Korean Titles: Oppa, Unnie, -ssi, -nim
How Koreans address friends, coworkers, and strangers — kinship titles, name suffixes, and how to say 'you'.
In Korean, you almost never call someone just by their first name unless they are a close friend of the same age or younger. Everyone else gets a title: kinship words like 오빠 and 언니 for older friends, the suffix 씨 for adults you are not close to, and 님 for customers and superiors. Choosing the right title is one of the first social skills Korean speakers expect, which is also why Koreans ask your age early — they need it to know what to call you.
Titles also replace the word 'you'. The word 당신 exists but is mostly used between spouses or in arguments, so instead of a pronoun, Koreans repeat the title: 선생님은 커피 좋아하세요? literally asks 'Does teacher like coffee?' but means 'Do you like coffee?'. In this lesson you will learn the core titles, the three name suffixes (씨, 님, 아/야), and the safe fallbacks to use when you are not sure.
Name + 씨 (Polite Address)
Attach 씨 to the given name or full name of an adult you are not close to. Never attach it to the surname alone — 김 씨 sounds rude, not polite.
Titles Instead of 'You'
Korean avoids the pronoun 당신 in everyday speech. To say 'you', repeat the person's title or name as the subject of the sentence.
-아/야 (Calling Close Friends)
To call a close same-age or younger friend, add 아 after a name ending in a consonant and 야 after a name ending in a vowel. This pairs with intimate speech (반말) only.
Cultural & Language Note
The four kinship titles depend on the speaker's gender: a woman says 오빠 (older male) and 언니 (older female), while a man says 형 (older male) and 누나 (older female). K-drama fans should note that 오빠 doubles as what women call their boyfriends — context and tone carry the difference.
Koreans also extend family words to strangers: 이모 (lit. maternal aunt) is a warm way to call a middle-aged woman working at a casual restaurant, and 사장님 ('boss') has become an all-purpose flattering address for shop owners and staff. Be careful with 아줌마 (middle-aged woman) — it can offend, so 저기요 ('excuse me') or 이모님 are safer.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: surname + 씨. 김 씨 sounds condescending, like a foreman calling a laborer — always attach 씨 to the given name (수아 씨) or full name (김수아 씨).
Mistake 2: men using 오빠. The four kinship titles are locked to the speaker's gender; a man calls an older man 형, not 오빠.
Mistake 3: using 당신 for everyday 'you'. Repeat the person's title or name instead — 당신 between non-couples can sound confrontational.