박 선생님
bak seonsaengnim
In Korean, "Mr. Park" is translated as 박 선생님 (bak seonsaengnim).
박 선생님 is a polite way to address a man named Park who is a teacher or a person in a respected profession. It is commonly used to address teachers, doctors or people in positions of respect, even if they are not literally your classroom teacher.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of the surname 박 (Park) followed by the honorific title 선생님 (teacher/professional/sir).
Which one should you use?
In contrast, 박 선생님 is the preferred respectful form.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Using the title 선생님 is a respectful way to address a man in a professional or social setting. It is a polite alternative to a direct translation of "Mr."
How does it change in a sentence?
In Korean, the surname always precedes the title.
How do you pronounce it?
bak seonsaengnim
Did you know?
- According to the 12th-century history 'Samguk sagi', the lineage of 박 began because its legendary founder was born from an egg as large as a calabash.
- While 선생님 literally means 'teacher', it is frequently used as a generic polite title for strangers in public spaces, such as when addressing a taxi driver or a store clerk.
Examples in context
- Park Seonsaengnim (박 선생님)Mr. Park
- 박 선생님, 안녕하세요.Bak seonsaengnim, annyeonghaseyo.Hello, Mr. Park.
- 박 선생님은 지금 바쁘세요?Bak seonsaengnim-eun jigeum bappeuseyo?Is Mr. Park busy right now?
- 이 서류를 박 선생님께 전달해 주세요.I seoryureul Bak seonsaengnim-kke jeondalhae juseyo.Please deliver this document to Mr. Park.
Example conversation
Ji-eun and Hyeon-u are talking about their teacher in a school hallway.
- 지은 Ji-eun현우 씨, 박 선생님 어디 계세요?Hyeon-u ssi, Bak seonsaengnim eodi gyeseyo?Hyeon-u, where is Mr. Park?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo박 선생님은 지금 교무실에 계세요.Bak seonsaengnim-eun jigeum gyomusil-e gyeseyo.Mr. Park is in the staff room right now.
- 지은 Ji-eun박 선생님을 직접 찾아가야겠어요.Bak seonsaengnim-eul jikjeop chajagayagesseoyo.I should go see Mr. Park directly.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo네, 조심히 다녀오세요.Ne, josimhi danyeo-oseyo.Yes, please go safely.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 박, CC BY-SA 4.0.
