Korean Dictionary
How to say "Reverend" in Korean
“Reverend” in Korean is 목사님 (pronounced "Moksanim").
목사님
Moksanim
Usage & Context
Reverend is a respectful title for a pastor or minister. In Korean, adding -님 to a title shows respect and is commonly used when addressing clergy.
Example Sentence
목사님께 인사했습니다.
I greeted the reverend.
How to use 목사님 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Reverend” is 목사님, romanized as Moksanim.
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 목사님.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'mok-sah-neem' — 'mok' rhymes with 'oak' with a soft 'm,' 'sa' is like 'saw' shortened, and 'nim' rhymes with 'seem.' The 'nim' is the Korean honorific suffix, not part of the root.
Formal & Casual Forms
Formal (존댓말)
목사님
moksanim
Adds the honorific 님; the standard respectful way to address or refer to a Protestant pastor
Casual (반말)
목사
moksa
Without 님 — used in third-person reference (e.g., writing) or in neutral, non-addressing contexts
More Example Sentences
church announcement
오늘 예배는 김 목사님께서 설교하십니다.
Today's service will be preached by Pastor Kim.
approaching a pastor after service
목사님, 상담 요청드려도 될까요?
Reverend, may I ask for counseling?
a member speaking about their pastor
우리 목사님은 항상 따뜻한 말씀을 해주세요.
Our reverend always gives us warm words.
Cultural Context
Protestant Christianity is one of Korea's largest religions — roughly 20% of the population — and 목사님 is a deeply respected title. Note that Catholic priests are called 신부님 (sinbunim) and Buddhist monks are 스님 (seunim); using the wrong one is a common mistake for learners. Korean megachurches like 여의도순복음교회 have global reach, and many 목사님 are addressed with their surname (김 목사님, 이 목사님). Adding -님 is essentially non-negotiable in direct address — dropping it sounds blunt or disrespectful.
Editorial note
We review entries like 목사님 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
목사님, 안녕하세요.
Hello, Reverend.
목사님의 설교
The reverend's sermon
목사님께 기도를 부탁드렸어요.
I asked the reverend for a prayer.
Related Expressions
신부님
sinbunim
Catholic priest (Father)
스님
seunim
Buddhist monk
전도사
jeondosa
evangelist / junior minister
장로
jangno
church elder
More Religion Words
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