Choose a form of address, not a direct translation of “you”

In an English conversation you can often say “you” without thinking about a title. Korean frequently uses a name, a role, or no explicit word for “you” when the context is clear. Learning a few patterns can make a first meeting less awkward.

There is no single title that fits every stranger, colleague, teacher, and close friend. Relationship, age, workplace habits, and personal preference all matter. This guide gives cautious beginner choices for everyday situations; it is not a claim that every Korean person expects the same form of address.

You can start by introducing yourself and listening to how the other person introduces themselves. If you know their role, use the title that belongs to that role. When you do not know, asking or using a polite attention-getter is better than inventing a title.

Recognise the family name first

In the practice name 김하린, 김 is the family name and 하린 is the given name. Written in the usual Korean order in Roman letters, it could appear as Kim Harin or Kim Ha-rin. Individual spelling preferences can differ.

Many Korean names have one family-name syllable and two given-name syllables, but this is a common pattern rather than a universal rule. Some family names have more than one syllable, and given names vary. Do not guess where to divide an unfamiliar name from length alone.

In international contexts, some people reverse the order or choose an English name. Follow the name and order the person actually uses. A middle-looking syllable in a Korean given name is not automatically a Western-style middle name.

Three beginner situations

선생님 is the familiar respectful title for a teacher. It is also used more broadly in some situations, but a beginner does not need to apply it to every stranger. If you are addressing your Korean teacher, 선생님 is normally a more appropriate starting point than their given name plus 씨.

저기요 can get an unfamiliar person’s attention, for example when you need to ask a brief question. It does not literally give that person a title. After getting their attention, make the request politely instead of repeating the word loudly.

Use 씨 carefully with names

씨 is commonly placed after a given name or full name when addressing an adult peer in polite everyday interaction: 하린 씨 or 김하린 씨. In this use, write a space before 씨.

Do not treat 씨 as an exact Korean equivalent of English “Mr.” or “Ms.” It is not gendered in the same way, and the social use differs. A surname alone plus 씨 can sound dismissive or inappropriate in situations where a full name or a role-based title would be expected. 김 씨 is therefore not a safe automatic translation of “Mr. Kim.”

씨 is also not a reliable way to address a boss, an older senior colleague, or a teacher. When a workplace has an established title, use that title as people there do. If peers introduce themselves with a preferred name and use 씨 with each other, following that pattern is more grounded than choosing from a dictionary alone.

님 often works with a role or established name style

You will encounter 님 in respectful forms such as 선생님 and 사장님. In those words it is attached directly to the title. It is not a suffix to add mechanically to every noun in order to make the whole sentence polite.

Some workplaces, online communities, and service systems use a person’s name or username with 님. Others use specific job titles or a different convention. Seeing name + 님 on a website does not tell you what to call that person in every offline relationship.

Do not add 씨 or 님 to your own name during a normal self-introduction. “저는 리나예요” already introduces you politely. Saying your own name with an honorific can create the wrong effect because these forms generally show regard toward the person being addressed or mentioned.

Why a dictionary word for “you” can mislead

당신 can translate as “you” in some writing and particular relationships, but it is not a neutral default for pointing every ordinary question at a stranger. 너 is casual and belongs to appropriate close relationships. Neither is an automatic replacement for every English “you.”

Often you can omit the pronoun because the other person knows the question is addressed to them. For example, a polite request such as 천천히 말해 주세요, “Please speak slowly,” does not need a word for “you.” If a title is useful, you can say 선생님, 다시 말해 주세요, “Teacher, please say it again.”

For more on introducing your own name, begin with polite everyday expressions and keep the speech level consistent. A correct title cannot compensate for a brusque demand.

Pick a cautious first choice

Your practical goal is to notice the relationship before choosing a label. When you are unsure, follow a clearly stated preference and stay open to correction. This is more useful than trying to memorise a rigid hierarchy that supposedly predicts every interaction.

A small listening check

Reference and context

The examples and practice tasks in this guide were written for Korean With a Local. For reference and further study:

• National Institute of Korean Language: personal-name romanization — Explains the usual family-name-first order and allowed individual spellings.
• National Institute of Korean Language learner dictionary — Check 씨, 님, 선생님, 저기요, and 당신 with their usage contexts.

Reviewed September 3, 2026. Found a mistake? Send a correction.

NIKL: context and the form of address 씨 — an official discussion of why the relationship and setting matter (in Korean).