Key Facts
- Hangul: 말씀하다 (malsseumhada)
- Meaning: to speak (honorific)
- Level: B1
- Stem: 말씀하
- Conjugation class: 하다 type
- Polite present: 말씀해요
- Object marking: intransitive
What Does 말씀하다 Mean?
말씀하다 is the honorific and humble partner of the plain verb 말하다. Honorific use: 선생님께서 말씀하시다, where a respected person speaks. Humble use: you speak to someone senior to you. Which one you mean depends on whose words they are. The listener you respect takes 께, and the same idea can also be written 말씀을 하다. It is normally used without a direct object.
In practice the honorific use is far more common: when a teacher or company president talks, you lift them up with 말씀하다, usually adding -시- as well (말씀하세요, 말씀하셨어요). When you are the speaker, Korean more often lowers your own words with the humble verb built on 드리다, so treat the humble use of 말씀하다 as the less frequent one.
How Do You Pronounce 말씀하다?
The second syllable 씀 starts with the tense ㅆ, as spelled. The rest is read straight through: 말씀했어요 sounds like [말씀해써요]. In the formal 말씀합니다 the ㅂ becomes ㅁ before ㄴ: [말씀함니다]. After the future ending ㄹ, the ㄱ of 거 becomes tense: 말씀할 거예요 is read [말씀할꺼예요].
How Do You Use 말씀하다 in a Sentence?
Three situations: a teacher speaking, a speaker pointed out in a room, and a request for someone to slow down.
선생님이 말씀해요.
The teacher is speaking.
The subject 선생님 is respected, so 말씀하다 honors the speaker. Many speakers would also add -시- here and say 말씀하세요.
말씀하는 분이 사장님이에요.
The person speaking is the president.
The modifier 말씀하는 turns the verb into a description of 분 (person).
천천히 말씀하세요.
Please speak slowly.
The honorific command 말씀하세요 is how you politely ask a senior to adjust their speech.
How Does Malsseumhada Conjugation Work?
말씀하다 is a 하다 verb, so 하 and 여 merge into 해 before an ending that begins with 아/어: 말씀해요 and 말씀했어요. The honorific form 말씀하세요 is the one you will hear most when asking a respected person to speak, and it is also the command form in 천천히 말씀하세요. Because the verb itself already carries respect, adding -시- explicitly honors the person speaking. The short negative splits the noun and 하다: 말씀 안 해요.
말씀하다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 말씀해요 | ||
| Polite past | 말씀했어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 말씀할 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 말씀하겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 말씀합니다 | ||
| Formal past | 말씀했습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 말씀할 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 말씀해 | ||
| Casual past | 말씀했어 | ||
| Casual future | 말씀할 거야 | ||
| Want to (polite) | 말씀하고 싶어요 | ||
| Honorific polite | 말씀하세요 | ||
| Because / and then | 말씀해서 | ||
| If (conditional) | 말씀하면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 말씀하는 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 말씀한 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 말씀할 | ||
| Short negative | 말씀 안 해요 | ||
| Long negative | 말씀하지 않아요 |
Sound Changes
| Form | Korean | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Polite past | 말씀했어요 | [말씀해써요] |
| Polite future | 말씀할 거예요 | [말씀할꺼예요] |
| Polite guess | 말씀하겠어요 | [말씀하게써요] |
| Formal present | 말씀합니다 | [말씀함니다] |
| Formal future | 말씀할 것입니다 | [말씀할꺼심니다] |
| Casual past | 말씀했어 | [말씀해써] |
| Casual future | 말씀할 거야 | [말씀할꺼야] |
| Long negative | 말씀하지 않아요 | [말씀하지 아나요] |
Common Mistake
Wrong: ✗ 제가 말씀할게요 to a friend.
Correct: ✓ 제가 말할게요.
Why: 말씀하다 is respectful or humble; do not use it for casual talk with friends.
Humbling your own words in front of a friend sounds stiff or even teasing. Keep 말씀하다 for teachers, elders, customers and bosses, and use 말하다 with friends.
How It Differs from Similar Words
| Word | How to tell it from 말씀하다 |
|---|---|
| 말하다 | 말하다 is the plain verb; 말씀하다 is its honorific or humble partner depending on whose words they are. |
| 이야기하다 | 이야기하다 is chatting; 말씀하다 is respectful speech. |
Confirming a Teacher’s Announcement
A student misses part of a classroom announcement. The student uses a respectful request, then repeats what the teacher said with the honorific past form.
Student
선생님, 다시 말씀하세요.
Seonsaengnim, dasi malsseumhaseyo.
Teacher, please say it again.
Teacher
내일 시험이 있어요.
Naeil siheomi isseoyo.
There is a test tomorrow.
Student
아, 내일이라고 말씀하셨어요.
A, naeirirago malsseumhasyeosseoyo.
Oh, you said tomorrow.
The teacher can answer with an ordinary polite sentence. Respectful wording belongs to the student’s description of the teacher’s speech; it does not require the teacher to use 말씀하다 about their own announcement. The quoted word 내일 is followed by 이라고, which marks what was said.
How Do You Follow Whose Speech Is Being Honored?
In 선생님께서 말씀하세요, the teacher is the speaker being honored. 께서 is the respectful subject marker, and the verb includes 시 through the ending 세요. The person listening might be a student or a colleague. Honorific wording follows the person speaking, not simply the age of the listener.
When you speak to a senior about your own words, 말씀드리다 is a useful humble verb: it presents your speech as something offered respectfully. This makes a practical pair to recognize: 말씀하시다 for a respected person speaking, 말씀드리다 for your words addressed respectfully to someone else. The direction of respect matters more than translating both as “say”.
The noun 말씀 also appears by itself in responses and invitations. 좋은 말씀 means “good words” or “helpful advice”, depending on context. 무슨 말씀이세요? can mean “What do you mean?” or express surprise at what someone has said. Its tone can be warm, puzzled or challenging, so the polite vocabulary alone does not guarantee a gentle message.
Where Will You Hear These Expressions?
말씀하세요 is common when inviting a customer, visitor or senior to speak. In that situation it can mean “Go ahead” or “Please tell me”, rather than an instruction to start a speech. The same form can report that a respected person speaks. A turn in a conversation supplies the invitation reading.
다시 말씀하세요 asks for repetition, while 천천히 말씀하세요 asks for a slower pace. The first helps when you missed the words; the second helps when the speed is the problem. Adding a respectful verb does not erase a firm tone, so the way you deliver either request still matters.
In interviews, workplace reports and public introductions, speakers use 말씀하다 when quoting or referring to a senior’s remarks. In drama dialogue, changing from 말하다 to 말씀하다 can show professional distance or respect for someone’s position. It does not necessarily signal affection or agreement with what that person says.
Why Does the Conjugation Table Need Context?
The table shows the endings of the base lemma 말씀하다. Its plain polite present 말씀해요 does not contain 시. For the common pattern of honoring the speaker, 말씀하세요 is more useful. The formality of 말씀합니다 and the subject honorific in 말씀하세요 answer different questions: how you address the listener, and whom the sentence honors.
The existing casual forms are possible when the listener is close to you while the person being discussed deserves respect. A casual ending therefore does not turn 말씀 into the ordinary word for chatting with friends. Track the speaker inside the sentence separately from the person you are talking to.
| Related word | Meaning | Useful role |
|---|---|---|
| 말씀 | words / speech, respectfully | The noun inside 말씀하다. |
| 말 | words / speech | The ordinary noun used among equals. |
| 분 | person, respectfully | Used when identifying a respected speaker. |
| 께서 | respectful subject marker | Marks the respected person doing the speaking. |
The honorific vocabulary lesson groups respectful words by situation. For the direction of respect, see humble forms.
Mini Drill: Choose Whose Words Get Respect
- Choose the table’s honorific polite form of 말씀하다.
- Give its base polite past without adding 시.
- Complete the present modifier: ____ 분.
- Choose the ordinary verb for telling a friend what you said: 말하다 or 말씀하다.
Show drill answers
- 말씀하세요.
- 말씀했어요.
- 말씀하는 분.
- 말하다.
Quick Self-Test
- Who is honored in 선생님께서 말씀하세요?
- Does 말씀합니다 contain the subject honorific 시?
- Which request asks for slower speech: 다시 말씀하세요 or 천천히 말씀하세요?
Show answers
- The teacher, who is speaking.
- No. It has the formal ending, but no 시.
- 천천히 말씀하세요.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Use 말씀하다 for My Own Speech?
It can be used humbly when you speak to someone senior, but the humble verb built on 드리다 is the more common choice for your own words. Never use 말씀하다 about your own speech to a friend.
Is 말씀하다 the Same as 이야기하다?
이야기하다 focuses on talking or telling a story. 말씀하다 expresses respect in speaking; it does not specify how long or relaxed the conversation is.
How Do I Ask a Respected Person to Talk More Slowly?
Say 천천히 말씀하세요. The honorific -세요 ending keeps the request polite.
Why Is the Polite Present 말씀해요 Less Common?
For a respected subject, speakers usually add -시- and say 말씀하세요 or 말씀하셨어요. The plain 말씀해요 is possible but sounds less respectful.
Which Words Are Related to 말씀하다?
What Should You Learn Next?
Compare 말하다 with 말씀하다 to hear the respect gap, then see how 드리다 does a similar humble job for giving. The 하다 → 해요 change is explained in Korean 하다 conjugation. You can check other forms in the Korean verb conjugator or browse the Korean verb dictionary.