Korean grammar · Level 4 · 4급
편지 문체
Letter style
A Korean letter opens with the reader's name and 에게 — or 께 for someone older — and closes with the writer's name. An older writer writing to family uses the plain -(ㄴ/는)다 style and signs with 가 or 이가. A younger writer writing up to an elder uses 해요 or 합니다 and signs with 올림 or 드림.
| When | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| opening, to someone younger or close | N에게 | 사랑하는 민수에게 |
| opening, to someone older | N께 | 보고 싶은 할머니께 |
| body, older to younger | -(ㄴ/는)다 · -아/어라 | 잘 지낸다 · 밥 잘 먹어라 |
| body, younger to older | -아/어요 · -(스)ㅂ니다 | 잘 지내요 · 보고 싶습니다 |
| closing | N가 · N 올림 · N 드림 | 엄마가 · 손자 호야 올림 |
Examples
보고 싶은 할머니께
To Grandma, whom I miss,
할머니, 저는 한국에서 잘 지내고 있어요.
Grandma, I'm doing well in Korea.
손자 호야 올림
From your grandson, Hoya
Practise it in context · Level 4, Unit 10
Hoya reads the letter
A dialogue with audio, practice that checks itself, Hoya’s mistakes, a reading and a writing task.
Open the unit →