아프다 → 편찮으시다: When "to be sick" Needs Respect

In Korean, to be sick has completely different words depending on who you're talking to or about.

The Rule

In Korean, "to be sick" isn't just one word — it changes based on your relationship with the listener and the person you're talking about. This isn't just about being polite; using the wrong level can be genuinely offensive. The four key levels for "to be sick": • 반말 (casual): 아파 • 해요체 (polite): 아파요 • 합쇼체 (formal): 아픕니다 • 존칭 (honorific): 편찮으시다

Why English Speakers Get It Wrong

English has one word for "to be sick" regardless of who you're talking to. You might add "please" or change your tone, but the verb itself stays the same. In Korean, the entire word changes. This isn't like French "tu/vous" — Korean has MORE levels and the honorific forms can be completely different words, not just different endings. 아프다 and 편찮으시다 don't even look related, but they mean the same thing at different politeness levels.

How It Works

Asking about your boss's health 편찮다 is the respectful way to say someone is unwell. 아프다 feels too casual for superiors. The hierarchy: 1. 반말 (아파) — Friends your age, younger people 2. 해요체 (아파요) — Default safe level, strangers, colleagues 3. 합쇼체 (아픕니다) — Business settings, news, presentations 4. 존칭 (편찮으시다) — About/to elders, customers, respected figures

Real Examples

• 아파 (apa) — "be sick" (to friends, casual) • 아파요 (apayo) — "be sick" (polite daily conversation) • 아픕니다 (apeupnida) — "be sick" (formal settings) • 편찮으시다 (pyeonchaneusida) — "be sick" (about respected people) Correct usage: 부장님이 편찮으세요? (bujangnimi pyeonchaneuseyo?)

Common Mistakes

❌ 부장님이 아파요? (bujangnimi apayo?) ✅ 부장님이 편찮으세요? (bujangnimi pyeonchaneuseyo?) → 편찮다 is the respectful way to say someone is unwell. 아프다 feels too casual for superiors. ❌ Using 아파 to someone older or a stranger ✅ Default to 아파요 when unsure → When in doubt, go one level higher. Koreans appreciate over-politeness from foreigners more than under-politeness.

Quick Tip

When you're unsure which level to use, default to 해요체 (아파요). It's polite enough for almost every situation and won't offend anyone. Only use 반말 (아파) when someone explicitly tells you it's okay. For the honorific form 편찮으시다, practice using it when talking ABOUT (not just to) respected people. Even when grandma isn't in the room, you should use the honorific form when mentioning her.

Safe default: 아파요. When talking about elders: 편찮으시다.

Examples

아파 — apa — be sick (casual)

아파요 — apayo — be sick (polite)

아픕니다 — apeupnida — be sick (formal)

편찮으시다 — pyeonchaneusida — be sick (honorific)

부장님이 편찮으세요? — bujangnimi pyeonchaneuseyo? — Correct honorific usage