How to Call a Girl, a Person, or People in Korean: Names, Titles, and 아/야
Learn how to call someone in Korean: say a name with 아 or 야, use titles like 씨 and 님, and get a stranger's attention politely with 저기요. Includes a short dialogue and practice.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
Korean does not have one universal word for "you." Instead, you usually call a person by their name plus a particle or a title, and the ending changes with the relationship and the sentence type. This lesson gives you the direct answer first: to call a girl or woman, use her name plus 아 if it ends in a consonant or 야 if it ends in a vowel, or use a title such as 씨, 님, 선생님, or 언니. To call a person or people you do not know, use 저기요 to get attention, then ask a question. You will learn the difference between calling someone to your side, addressing them in a sentence, and referring to people in general, with Hangul and Revised Romanization throughout.
By the end, you can…
- call a girl or woman by name using 아 or 야, or by an appropriate title.
- get a stranger's attention politely and ask how to address someone.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
지민아, 이리 와.
Jimin, come here.
Ji-min-a, i-ri wa.
Use 아 after a name ending in a consonant when calling a close friend or someone younger. Here 지민 ends in ㄴ, so 아 is correct.
수진아, 뭐 해?
Sujin, what are you doing?
Su-jin-a, mwo hae?
수진 ends in ㄴ, so it takes 아. This is casual speech between close friends or to a younger person.
민아야, 밥 먹었어?
Mina, have you eaten?
Mi-na-ya, bap meo-geo-sseo?
민아 ends in the vowel ㅏ, so it takes 야. Use this only with someone you are close to or who is younger.
저기요, 죄송한데요, 질문이 있어요.
Excuse me, sorry, I have a question.
Jeo-gi-yo, joe-song-han-de-yo, jil-mu-ni i-sseo-yo.
저기요 is the standard polite way to get a stranger's attention in a shop, station, or street. It does not mean "you."
이분을 뭐라고 불러요?
What should I call this person?
I-bu-neul mwo-ra-go bul-leo-yo?
Use this polite question to ask a staff member or friend how to address someone. 이분 is a polite word for "this person."
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is 이름 + 아/야 for calling someone close or younger, and 이름 + 씨 or 직함 + 님 for polite address. If the name ends in a consonant, add 아: 지민아, 수진아. If the name ends in a vowel, add 야: 민아야, 민호야. For adults you do not know well, do not attach 아 or 야. Instead use 저기요 to get attention, or a title such as 선생님, 사장님, or 기사님. To address a group, you can say 여러분 to everyone present, or 여러분, 잠시만요 to ask for a moment.
When to use it
Register matters. 아 and 야 are casual and can sound rude to a stranger, an older person, or a superior. With someone older or in a formal setting, use a title: 김 선생님, 박 사장님, or 최 기사님. 씨 is common between adults of similar age who are not close, but it can sound distant or condescending if used to someone much older. 님 is a respectful suffix used in titles and online. When you do not know a person's name, do not invent one: say 저기요 and then ask a question. To refer to people in general, use 사람 for "person" and 사람들 for "people," as in 사람이 많아요 (there are many people) or 한국 사람들 (Korean people). These are referring words, not direct address.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
저기요, 죄송한데요, 이분을 뭐라고 불러요?
Excuse me, sorry, what should I call this person?Jeo-gi-yo, joe-song-han-de-yo, i-bu-neul mwo-ra-go bul-leo-yo?아, 저분은 김 선생님이에요. 김 선생님이라고 부르세요.
Ah, that person is Teacher Kim. Please call her Teacher Kim.A, jeo-bu-neun Gim seon-saeng-ni-mi-e-yo. Gim seon-saeng-ni-mi-ra-go bu-reu-se-yo.네, 알겠습니다. 그런데 친구한테는 어떻게 불러요?
Okay, I understand. By the way, how do I address a friend?Ne, al-get-seum-ni-da. Geu-reon-de chin-gu-han-te-neun eo-tteo-ke bul-leo-yo?친구한테는 이름 뒤에 아나 야를 붙여요. 수진아, 민아야, 이렇게요.
To a friend, you attach 아 or 야 after the name. Like Sujin-a, Mina-ya.Chin-gu-han-te-neun i-reum dwi-e a-na ya-reul bu-chyeo-yo. Su-jin-a, Mi-na-ya, i-reo-ke-yo.A little context goes a long way
Korean address is relational, not fixed. The same person may be 지민아 to a close friend, 지민 씨 to a colleague, and 김 지민 님 in a formal email. Age and setting guide the choice, so when in doubt, ask 이분을 뭐라고 불러요? rather than guessing. Using the wrong level is not a grammar error, but it can sound overly familiar or cold.
One thing to watch for
Learners often use 아 or 야 with a stranger or an older person because they translate English "hey" directly.
Try this instead: Reserve 아 and 야 for close friends or people younger than you. With a stranger, use 저기요 to get attention, then a polite question: 저기요, 질문이 있어요. With an older person, use a title such as 선생님 or 님, for example 김 선생님, 안녕하세요.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You want to call your close friend 지민, whose name ends in a consonant. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
지민아!
지민 ends in the consonant ㄴ, so it takes 아. If the name ended in a vowel, such as 민아, you would say 민아야.
2You need to get a stranger's attention in a store. What polite word do you use first?
Show a sample answer
저기요.
저기요 is the standard polite attention-getter. You can follow it with a question such as 질문이 있어요.
3How do you ask a staff member what to call a person you are pointing to?
Show a sample answer
이분을 뭐라고 불러요?
This politely asks how to address the person. You could also say 이분을 어떻게 불러요? Both are valid; 뭐라고 is slightly more direct and common in this context.
Call a close friend or younger person with 이름 + 아 after a consonant and 이름 + 야 after a vowel. For everyone else, use 저기요 to get attention and a title such as 씨, 님, or 선생님. When unsure, ask 이분을 뭐라고 불러요?
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