-세요 and its family: requests, prohibitions, and permissions
한국어로 읽기 →Virtually every beginner learns 「-세요」 during their first Korean lesson. But in everyday interactions, knowing how to ask politely is only one piece of the puzzle. You also need to know how to decline an action, ask for permission, and warn someone about rules.
Because these patterns share a courteous tone and often occur together in cafes and airports, learners easily confuse their functions. Here is the entire family compared side by side.
1. Polite requests: -(으)세요
Use 「-(으)세요」 to politely ask someone to perform an action or give instructions. Because it incorporates the subject honorific 「-(으)시-」, it is perfectly safe to use with elders, teachers, and store clerks.
2. Polite negative requests: -지 마세요
English speakers often try to make negative requests by adding 「안」 in front of -세요 (like 안 가세요, which means "Are you not leaving?"). To tell someone politely not to do something, use 「-지 마세요」.
3. Granting permission: -아/어도 되다
While -세요 directs an action, 「-아/어도 되다」 removes an obstacle. It tells the listener that doing something is completely fine.
여기 앉으세요. (Request: Please take a seat here.)
여기 앉아도 돼요. (Permission: You may sit here if you like.)
사진을 찍어도 돼요? (Question: May I take photos?)
4. Stating rules and boundaries: -(으)면 안 되다
When an action violates rules, safety guidelines, or social etiquette, use 「-(으)면 안 되다」. While -지 마세요 is a polite personal plea, -(으)면 안 되다 states that an action is objectively forbidden.
Next time you are at a cafe in Seoul: ask for water with 「-아/어 주세요」, check if you can plug in your laptop with 「-아/어도 돼요?」, and look out for 「-지 마세요」 on signs.
First Words CoursePractice practical polite requests with native audio dialoguesOpen it →