How To Speak Casually In Korean-- Notes

#1: When to use 반말

There needs to be mutual agreement, EXCEPT when:

• speaking to someone who’s clearly of lower hierarchy,

• between young children,

• much older person to much younger person

#2: Drop -요 at the end of a sentence to turn it into 반말

이거 매워요? —> 이거 매워?

#3: Replace VS(스)ㅂ니다 with V아/어/여 to turn it into 반말

네, 알겠습니다. → 응, 알겠어.

너무 무겁습니다. → 너무 무거워. 

#4: How to initiate a conversation with a friend in 반말

• Name ending with a vowel +야

• Name ending with a consonant +아

#5: Various usages of 야

• to get someone’s attention in 반말

• to start a sentence with (used as a filler, like “you know…”)

• to express the meaning “come onnn”

• to express anger or frustration toward someone like “hey!!” 

#6: Words that change completely

• 네. → 응. / 어.

• 안녕하세요? → 안녕?

• 죄송합니다. → 미안해. / 미안.

• 감사합니다. → 고마워.

• 저 → 나

• 안녕히 가세요. → 잘 가.

• 안녕히 주무세요. → 잘 자.

#7: How to make -이에요/예요 to 반말

-이에요 —> -이야, -예요 —> -야

#8: Future tense

-(으)ㄹ 거예요 —> -(으)ㄹ 거야

-(으)ㄹ 게요 —> -(으)ㄹ 게

#9: Compound sentences in 반말

오늘은 바빴어요. 어제는 안 바빴고요.

어제는 안 왔어요. 어제 바빠서요.

안에 사람이 없는데요?

#10: “Let’s” in 반말

하시죠./할까요? —> 하자/할까?

#11: telling sb to do smth

-(아/어)세요. → -아/어 or -아/어라*.

-하세요. → -해. or 해라*.

-아/어/여 주세요. → -아/어/여 줘/주라*.

*adds a commanding tone to the request

#12: narrative and question forms

• narrative form: -(ㄴ/는)다; in 존댓말 it’s like you’re talking to yourself, in 반말 to express your thoughts as self-talk or an exclamation

• question form:

Standard 반말: 또 게임 해? → More casual: 또 게임 하니? → even more casual, frustrated/dissapointed/nitpicking connotation: 또 게임 하냐?

#13: how to suggest using 반말

• 말 놓을까요?

• 말 놓으세요. / 말 편하게 하세요. / 제가 더 어린데 말 편하게 하셔도 돼요. / 제가 더 어린데 말 놓으셔도 돼요.