TOPIK I: Honorific Particles (께서, 께)

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높임 조사 / 주어 / 대상
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TOPIK I Prep
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TL;DR
  • 께서 is the honorific subject particle: use it instead of 이/가 for someone you respect.
  • 께 is the honorific destination/recipient particle: use it instead of 에게/한테.
  • TOPIK I questions often test whether the sentence shows respect consistently with honorific vocabulary and endings.
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🎧 Helper Note
Read the example sentences aloud. Make your voice polite and smooth when you say 께서, 께, and -세요 / -십니다.

🔑 The Big Picture

Korean honorifics show respect toward people such as grandparents, parents, teachers, guests, managers, and older people. In TOPIK I, you do not need advanced honorific speech, but you must recognize common honorific particles.
This lesson focuses on two particles:
  • 께서 = honorific subject marker, replacing 이/가
  • 께 = honorific recipient or destination marker, replacing 에게/한테
The main skill is choosing the particle that matches the person's role in the sentence.

🧩 Core Concepts / Patterns

1. 께서 = honorific subject

Use 께서 when a respected person is the subject, or the person doing the action.
Pattern
  • respected person + 께서 + verb
Examples
  • 선생님께서 오셨어요.
      • The teacher came.
  • 할머니께서 주무세요.
      • Grandmother is sleeping.

2. 께 = honorific recipient or destination

Use 께 when something is given, said, sent, or asked to a respected person.
Pattern
  • respected person + 께 + 드리다 / 말씀드리다 / 보내다 / 묻다
Examples
  • 선생님께 편지를 드렸어요.
      • I gave a letter to the teacher.
  • 할아버지께 전화를 드렸어요.
      • I called Grandfather.

3. Keep the sentence respectful

Honorific particles often appear with honorific verbs or polite endings.
Common pairings:
  • 계시다 = honorific 있다
  • 주무시다 = honorific 자다
  • 드리다 = humble giving to a respected person
  • 말씀하시다 = honorific say
  • 말씀드리다 = humbly say to a respected person

✅ Exam Strategy

  1. Find the respected person: 선생님, 할머니, 할아버지, 부모님, 사장님, 손님.
  1. Ask: Is that person doing the action? Use 께서.
  1. Ask: Is something going to that person? Use 께.
  1. Check the verb. 드리다 and 말씀드리다 often signal 께.
  1. Avoid mixing casual particles with formal honorific verbs in TOPIK-style sentences.

⚠️ Pitfalls

  • 께서 does not mean “to.” It marks the subject.
    • 선생님께서 오셨어요. = The teacher came.
  • 께 does not mark the subject. It means “to/for” a respected person.
    • 선생님께 말씀드렸어요. = I told the teacher.
  • Do not use 에게 when the question clearly requires honorific respect.
  • Do not forget the verb. 선생님께서 편지를 드렸어요 means the teacher gave a letter to someone else; 선생님께 편지를 드렸어요 means I gave a letter to the teacher.

🧪 Guided Examples

Example A

어머니께서 아침을 만드셨어요.
Why it works: Mother is doing the action, so use the honorific subject particle 께서.

Example B

아버지께 선물을 드렸어요.
Why it works: Father receives the gift, so use 께.

Example C

선생님께서 학생들에게 숙제를 주셨어요.
Why it works: The teacher is the respected subject, but the students are not the respected recipient in this sentence.
📝
Practice Hub — 50 TOPIK I Questions

Set 1 — Choose 께서 or 께

Choose the best particle.
  1. 선생님___ 교실에 오셨어요.
  1. 할머니___ 선물을 드렸어요.
  1. 아버지___ 신문을 읽으세요.
  1. 어머니___ 전화를 드렸어요.
  1. 사장님___ 회의실에 계세요.
  1. 할아버지___ 안부를 여쭈었어요.
  1. 손님___ 물을 드렸어요.
  1. 부모님___ 제주도에 가셨어요.
  1. 의사 선생님___ 제 이름을 부르셨어요.
  1. 선생님___ 질문을 했어요.
Answers — Set 1
  1. 께서 — teacher is coming.
  1. 께 — grandmother receives the gift.
  1. 께서 — father is reading.
  1. 께 — mother receives the call.
  1. 께서 — boss is in the room.
  1. 께 — grandfather receives the question/greeting.
  1. 께 — guest receives water.
  1. 께서 — parents go to Jeju.
  1. 께서 — doctor calls the name.
  1. 께 — teacher receives the question.

Set 2 — Choose the natural sentence

Choose the more natural honorific sentence.
  1. A. 할머니께서 주무세요. / B. 할머니께 주무세요.
  1. A. 선생님께 숙제를 냈어요. / B. 선생님께서 숙제를 냈어요.
  1. A. 아버지께서 회사에 가셨어요. / B. 아버지께 회사에 가셨어요.
  1. A. 어머니께 꽃을 드렸어요. / B. 어머니께서 꽃을 드렸어요.
  1. A. 사장님께서 말씀하셨어요. / B. 사장님께 말씀하셨어요.
  1. A. 할아버지께 편지를 썼어요. / B. 할아버지께서 편지를 썼어요.
  1. A. 손님께서 기다리고 계세요. / B. 손님께 기다리고 계세요.
  1. A. 부모님께 전화했어요. / B. 부모님께서 전화했어요.
  1. A. 선생님께서 설명하셨어요. / B. 선생님께 설명하셨어요.
  1. A. 할머니께 약을 드렸어요. / B. 할머니께서 약을 드렸어요.
Answers — Set 2
  1. A — grandmother is the subject.
  1. A — homework is submitted to the teacher.
  1. A — father is the subject.
  1. A — mother receives flowers.
  1. A — boss is speaking.
  1. A — letter is written to grandfather.
  1. A — guest is waiting.
  1. A — call is made to parents.
  1. A — teacher explains.
  1. A — medicine is given to grandmother.

Set 3 — Match the role

Choose the role of the underlined person.
  1. 선생님께서 오셨어요. 1) subject 2) recipient
  1. 할아버지께 말씀드렸어요. 1) subject 2) recipient
  1. 어머니께서 요리하세요. 1) subject 2) recipient
  1. 아버지께 선물을 드렸어요. 1) subject 2) recipient
  1. 사장님께서 전화하셨어요. 1) subject 2) recipient
  1. 손님께 차를 드렸어요. 1) subject 2) recipient
  1. 부모님께서 기다리세요. 1) subject 2) recipient
  1. 선생님께 물어봤어요. 1) subject 2) recipient
  1. 할머니께서 웃으셨어요. 1) subject 2) recipient
  1. 의사 선생님께 증상을 말씀드렸어요. 1) subject 2) recipient
Answers — Set 3
  1. 1 — 께서 marks the subject.
  1. 2 — 께 marks the person receiving the words.
  1. 1 — mother cooks.
  1. 2 — father receives the gift.
  1. 1 — boss calls.
  1. 2 — guest receives tea.
  1. 1 — parents wait.
  1. 2 — teacher receives the question.
  1. 1 — grandmother smiles.
  1. 2 — doctor receives the explanation.

Set 4 — Complete the sentence

Choose the best answer.
  1. 할머니___ 방에 계세요. 1) 께서 2) 께 3) 에서 4) 하고
  1. 선생님___ 이메일을 보냈어요. 1) 께 2) 께서 3) 에서 4) 와
  1. 부모님___ 한국에 오셨어요. 1) 께서 2) 께 3) 에게 4) 로
  1. 사장님___ 보고서를 드렸어요. 1) 께 2) 께서 3) 이 4) 을
  1. 의사 선생님___ 말씀하셨어요. 1) 께서 2) 께 3) 한테 4) 를
  1. 할아버지___ 사진을 보여 드렸어요. 1) 께 2) 께서 3) 가 4) 에서
  1. 선생님___ 제 답을 칭찬하셨어요. 1) 께서 2) 께 3) 에 4) 로
  1. 어머니___ 생일 카드를 썼어요. 1) 께 2) 께서 3) 이 4) 을
  1. 손님___ 여기 앉으셨어요. 1) 께서 2) 께 3) 에게 4) 만
  1. 아버지___ 돈을 드렸어요. 1) 께 2) 께서 3) 이 4) 도
Answers — Set 4
  1. 1 — grandmother is the subject.
  1. 1 — email is sent to the teacher.
  1. 1 — parents came.
  1. 1 — report is given to the boss.
  1. 1 — doctor spoke.
  1. 1 — photo is shown to grandfather.
  1. 1 — teacher praised the answer.
  1. 1 — card is written to mother.
  1. 1 — guest sat here.
  1. 1 — money is given to father.

Set 5 — TOPIK-style meaning check

Choose the sentence with the same meaning.
  1. 선생님께서 오셨어요. 1) The teacher came. 2) I went to the teacher. 3) I gave it to the teacher. 4) The student came.
  1. 할머니께 전화를 드렸어요. 1) I called grandmother. 2) Grandmother called. 3) Grandmother slept. 4) I met a friend.
  1. 아버지께서 책을 읽으세요. 1) Father is reading. 2) I gave Father a book. 3) The book is old. 4) I read to a friend.
  1. 사장님께 말씀드렸어요. 1) I told the boss. 2) The boss spoke. 3) The boss came. 4) I heard from a friend.
  1. 손님께서 기다리세요. 1) The guest is waiting. 2) I wait for the guest. 3) I gave tea to the guest. 4) The room is empty.
  1. 부모님께 선물을 드렸어요. 1) I gave a gift to my parents. 2) Parents gave a gift. 3) Parents came. 4) I bought my own gift.
  1. 의사 선생님께서 설명하셨어요. 1) The doctor explained. 2) I explained to the doctor. 3) The doctor received a letter. 4) I called home.
  1. 어머니께 편지를 썼어요. 1) I wrote a letter to Mother. 2) Mother wrote a letter. 3) Mother read a book. 4) I went with Mother.
  1. 할아버지께서 웃으셨어요. 1) Grandfather smiled. 2) I smiled at Grandfather. 3) Grandfather received money. 4) I wrote to Grandfather.
  1. 선생님께 질문했어요. 1) I asked the teacher. 2) The teacher asked. 3) I became a teacher. 4) The class ended.
Answers — Set 5
  1. 1 — 께서 marks the teacher as subject.
  1. 1 — 께 marks grandmother as recipient of the call.
  1. 1 — father is the subject.
  1. 1 — 께 with 말씀드리다 means told the boss.
  1. 1 — guest is the subject.
  1. 1 — parents receive the gift.
  1. 1 — doctor is the subject.
  1. 1 — mother receives the letter.
  1. 1 — grandfather is the subject.
  1. 1 — teacher receives the question.

✅ Final Review

Use 께서 when the respected person does the action. Use 께 when the respected person receives words, a call, a gift, or a question. In TOPIK I, always check both the particle and the verb so the honorific meaning stays consistent.