Banmal vs Jondaetmal: Differences, Rules and Examples

What you'll learn

• Name the three differences between banmal and jondaetmal: the ending, the vocabulary and -(으)시-.
• Rewrite a short banmal message as jondaetmal, and the reverse.
• Choose the right style for a friend, a teacher, a grandparent and a colleague.
• Explain why adding 요 alone does not make speech respectful to an elder.
• Recognise 반존대, the mixed style, and know why learners should avoid it at first.

Before you start: you should know how banmal is made, from the lesson on how to make banmal casual speech, and the polite ending -아요/어요. Audio plays only when you press a button.

What Is the Difference in Banmal vs Jondaetmal?

The difference in banmal vs jondaetmal is that jondaetmal shows respect in three ways, and banmal uses none of them. Jondaetmal (존댓말) adds a polite ending, honorific words and the honorific marker -(으)시-. Banmal (반말) uses a casual ending and plain words. The relationship between speakers decides which style fits.

Here is the same message in both styles.

• 뭐 해? 지금 집이야. (mwo hae? jigeum jibiya.) [뭐 해? 지금 지비야] = "What are you doing? I am at home now." This is banmal, between friends.
• 뭐 하세요? 지금 집이에요. (mwo haseyo? jigeum jibieyo.) [뭐 하세요? 지금 지비에요] = "What are you doing? I am at home now." This is jondaetmal, to someone you respect.

The English meaning is identical. Only the closeness differs. In the jondaetmal version, 하세요 shows two changes: the honorific -(으)시- in 하세요, and the polite ending -요. The copula changed from 이야 to 이에요. The sections below make the contrast into a rule.

The One-Line Rule

Banmal drops -요 and uses plain words. Jondaetmal uses -요 or -ㅂ니다 plus honorific vocabulary and -(으)시-. Ask yourself one question before you speak: "Who am I talking to, and how close are we?" If the person is a close friend or younger and has agreed, use banmal. If the person is older, a stranger or in a position of respect, use jondaetmal.

Side-by-Side Table

The table compares banmal and jondaetmal on the points learners need most. Each row has one specific answer for each style.

The table shows that banmal is a single change, while jondaetmal is a bundle of choices. Next, one message is walked through step by step.

How Does Banmal vs Jondaetmal Work on One Sentence?

Banmal vs jondaetmal works by changing three layers of one sentence, one at a time. Follow the steps with the message "Have you eaten?" said once to a friend and once to a grandmother.

1. Start with the banmal version. 밥 먹었어? (bap meogeosseo?) [밥 머거써?] = "Did you eat?" This is right for a friend.
2. Change the ending. Add 요: 밥 먹었어요? This is polite (해요체) and suits a coworker or a stranger.
3. Change the words. For an elder, replace 밥 with 진지 and 먹다 with 드시다: 진지 드시다.
4. Add -(으)시- in the verb. 드시다 already contains 시. The past is 드셨어요, built from 드시 + 었 + 어요.
5. Read the result. 할머니, 진지 드셨어요? (halmoni, jinji deusyeosseoyo?) [할머니 진지 드셔써요?] = "Grandmother, have you eaten?"

You will know it worked when each layer is visible: no 요 for the friend, 요 for the coworker, and special words plus -(으)시- for the grandmother. The most common slip is stopping at step 2 for someone who deserves step 4. Choosing the layer for each person leads to the situations below.

Which Style Should You Choose in Each Situation?

Choose banmal for close friends and younger people who agreed, and jondaetmal for everyone who is older, unfamiliar or in a role that deserves respect. The table gives a model sentence for each case.

The persona verdict is short. A learner who is unsure should use polite 해요체 for everyone: it is correct for most listeners and rarely causes offence. The etiquette of when to move to banmal is covered in when to use banmal. Choosing the style is one question, and the mistakes below show where it goes wrong.

Common Mistakes with Banmal vs Jondaetmal

Learners most often treat jondaetmal as a single ending. Four mistakes appear again and again.

1. Thinking jondaetmal is only adding 요. Learners often assume that 요 turns any sentence respectful. Actually, 요 only makes speech polite. For a teacher or grandparent, honorific words and -(으)시- also matter. 선생님, 밥 먹었어요? is polite but plain, and 선생님, 식사하셨어요? is respectful.
2. Using honorifics for yourself. The honorific -(으)시- and words such as 드시다 are for other people, never for the speaker. Say 제가 먹었어요, not 제가 드셨어요.
3. Using banmal to sound friendly. Casual speech is a level of closeness, not a shortcut to friendship. See the lesson on when to use banmal.
4. Mixing styles by accident. 선생님, 밥 먹었어? mixes a respectful title with a casual ending. Choose one level and keep it for the whole sentence.

A quick check for any sentence: Who is the listener? Does the ending match? If the listener is an elder, did you also change the key words and add -(으)시-? If the answers are yes, the sentence is sound.

Mistakes like these show up most in edge cases, which are the next topic.

Edge Cases and Exceptions

Banmal vs jondaetmal has several edge cases: mixed speech, particles, humble words and sudden switches. Each one is common in real conversation.

• Mixed speech (반존대). Some speakers use polite endings with casual words, or switch between the two within one talk. This is common between people who are close but unequal in age. Learners should avoid it at first, because the mix carries meanings that only context can explain.
• Particles change too. The subject particle 이/가 becomes 께서 for a person you honour: 선생님께서 오셨어요 (seonsaengnimkkeseo osyeosseoyo) [선생님께서 오셔써요] = "The teacher came." The particle 에게 becomes 께: 선물을 할머니께 드렸어요 = "I gave a present to my grandmother."
• Humble words. Jondaetmal also lowers the speaker. 주다 becomes 드리다 when you give something to an elder: 드렸어요, not 줬어요.
• Switching during a talk. Switching from jondaetmal to banmal in the middle of a talk can signal closeness or anger. A smile and a friendly tone mean closeness. A hard voice means that the speaker no longer wants to be polite. Learners should not switch without the other person's agreement.

An honest limit: this lesson shows the three layers with common words, not the whole honorific lexicon. Many more honorific words exist, such as 연세 for age and 성함 for name, and they belong to the honorific lessons. For the difference between honorific and polite speech, see honorific vs polite speech in Korean. For the full decision across all levels, read which Korean speech level to use. One short dialogue puts the layers together.

The Same Dialogue in Both Styles

The same short dialogue shows every layer at once. Read the banmal version first, then the jondaetmal version, and compare the changed words.

Between two close friends (banmal):

• A: 주말에 뭐 할 거야? (jumare mwo hal geoya?) [주마레 뭐 할꺼야?] = "What will you do on the weekend?"
• B: 친구 만날 거야. 너는? (chingu mannal geoya. neoneun?) = "I will meet a friend. And you?"

From a student to a teacher (jondaetmal):

• A: 선생님, 주말에 뭐 하실 거예요? (seonsaengnim, jumare mwo hasil geoyeyo?) [주마레 뭐 하실꺼예요?] = "Teacher, what will you do on the weekend?"
• B: 친구를 만날 거예요. (chingureul mannal geoyeyo.) = "I will meet a friend."

Three changes appear in the first line. 할 거야 became 하실 거예요, with the honorific -(으)시- added, and the ending 야 became 예요. The title 선생님 also appears, because Korean speakers call a teacher by title and not by 너. The second line changes the ending and adds back the object particle 를, but it gets no -(으)시-, since the speaker is talking about themselves and never uses an honorific for themselves. The casual follow-up 너는? is dropped, because a student would not address a teacher as 너. Seeing the layers in context makes the choices easier to remember, and the next section checks them with practice.

Practice and Answers

Try the four items before you read the answer key. Cover the answers with your hand.

1. Choose the style. You are talking to your friend of the same age, who agreed to banmal. Which is right: 어디 가세요? or 어디 가?
2. Fix the error. A learner says 제가 집에 가세요 about themselves. Correct it.
3. Translate. "Grandfather, have you eaten?" Use 할아버지, 진지 and 드시다 in the past polite style.
4. Write your own. Write one message in banmal, then rewrite it in jondaetmal for a teacher. Say what changed.

Answer key

1. 어디 가? A close friend who agreed gets banmal, so -(으)시- and 요 are not needed.
2. 제가 집에 가요. The honorific -(으)시- is for other people. The speaker uses the plain polite 가요.
3. 할아버지, 진지 드셨어요? (harabeoji, jinji deusyeosseoyo?) The words 진지 and 드시다 and the form 드셨어요 all honour the grandfather.
4. Answers vary. An example: 밥 먹었어? → 선생님, 식사하셨어요? (Did you eat? → Teacher, have you had your meal?) The changes: the ending (어 to 어요), the word (밥 먹다 to 식사하다) and -(으)시-.

If you can complete items 1 to 3 without the key, you can pick the right style in daily talk. The final section points to the next lessons.

What Should You Learn Next after Banmal vs Jondaetmal?

After banmal vs jondaetmal, learn the casual words for "I" and "you," then the commands and suggestions of casual speech. This lesson compares the two styles and does not teach every honorific word or ending. Those live on their own pages.

1. Next is 나 너 banmal pronouns and 아/야, which covers the casual words for "I" and "you".
2. Review how to make banmal casual speech and when to use banmal if the rules feel unsteady.
3. Compare other confusable pairs on Korean grammar differences.
4. Return to Casual Speech (Banmal) to see every lesson in this set.

With these steps, the choice in banmal vs jondaetmal becomes automatic: look at the listener, then decide how many of the three layers to use.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 반말 vs 존댓말 mean?

반말 vs 존댓말 is the contrast between casual and respectful Korean. 반말 (banmal) is the casual style used with close friends, family and younger people. 존댓말 (jondaetmal) is the respectful style that shows distance or honour. The same message can be said in both: 뭐 해? (casual) and 뭐 하세요? (respectful).

How do I form 반말 vs 존댓말?

To make banmal, take the polite sentence and drop 요: 가요 becomes 가. To make jondaetmal, use -요 or -ㅂ니다, replace some words with honorific ones (먹다 becomes 드시다) and add -(으)시- for the person you respect: 가세요. Banmal needs one change; jondaetmal can need three.

What is the most common mistake with 반말 vs 존댓말?

The most common mistake is thinking that jondaetmal only means adding 요. Adding 요 gives polite speech, but it does not honour a teacher or a grandparent. For them, also use honorific words and -(으)시-: 선생님, 진지 드셨어요? A second mistake is using -(으)시- for yourself, as in 제가 가세요, which is wrong.

How is 반말 vs 존댓말 different from similar forms?

반말 vs 존댓말 is a broad contrast, while 해요체 vs 합쇼체 compares two kinds of jondaetmal. 해요체 (가요) is soft and common. 합쇼체 (갑니다) is formal. Both count as jondaetmal. Honorific speech is a separate tool: -(으)시- and special words honour the person you talk about, not only the listener.

Do I use 반말 vs 존댓말 in speech, writing or both?

Both. Speech is where the contrast is strongest, since each sentence needs a level. In writing, emails, letters and reports use jondaetmal or the plain 해라체 style, while messages between close friends use banmal. Notes to yourself and diaries often use 해라체, such as 오늘은 비가 왔다.