
See also: How Korean Honorifics Work
Where You've Already Seen It
여기 앉으세요.
yeogi anjeuseyo.
Please sit here.
앉다 (consonant-ending) → 으세요.
잠시만 기다려 주세요.
Please wait a moment.
The 주세요 you've seen constantly in ordering/requesting phrases is this same pattern, fused with 주다 (to give).
-세요 vs -아/어 주세요
| Pattern | Feel | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -세요 | A polite instruction or invitation | 여기 앉으세요 (please sit / do sit here) |
| -아/어 주세요 | A request FOR something, favor-flavored | 이거 해 주세요 (please do this for me) |
주세요 (covered across many phrase pages on this site — 얼마예요, 반찬 더 주세요, and more) adds 주다 ("to give") into the mix, framing it more as asking someone to DO something for you, versus -세요 alone, which reads more like a polite instruction or permission.
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — Not recognizing -세요 as a command form
Because it appears so often in polite phrases across this site, learners sometimes treat each instance as a separate vocabulary word rather than seeing the shared underlying pattern.
Mistake #2 — Using -세요 with close friends
It's polite register — with close friends, casual forms (반말) are more natural, following the same logic as 반말 vs 존댓말.
Mini Quiz
2. What honorific element is hidden inside -세요?
3. What's the difference between -세요 and -아/어 주세요?
Related Knowledge
Learn Next
Why Do Koreans Add 요 to Sentences?
You've seen 요 attached to countless endings across this site — now understand exactly what that syllable is doing.
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