#korean #grammar #grammar-noun
Covered in: [[SNU Korean Language|SNU]] 1B, Chapter 9 #ko/lesson-35
This is the honorific form of [[N이에요⧸예요|-이에요/예요]] and is used when the subject of the sentence is superior to the speaker in age or social status.
It is **never** used to speak of yourself; you would use 이에요/예요.
1. 받침 O + 이세요
2. 받침 X + 세요
# Examples
1. 저분은 로주 씨의 선생님==이세요==. (That person over there is Rose’s teacher.)
2. 이분은 우리 어머니==세요==. (This person is my mother.)
3. 어머니는 전에 회사원==이셨어요**. (My mother was previously a company employee.)
4. 저는 선생님이에요. (I am a teacher.)
In the first grammar point, we had a similar sentence to the first example but uses [[A⧸V-습니다,ㅂ니다|formal speech]]: 이분은 앤디 씨의 선생님입니다.
The difference? My current understanding of the difference is that the formal speech is used because of the social setting (e.g. in a formal presentation) but does not necessarily convey a respect for the person you are talking about. It would be more similar in level of respect to that person as when using 이에요/예요.
However, using (이)세요 conveys respect for the person you are speaking of, and is a form of [[Honorific Speech (Korean)|honorific speech]].