TOPIK I · LEVEL 2

-께서

-께서 is the honorific subject particle: it replaces 이/가 when the subject is someone you respect.

조사Particles

Han: With 께서 the verb must also be honorific (-(으)시-).

Examples

선생님께서 숙제를 내 주셨어요.The teacher gave us homework.
할머니께서 김치를 만드셨어요.My grandmother made kimchi.
사장님께서는 지금 회의 중이세요.The company president is in a meeting now.

Don’t mix up

-께서vs-이/가이/가 is the neutral subject particle; 께서 is used for elders and superiors in polite speech or writing.

How to build it

N(respected person)+께서

할아버지 → 할아버지께서

  1. The verb should also take -(으)시-: 선생님께서 오셨어요.
  2. The topic form is 께서는 (honorific of 은/는).

Classic mistake

Wrong: 어머니께서 시장에 갔어요.

Right: 어머니께서 시장에 가셨어요.

With 께서 the verb must also be honorific (-(으)시-).

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More level 2 grammar

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