Polite Request (-(으)세요)

-(으)세요 serves two functions: making polite requests (commands) and showing respect when talking about someone else's actions. Use -세요 after a vowel and -으세요 after a consonant.

As a polite request: '앉으세요' (Please sit down), '드세요' (Please eat/drink — honorific of 먹다/마시다). This is the standard polite way to ask or tell someone to do something in Korean, commonly heard in service situations, classrooms, and daily life.

As an honorific description: '선생님이 오세요' (The teacher is coming — showing respect). When used this way, it elevates the subject of the sentence. This dual function makes -(으)세요 extremely useful and frequently encountered. At Level 1, focusing on the request function is most practical.