Korean Dictionary
How to say "Homeroom Teacher" in Korean
“Homeroom Teacher” in Korean is 담임선생님 (pronounced "damim seonsaengnim").
담임선생님
damim seonsaengnim
Usage & Context
The teacher responsible for a specific class throughout the school year. The homeroom teacher handles attendance, discipline, and serves as the main contact for parents. This role is very important in Korean education.
Example Sentence
담임선생님은 우리 반을 잘 이끈다.
The homeroom teacher leads our class well.
How to use 담임선생님 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Homeroom Teacher” is 담임선생님, romanized as damim seonsaengnim.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 담임선생님.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'da-mim seon-saeng-nim' — 'damim' sounds like 'dah-meem', then 'seonsaengnim' flows as 'suhn-saeng-neem' with the 'n's softened. The whole phrase runs together as one unit.
Formal & Casual Forms
Formal (존댓말)
담임 선생님
damim seonsaengnim
Standard respectful form used by students, parents, and staff; the only way students directly address their homeroom teacher.
Casual (반말)
담임
damim
Shortened noun used among classmates or in administrative writing; never used to address the teacher directly.
More Example Sentences
First day back at school
올해 담임 선생님이 누구예요?
Who is our homeroom teacher this year?
Parent telling a spouse
담임 선생님께 전화가 왔어요.
I got a call from the homeroom teacher.
Discussing after-school plans
담임 선생님이랑 상담이 있어요.
I have a counseling session with my homeroom teacher.
Cultural Context
Your 담임 선생님 plays a huge role in Korean school life — they take daily attendance, handle morning check-in (조회), manage parent communication, and write 생활기록부 (the student life record used for college applications). A good 담임 can significantly shape a student's year, and Korean students often keep in touch with favorite 담임 for decades after graduation. The relationship is much more central than a typical Western homeroom teacher.
Editorial note
We review entries like 담임선생님 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
담임 선생님이 좋아요.
I like my homeroom teacher.
담임 선생님께 여쭤보세요.
Please ask the homeroom teacher.
담임 선생님이 바뀌었어요.
The homeroom teacher has changed.
Related Expressions
담임
damim
homeroom duty / person in charge
부담임
budamim
assistant homeroom teacher
조회
johoe
morning homeroom meeting
종례
jongnye
end-of-day homeroom meeting
More School Life Words
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