반말체
The informal, casual speech register used among close friends, younger people, or in diary entries. It drops the polite '요' ending.
Summary
Equivalent
Informal / Casual Speech (반말)
Also: 해요체 (Polite informal - equivalent meaning, adds 요 for politeness)
Example
Where are you going today?
오늘 어디 가?
Grammar rules
- Only use 반말 with people who are younger than you, at the same age and social level, or who have explicitly agreed to use informal speech ('말 놓다').
- Using 반말 with strangers or elders is considered very rude.
- Questions in 반말 use a rising intonation with the same form, or add '?' without '요'. Commands use the plain verb stem or stem + '아/어'.
어디 가? (Where are you going?) / 빨리 와. (Come quickly.)
Patterns
Verbs
Present Informal · Verb Stem + 아/어
Verbs
Past Informal · Verb Stem + 았/었어
Adjectives
Present Informal · Adjective Stem + 아/어
Nouns
Present Informal · Noun + 야/이야
Example sentences
Where are you going today?
오늘 어디 가?
Did you watch a movie yesterday? How was it?
어제 영화 봤어? 어땠어?
This is mine. Don't touch it.
이거 내 거야. 건드리지 마.
Conversation
A: Hey, I bombed my exam today.
야, 나 오늘 시험 망했어.
B: Aw, it's okay. You can do well next time.
에이, 괜찮아. 다음에 잘하면 되지.
Practice
Fill in the blank
Convert the polite sentence to casual informal speech (반말).
Friend inviting.
Yesterday's meal.