마시다 → 드시다: When "to drink" Needs Respect

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

The Rule

In Korean, "to drink" 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 drink": • 반말 (casual): 마셔 • 해요체 (polite): 마셔요 • 합쇼체 (formal): 마십니다 • 존칭 (honorific): 드시다

Why English Speakers Get It Wrong

English has one word for "to drink" 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. 마시다 and 드시다 don't even look related, but they mean the same thing at different politeness levels.

How It Works

Offering a drink to a senior colleague 드시다 covers both eating and drinking for honored people. 마시다 is fine for peers or younger people. The hierarchy: 1. 반말 (마셔) — Friends your age, younger people 2. 해요체 (마셔요) — Default safe level, strangers, colleagues 3. 합쇼체 (마십니다) — Business settings, news, presentations 4. 존칭 (드시다) — About/to elders, customers, respected figures

Real Examples

• 마셔 (masyeo) — "drink" (to friends, casual) • 마셔요 (masyeoyo) — "drink" (polite daily conversation) • 마십니다 (masipnida) — "drink" (formal settings) • 드시다 (deusida) — "drink" (about respected people) Correct usage: 이거 드세요. (igeo deuseyo.)

Common Mistakes

❌ 이거 마셔요. (igeo masyeoyo.) ✅ 이거 드세요. (igeo deuseyo.) → 드시다 covers both eating and drinking for honored people. 마시다 is fine for peers or younger people. ❌ Using 마셔 to someone older or a stranger ✅ Default to 마셔요 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 (마셔요). It's polite enough for almost every situation and won't offend anyone. Only use 반말 (마셔) when someone explicitly tells you it's okay. For the honorific form 드시다, 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: 마셔요. When talking about elders: 드시다.

Examples

마셔 — masyeo — drink (casual)

마셔요 — masyeoyo — drink (polite)

마십니다 — masipnida — drink (formal)

드시다 — deusida — drink (honorific)

이거 드세요. — igeo deuseyo. — Correct honorific usage