Hello there Korean learners !
Today, I’m starting a new series in my Korean learning posts, which is called “How to Say”! This series will start with the family, and as you can tell, we’re starting with the way to say “dad” in Korean. If you want to see more of this series in the future, you can just either search “how to say”, or check the tag in the sidebar. 🙂
Now on to the topic of today!
Table of Contents
The Ways to Say Dad in Korean
In Korean, you can say the word “dad”, or “father”, in 3 different ways. And as you will probably learn along your Korean learning journey, this won’t be only useful to talk about your dad. You will be able to use it properly to talk about other people’s fathers.
아버지 : The Standard Way To Say Father in Korean
The standard way to say father in Korean is 아버지 (abeoji).
It is a common way to call your dad, or talk about your own dad. This word is the closest to the English word “father”. It will be used commonly when you’re talking about your dad in a formal setting, or when you’re talking about someone else’s parents.
Usage :
- In more formal settings, when talking to your parents
- When talking to/about someone’s parents
아버님 : The Formal Way To Say Father in Korean
In Korean, the formal way to say father is 아버님 (abeonim).
It is the most respectful way to address one’s father, and would be use in very formal settings.
If you have Korean in laws, for example, 아버님 would be the word to refer to him, or call him. But, as we will see a bit further in the article, it depends on the people.
In any case, you can never go wrong with calling one’s father 아버님, as it is the most respectful way to address them.
Usage :
- For your in laws, until they tell you otherwise
- For your friends’ parents, until they tell you otherwise
아빠 : The Casual Way To Say Father in Korean
And lastly, the casual way to say father in Korean is 아빠 (appa). In K-Dramas and movies, you can often hear this word said by children to their dad.
In informal settings or when speaking affectionately to one’s own father, Koreans commonly use the term “아빠.” This term carries a warm and intimate connotation, much like the English word “dad.”
When speaking directly to your own father, using the term “아빠” is the most common and affectionate way to address him.
As children grow up, they switch back and forth between 아빠 and 아버지 when calling their dad.
Usage :
- When you talk to your dad,
- When you talk about your dad to someone close,
- When you talk with children
Referring to Your Dad in Korean
If you want to refer to your dad in Korean, you will use 아빠 (appa) or 아버지 (abeoji), with the pronoun 우리 (uri).
If you want to refer to your father in law, it will highly depend on your relationship with him as well as his wishes. For example, my in laws prefer to be reffered to with 엄마, 아빠. Another word makes them feel old and they don’t really appreciate it. So I would suggest you to check in with the person you’re calling (or with your partner).
It always depends on the person’s wishes. The same goes for the usage of 반말 (casual language) with friends. You never know what the person feels comfortable with before asking.
And even if the rules would dictate me, in this case, to use “아버지” or “아버님”, I’m not going against his wishes.
Referring to Someone’s Dad in Korean
When referring to someone else’s father in Korean, it’s essential to use the appropriate level of formality and respect. Remember that it is always better to be too polite than the opposite.
In this sense, I would suggest you start with “아버지” (abeoji). Adding the honorific suffix “-님” to “아버지” further emphasizes respect when addressing someone’s father, so you can also use it.
You can never go wrong with being too polite, even if it might feel awkward sometimes. The person will let you know if you should address them in another way.
How to say My Dad in Korean
As you might have noticed, saying “my” in Korean is a bit special.
Koreans refer to “my dad” as “our dad”. 우리 is used when you talk about a group that you feel very attached to. In this case : the family.
You wouldn’t use 내 아버지, for example. You’ll use 우리 아버지.
The same would go for your house. Not 내 집, but 우리 집.
Wrap up
There you go! I hope you’ll feel more confident and comfortable the next time you need to address your dad, or someone else’s 🙂 Maybe it’s now time to check how to say Mom in Korean ? It works the same as for “Dad” 🙂
Until next time, happy learning!
