Key Facts
- Hangul: 부모님; Revised Romanization: bumonim
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: mixed, hanja 父母 (父 father + 母 mother) + 님 (honorific suffix)
- Register: Respectful; the standard word for one's own or others' parents.
Parents in Korean: What Does 부모님 Mean?
부모님 means parents, the standard word for one's own or other people's parents. The register is respectful, because of the honorific ending in the word. One word covers both, so no plural is needed.
How Do You Pronounce 부모님?
Three syllables, bu-mo-nim. The ㅁ of mo and the ㄴ of nim are both nasal sounds, and the final ㅁ closes the lips at the end of the word.
Example Sentences with 부모님
부모님은 서울에 사세요.
bumonimeun seoure saseyo.
My parents live in Seoul.
The verb 사세요 is the honorific form, which fits the respectful subject. 에 marks the location.
부모님께 선물을 드렸어요.
bumonimkke seonmureul deuryeosseoyo.
I gave a gift to my parents.
Giving a gift: 께 is the honorific to-particle, and 드렸어요 is the humble verb for giving.
부모님과 같이 식사해요.
bumonimgwa gachi siksahaeyo.
I eat with my parents.
Eating together: 과 means with, and 같이 repeats the togetherness.
Common Phrases and Collocations
The common partners are 부모님께 (to one's parents, honorific), 부모님 댁 (parents' home, honorific) and 부모와 자식 (parents and children).
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 부모님께 | to one's parents (honorific) |
| 부모님 댁 | parents' home (honorific) |
| 부모와 자식 | parents and children |
The Mistake to Avoid
Mistake: adding 들 for your own mother and father, as in 부모님들.
Right: 부모님 already means both parents. 부모님들 is only for several sets of parents, for example when a teacher addresses the parents of a whole class.
부모님 Compared with 부모 and 어버이
A plain word and a literary word sit next to it.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 부모님 | parents | This page's word |
| 부모 | parents (plain) | 부모 is the plain, neutral word for parents. |
| 어버이 | parents (formal/literary) | 어버이 is literary, as in 어버이날. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
It is a mixed word: 父母 (父 father plus 母 mother) plus 님, an honorific suffix.
Talking about a Family Visit
Two coworkers are discussing weekend plans. One is going to visit their parents, and the other asks about the journey.
Jisu
주말에 뭐 해요?
Jumare mwo haeyo?
What are you doing this weekend?
Alex
부모님 댁에 가요.
Bumonim daege gayo.
I’m going to my parents’ home.
Jisu
부모님은 어디 사세요?
Bumonimeun eodi saseyo?
Where do your parents live?
Alex
부산에 사세요.
Busane saseyo.
They live in Busan.
댁 is the respectful word for someone else's home, so 부모님 댁 keeps respect directed toward the parents. Both coworkers use 사세요 when the parents are the people living somewhere. Alex's own action, 가요, stays ordinary. The honorific follows the person whose action you describe, even when everyone is speaking politely.
How Do You Say “My Parents” or “Your Parents”?
우리 부모님 is a common way to say “my parents.” 우리 literally means “our,” but Korean often uses it for one's own family. The phrase does not assume that the listener shares the same parents. 저희 부모님 is a humble way to refer to your own parents when speaking politely to someone outside the family.
You can also leave the possessive out when context makes the family clear. In the dialogue, 부모님 댁에 가요 naturally refers to Alex's parents' home. Jisu's next question also leaves out “your.” Repeating 당신의 for every English “your” would make this ordinary conversation sound less natural.
부모님 names parents together, but everyday conversation can still use it when discussing the parent or parents relevant to someone's life. The word does not require a speaker to explain their family structure. When you need to identify one particular person, use 아버지 for father or 어머니 for mother instead.
Which Respectful Phrases Belong with 부모님?
부모님께 연락하다 means to contact one's parents. 께 respectfully marks the person contacted. 부모님께 선물을 드리다 means to give a gift to one's parents: 드리다 presents the giving humbly toward the recipient. In both phrases, the speaker can be the person taking the action while the parents receive it.
부모님을 모시고 가다 means to accompany or take one's parents somewhere respectfully. 모시다 puts respect into the idea of accompanying someone. Compare this with 부모님 댁에 가다, which simply says you are going to their home. The two phrases answer different questions: who goes with you, and where you go.
The suffix 님 in 부모님 is written as part of the noun. The particle after it is also attached, as in 부모님께. The following noun stays separate in 부모님 댁. That spacing helps you recognize the family word, its grammatical ending, and the next word in the phrase.
Where Will You Hear or See These Family Words?
부모님 is common in introductions, conversations about holidays, and questions about family. School notices may use 학부모, “parents of students,” when discussing parents in their school role. A form may use 보호자, “guardian,” because the responsible adult is not necessarily a parent. These labels identify roles rather than degrees of affection.
어버이날 means Parents' Day. The more literary 어버이 remains familiar in that fixed name, while 부모님 is the everyday conversational choice for referring respectfully to parents. A greeting card and a chat about visiting home can therefore use different family words without referring to different relationships.
Family Words to Learn Alongside 부모님
| Korean | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 아버지 | father | Names one parent rather than the parents together. |
| 어머니 | mother | Names one parent specifically. |
| 자녀 | children / offspring | Useful when describing the parent-child relationship. |
| 보호자 | guardian | A responsible adult, who may or may not be a parent. |
The family vocabulary lesson teaches the wider relationship set. Choose the specific family or role word that the situation needs, then match the respectful expression to the person being described.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 우리 부모님 always mean the speaker and listener share parents?
- Which is the respectful home word in 부모님 댁?
- In the dialogue, why is 가요 ordinary but 사세요 honorific?
Show answers
- No. It commonly means “my parents.”
- 댁.
- 가요 describes Alex's action; 사세요 describes the parents' action and honors them.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say parents in Korean?
Say 부모님 (bumonim).
Do I need to add 들?
No. 부모님 already means both parents.
What is the plain form?
부모 is the plain, neutral word for parents.
What is 어버이?
It is literary, as in 어버이날.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: people family vocabulary groups 부모님 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add it to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Family neighbour: paternal aunt.