Not sure what you should call your family member/friends or just rnadom strangers? With this guide to relations in Korean-- jk it's starting to sound like an infomercial. ROLL THE TAPE!

Okay guys, so yeah. I'm not sure what else I have to explain about this chapter. Just read it. Great. Terrible intro, I know.

In Korean, stuff is a lot more complicated for families than for English speakers. Like, there are 4 different ways to say aunt.

고모 - Dad's sister

However, if this person is married to the older brother of your dad, you call her

큰 엄마- Big mum

But if she's married to his younger brother, she's called

작은 엄마- Smal mum

And if she's your mum's sister, she's

이모- Mum's sister--> Usually, if you're really close to an 아줌마 or like your mum/dad's close friend, you can call her 이모, but only if she gives you permission. Also, a lot if people call the 아줌마 workers at small restaurants/ food stands 이모.

And then there are 3 ways to say uncle:

삼촌- uncle--> You can call your mum/dad's close friend this (again, only if given permission), however, people generally don't call male restaurant owners/workers 삼촌.

큰 아빠- Big dad (dad's older bro)

작은 아빠- Small dad (dad's younger bro)

And then the relatives people tend to live with:

엄마- mum

어머니- mother--> this is also what you'd call your mother-in-law but you change the end so that it becomes 어머님

아빠- dad

아버지- father--> what you'd call your father-in-law as well but you change the end so that it becomes 아버님

오빠- older brother of a girl--> you can also call an older guy that you know 오빠 BUT ONLY IF GIVEN PERMISSION

형- older brother of a guy--> same for 오빠

언니- older sister of a girl--> you know the drill guys

누나- older sister of a guy--> must I repeat

PERMISSION IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT

I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH

People can be offended if you automatically call them 언니/형/이모/whatever if they don't give you permission. Until they give you permission, you have to call them using respect and all that shazam (which I will get to later).

Okie other relatives:

할아버지- grandpa

할머니- grandma

You can call elders that you aren't related to using these terms but WITH PERMISSION

시어머니/시아버지- mother/father in law

남편- husband

아내- wife

딸- daughter

아들- son

막내- youngest child

맏이- oldest child (more commonly called 첮재- first child)

사촌- cousin

Okay so for people in higher postions at work/upperclassmen at school, you generally call them 선배.

I don't think there's a literal translation for 선배 in English but wateva.

If you know a person but you're not close enough to be on a 언니/형/first name basis, then you call them (first name)씨

Por ejemplo: My name is 이소현 so people will call me 소현씨

If you call a person by their first name or a title like 오빠 without permission, they might just dropkick you in the face.

Other things:

친구- friend

선생님- teacher (students call them 쌤 for short)

Uhhhhhh what else....

여보- it's like a petname for your honey oo like ew no I'm single, pringle, and fantabulous as

자기- another petname for couples... sigh... I spent my Valentines day at a party. Without a bf. Cries.

부부- married couple

애인- lover... can we stop. Please. It hurts.

SO THAT'S IT FOLKS. Relationship 101 with moi and my single, awesome self. Next, I'll either have curse words/insults or idk uh household objects? Not sure, but comment whichever one you'd prefer and I'll do the one with the most votes(?). BYeeeeeeeeeeEEEeeeeeeeE.

OH WAIT

BONUS WORD IS 연애- to date/be in a relationship

나 연애하고싶다.

I want to be in a relationship.

Until next time!