You meet a Korean friend’s older sister. Should you call her by her name, add a title, or say “eonni”? The answer depends on your relationship, not just her age.
Korean family terms describe relatives, but some also become friendly titles outside the family. This guide shows you how to introduce your family, choose the right sibling word, and address people at school, work, and restaurants without sounding unexpectedly familiar.
Romanization helps with pronunciation, but learn the Hangul alongside it. The examples use polite speech unless marked casual or formal. A friendly title does not automatically give you permission to use casual grammar.
1. Talking About Your Parents and Family
가족 (gajok) means “family.” When showing someone a family photo, you can use this simple introduction:
우리 가족이에요.
Uri gajogieyo.
“This is my family.”
Although 우리 literally means “we” or “our,” Koreans often use it when talking about their own family. 우리 엄마 can therefore mean “my mum,” even when the speaker is not talking to a sibling. You do not need to translate every “my” literally.
엄마 (eomma) means “mum” or “mom,” and 아빠 (appa) means “dad.” Both are affectionate, familiar words used by children and adults for their own parents.
엄마, 다녀올게요.
Eomma, danyeoolgeyo.
“Mum, I’m heading out. See you later.”
아빠는 집에 있어요.
Appaneun jibe isseoyo.
“My dad is at home.”
어머니 (eomeoni), “mother,” and 아버지 (abeoji), “father,” sound more respectful or formal than 엄마 and 아빠. They work well when introducing your parents politely.
저희 어머니예요. 저희 아버지예요.
Jeohui eomeoniyeyo. Jeohui abeojiyeyo.
“This is my mother. This is my father.”
저희 is the humble counterpart of 우리. It is useful when politely introducing your family, but 우리 is also natural in many conversations. Saying 우리 엄마 is not automatically rude.
부모님 (bumonim) is a respectful word for “parents.” Notice how the next example also uses 계세요, the honorific equivalent of 있어요:
부모님은 영국에 계세요.
Bumonimeun yeongguge gyeseyo.
“My parents are in the UK.”
2. Oppa, Hyeong, Eonni, and Nuna: Which One Fits?
English uses “older brother” and “older sister.” The usual Korean sibling terms also depend on the speaker’s gender. These are the conventional family patterns beginners will encounter:
- 오빠 (oppa) — a female speaker’s older brother. Example: 오빠가 있어요. — Oppaga isseoyo. — “I have an older brother.”
- 형 (hyeong) — a male speaker’s older brother. Example: 형은 학생이에요. — Hyeongeun haksaengieyo. — “My older brother is a student.”
- 언니 (eonni) — a female speaker’s older sister. Example: 언니는 서울에 살아요. — Eonnineun seoure sarayo. — “My older sister lives in Seoul.”
- 누나 (nuna) — a male speaker’s older sister. Example: 누나는 부산에 살아요. — Nunaneun busane sarayo. — “My older sister lives in Busan.”
Choose the word from the speaker’s perspective. If a woman introduces her older brother, she says 오빠. Her younger brother would call that same person 형.
저는 오빠가 한 명 있어요.
Jeoneun oppaga han myeong isseoyo.
“I have one older brother.”
Spoken by a woman.
동생 (dongsaeng) means “younger sibling,” regardless of the speaker’s gender. For more detail, use 남동생 (namdongsaeng), “younger brother,” or 여동생 (yeodongsaeng), “younger sister.”
동생이 있어요.
Dongsaengi isseoyo.
“I have a younger sibling.”
남동생은 학생이에요. 여동생은 회사에 다녀요.
Namdongsaengeun haksaengieyo. Yeodongsaengeun hoesae danyeoyo.
“My younger brother is a student. My younger sister works.”
For pronunciation, the “eo” in eonni and hyeong represents one Korean vowel, 어. It is not two separate English vowel sounds. Use dictionary audio to connect the spelling with the sound.
3. Describing a Relative Versus Calling Them
A word used to describe someone is not always what you call them to their face. You can introduce someone as your younger sister, but you would normally call her by her name rather than shouting “younger sister.”
Older-sibling terms commonly do both jobs. 제 언니예요 means “This is my older sister,” while 언니 at the start of a sentence directly addresses her.
언니, 이것 좀 봐.
Eonni, igeot jom bwa.
“Hey, look at this.”
Casual speech to an older sister in a family that uses it.
Families differ in how casually they speak. You can also combine a sibling title with polite endings. Learn the family’s habits rather than assuming every relative uses the same speech style.
할머니 (halmeoni) means “grandmother,” and 할아버지 (harabeoji) means “grandfather.” Both can be used to address your grandparents directly.
할머니, 안녕하세요?
Halmeoni, annyeonghaseyo?
“Hello, Grandma.”
할아버지는 집에 계세요.
Harabeojineun jibe gyeseyo.
“My grandfather is at home.”
For your mother’s parents, you may hear 외할머니 and 외할아버지. Families vary in what they actually use when speaking directly. For aunts and uncles, the family connection matters too: 고모 is your father’s sister, while 이모 is your mother’s sister.
Do not treat 삼촌 as a perfect translation for every English “uncle.” Korean has more specific terms, including terms for relatives by marriage. When visiting a partner’s family, ask what each person prefers instead of memorising a large family tree first.
4. Can You Use Family Titles With Friends?
Yes, older friends may be called 오빠, 형, 언니, or 누나. These titles can express closeness, but they are not automatic labels for every older Korean person you meet.
오빠 does not always mean “boyfriend.” A woman may use it for her actual brother, a close older male friend, or a romantic partner. The relationship supplies the meaning.
If you are a woman becoming friends with an older woman, you could ask:
언니라고 불러도 돼요?
Eonnirago bulleodo dwaeyo?
“Can I call you eonni?”
A broader option is 어떻게 부르면 될까요? (eotteoke bureumyeon doelkkayo?) — “What should I call you?” This helps when you are unsure whether to use a name or title.
A: 어떻게 부르면 될까요?
Eotteoke bureumyeon doelkkayo?
“What should I call you?”
B: 민지라고 불러 주세요.
Minjirago bulleo juseyo.
“Please call me Minji.”
A name invitation does not necessarily invite casual speech. Someone might welcome “Minji eonni” while both of you continue using polite endings. Titles and speech levels are related, but they are separate choices.
5. What to Call People at Work, School, and Restaurants
At school, 선생님 (seonsaengnim) is the standard respectful title for a teacher. You can address the teacher without adding an English-style “you.”
선생님, 질문이 있어요.
Seonsaengnim, jilmuni isseoyo.
“I have a question.”
At work, a job title plus 님 is common. For example, 팀장님 (timjangnim) addresses a team leader. Follow the workplace’s own habits, since some organisations prefer names or different titles.
팀장님, 확인 부탁드립니다.
Timjangnim, hwagin butakdeurimnida.
“Could you please check this?”
Formal workplace speech.
씨 (ssi) follows a name in some polite interactions between adults of similar status: 민지 씨, for example. It is not a universal replacement for Mr or Ms. Avoid using a superior’s name plus 씨 when a workplace title is expected.
In restaurants, cafés, and shops, 저기요 (jeogiyo) means “Excuse me” when getting someone’s attention. It avoids guessing a stranger’s age or relationship.
저기요, 물 좀 주세요.
Jeogiyo, mul jom juseyo.
“Excuse me, could we have some water?”
You may hear customers say 이모 or 언니 to staff, but these are not neutral titles for everyone. Likewise, 아줌마 and 아저씨 can sound unwelcome when directed at strangers. For beginners, 저기요 is a useful starting point.
Quick Practice
- Which word does a male speaker normally use for his older sister?
- If someone lets you call them 언니, can you automatically switch to casual speech?
- Which is the safer default for getting an unfamiliar restaurant worker’s attention?
A. 이모!
B. 저기요.
Answers
- 누나. The usual term depends on both the speaker and the sibling.
- No. Agreeing on a friendly title does not automatically change the speech level.
- B. 저기요. It gets attention without assuming familiarity.
Try it aloud: Say 우리 가족이에요, then introduce one relative. Outside the family, use the title that fits the relationship, and ask 어떻게 부르면 될까요? when you are unsure. You do not need every family term to start speaking thoughtfully.
Language reference: National Institute of Korean Language: Korean-English Learners’ Dictionary . Use the dictionary’s audio to practise the family terms in this guide.
