가시다
gasida
to go (honorific — used for elders/superiors)
가다
gada
to go (plain form)
가시다 vs 가다: Honorific vs Plain "To Go" in Korean
가시다 is the honorific form of the verb 가다 (to go), used when referring to elders, teachers, or superiors, while 가다 is the plain base form used in neutral or self-referential speech.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| 가시다 (gasida) | 가다 (gada) | |
|---|---|---|
| Honorific Level | Subject honorific (높임말) — elevates the subject | Plain — no honorification of the subject |
| Used For | Elders, teachers, bosses, parents, customers | Yourself, peers, or in dictionary/base form |
| Formation | 가다 stem + (으)시 honorific infix + 다 | Base verb form — no honorific infix |
| Polite Present Tense | 가세요 (gaseyo) — please go / they go (honorific polite) | 가요 (gayo) — I/you/they go (plain polite) |
| Common Conjugations | 가세요, 가셨어요, 가실 거예요 | 가요, 갔어요, 갈 거예요 |
Examples in Context
Asking where a professor is going — using 가시다
교수님, 어디 가세요?
Professor, where are you going?
Informing someone that a senior colleague left — using 가시다
부장님은 벌써 가셨어요.
The manager has already left.
Telling a friend where you are going — using 가다
나 편의점 가.
I'm going to the convenience store.
Asking a friend if they will go — using 가다
너도 같이 가?
Are you coming along too?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ✗Using 가요 when referring to an elder's action — always use 가세요 or the 가시다 conjugation to show proper respect.
- ✗Using 가시다 to describe your own actions — the subject honorific (으시) should never be used for yourself.
- ✗Forgetting to switch to the honorific form in professional settings, which can come across as disrespectful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I use 가시다 to talk about myself going somewhere?
No. The (으)시 honorific infix elevates the subject, so using it for yourself is grammatically and socially incorrect in Korean.
Is 가세요 a command or a statement?
It can be both depending on context. "어서 가세요" means "please go (honorifically)," while "어디 가세요?" asks "where are you going?"
What is the honorific past tense of 가다?
The honorific past tense is 가셨어요 (gasyeosseoyo), used when referring to an elder's past action of going.
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