# Formal vs. Informal



## 알렉스

Is there a general way to go from the formal form to the informal form and vice-versa?  Or do you just memorize both?

For example, how would you say 고맙습니다 (thank you) in the informal manner?  Is there a "formula" for doing so with any statement or question?

Thanks.


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## ramen

Hi Alex,

To answer your question, I would say that there are formulae for conjugating verbs in different registers and you can apply them fairly consistently without having to memorise too many exceptions. There are many lessons online and offline (try the Korean resources section) that could probably show you how these formulae work a whole lot better than I ever could (in other words don't take my word for gospel ...), but to give you a taste of the rules for these patterns from my understanding ...

Firstly it's a lot easier to start with the dictionary form (which would be 고맙다 for your example) and from this it's a question of losing the word-final 다 and replacing it with something (or nothing in the case of the informal register ... usually ...)

Formal

Replace 다 with 습니다 for consonant-final roots (고맙다 > 고맙습니다, 읽다 > 읽습니다) but with ㅂ니다 for vowel-final roots (싸다 > 쌉니다, 보다 > 봅니다).

If the root ends in a ㄹ, delete it and treat as a vowel-final root (살다 > 삽니다, 알다 > 압니다).

To honour or elevate the listener, use 으십나다 after consonant-final roots (읽다 > 읽으십니다) and 십니다 after vowel-final roots (이다 > 이십니다)

Informal (but polite)

If the root's last syllable has ㅏ or ㅗ at its nucleus, add ㅏ요 or just 요 if you end up with two consecutive 아s.
가다 > 가요
보다 > 봐요

If the root's last syllable has a nucleus other than ㅏ or ㅓ, add ㅓ요 or just 요 if you end up with two consecutive 어s.
있다 > 있어요
먹다 > 먹어요
배우다 > 배워요

For roots ending in ㅂ, the ㅂ becomes 우, and as such is subject to the ㅓ요 rule above:
고맙다 > 고마워요
뜨겁다 > 뜨거워요

Exceptions: 
하다 > 해요 
이다 > 이예요

To elevate the speaker, use 으세요 after consonant-final roots (앉다 > 앉으세요) and 세요 after vowel-final roots (사다 > 사세요).

(Very) Casual

The rules for informal conjugations apply to casual forms also, but without the word-final 요:
가다 > 가
보다 > 봐
있다 > 있어
먹다 > 먹어
배우다 > 배워
고맙다 > 고마워
하다 > 해

There's stuff I've surely missed out, so again consult a reference for the finer details. But cheers, good luck and sorry if I've put you to sleep.


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## 알렉스

Thank you very much, that was really helpful


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