# So when do you actually use 수고하세요?



## 82riceballs

I've heard that saying 수고하세요 or 수고하셨습니다 to a teacher is rude, but I've also heard people say it to taxi drivers and convenience store workers. 

So I would just like to clarify as to when you CAN say it without sounding rude.
Can you say it to the following?
(1) your "superiors" (teachers, 선배, elderly folks)
(2) your "equals" (e.g. friend/colleague who just finished their work for the day and is going home)
(3) someone who just arrived after a long plane ride 
(4) strangers who you don't know but helped you (e.g. bus/taxi driver, convenience store worker)


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## Ahyeon

In general. we use those expressions to anyone. "수고하셨습니다, 선생님" "수고하셨습니다, 회장님" "수고하십시요, 선생님" "수고하십시요, 회장님" There is no problem. But you should distinguish between "수고했어요" and "수고하셨습니다", and between "수고해요" and "수고하십시요". These problems can be too delicate for you. There is another pair, "수고하세요" and "수고하십시요". These distinstions have roles of whether rude or not! So for exaple, you should use 수고하십시요 to 선생님 or 회장님, and 수고하세요, you use it more generally. Of course many things depend on the situations. You can use "수고하세요 회장님" to your 회장님 dependent on your position, relationship, familiarity, intimacy etc. You need a lot of experiences for these expressions, I think.


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## Rance

Technically speaking, this expression is limited to when you are speaking to equals or inferiors. 
It can be used for case 3 or 4 if the above conditions are met.
However in practice many people, especially younger generations, tend to use this expression indiscriminately.
So you may do so as well, however I would not use to the elders who you will be encountering frequently like your teacher or your boss.
Saying it to taxi driver will be one time thing, but if your teacher/boss find this behavior rude(some may , some may not), it won't be good for you in the long term.


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## 82riceballs

Yeah, I've heard so much differing things on 수고하세요, I guess it will be safe to just use it to equals or inferiors... Thanks!!


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## kenjoluma

If anyone gets offended because someone says 수고하셨습니다 to them, just stay away from them. Seriously. Something's definitely wrong with them.


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## 82riceballs

hahaha got it thank you


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## not_so_plain_jane

As others mentioned above,
although it is not suitable phrase to be used to anyone superior than you, it's still acceptable to thank them for their service, shop assistants, taxi driver, public servants etc. 

Literally 수고 means 'doing a hard work.''
So 수고하세요 means 'Do a hard work.' : )


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