Apedia

Polite Style Informal Addressing Context Formal 뭐 한

Front 뭐 한 잔 마실 수 있을까요?
Back Can I have a drink?
Notes The informal polite style is the most universal speech style that is reciprocally used between non-intimate casual acquaintances. This style is suitable for addressing people of younger, similar or superior age in situations when the intimacy is low yet the context is not formal.

It is not appropriate to use the informal polite style:
in formal settings or when addressing a notably higher rank person → use the formal polite style -(스)ㅂ니다 instead;
when talking to friends or children → avoid sounding too distant or over polite by using the intimate style.

In the informal polite style, the verb or adjective stem is followed by -아/어요 ending which is same for declarative, interrogative, and imperative sentences. The speaker's intonation and the context both determine the type of a sentence.

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