beginner
The formal polite ending, used in news, announcements, presentations and first meetings: 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida).
Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language
- After a vowel or ㄹ (which drops): ㅂ니다 mnida. After other consonants: 습니다 seumnida.
- Questions end in ㅂ니까? mnikka or 습니까? seumnikka.
Build it
The forms you need
Statement
갑니다gamnidaI goQuestion
갑니까?gamnikka?do you go?Past
갔습니다gatseumnidaI wentNoun
학생입니다haksaengimnidaI'm a studentWhen to use it
Announcements
Stations, airports, the news.
Formal introductions
Interviews, meetings, speeches.
Shops and service
Staff speaking to customers.
Watch out
Stems ending in ㄹ drop it and take ㅂ니다: 삽니다 samnida.
After a vowel, use ㅂ니다: 갑니다 gamnida.
In context
9 examples- 1
만나서 반갑습니다.
Mannaseo bangapseumnida.
Nice to meet you.
- 2
저는 미국에서 왔습니다.
Jeoneun migugeseo watseumnida.
I'm from the US.
- 3
회의는 세 시에 시작합니까?
Hoeuineun se sie sijakamnikka?
Does the meeting start at three?
- 4
다음 역은 서울역입니다.
Daeum yeogeun seouryeogimnida.
The next station is Seoul Station.
- 5
늦어서 죄송합니다.
Neujeoseo joesonghamnida.
I'm sorry I'm late.
- 6
이 문제는 잘 모르겠습니다.
I munjeneun jal moreugetseumnida.
I'm not really sure about this one.
- 7
오늘은 전국이 대체로 맑겠습니다.
Oneureun jeongugi daechero makgetseumnida.
Skies will be mostly clear across the country today.
- 8
질문 있습니까?
Jilmun itseumnikka?
Any questions?
- 9
저희 가게는 아홉 시에 문을 엽니다.
Jeohui gageneun ahop sie muneul yeomnida.
Our store opens at nine.
Practice
8 questions먹다 + 습니다/ㅂ니다
습니다 or 아요/어요?
Both are polite, but 습니다 is the formal one. You'll hear it in the news, in announcements, from shop staff, in job interviews and in speeches. In everyday conversation, even with strangers, most people use 아요/어요 ayo/eoyo, which sounds polite but softer:
- 감사합니다. gamsahamnida "Thank you." Formal, and used everywhere.
- 고마워요. gomawoyo "Thanks." Polite and friendly.
It's normal for the two to mix. Someone might greet you with 반갑습니다 bangapseumnida and then carry on in 아요/어요.
Why you might see 읍니다
Before Korea's 1988 spelling reform, the ending was written 읍니다 after ㅆ and ㅄ, so older books and signs show forms like 했읍니다 and 없읍니다. Today it's always 습니다: 했습니다 haetseumnida, 없습니다 eopseumnida.
Look it up in the dictionary
The entry for 습니다 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.