Son in Law in Korean | Correct Term And Polite Forms

If you’re learning Korean, family words are the ones that pop up at weddings, holidays, and quick introductions. “Son-in-law” is one of those terms that seems simple, then gets tricky the moment you try to say it in a real room with real people.

This guide gives you the main word, the polite upgrades, and the common add-ons Koreans use when they’re talking about their daughter’s husband or calling him directly. You’ll also get pronunciation help and ready-to-use lines, so you can speak without sounding stiff.

Son In Law In Korean Terms You’ll Hear Most

In everyday Korean, the core noun for “son-in-law” is 사위. It’s the word you use when you’re talking about the relationship, not when you’re calling someone’s name across the table. Official Korean learning dictionaries list 사위 as the standard kinship term for son-in-law. Korean Basic Dictionary entry for 사위 shows the word and sample sentences.

Korean Word	What It Means	When It Fits
사위 (sawi)	son-in-law	Neutral, general reference
사위분 (sawi-bun)	son-in-law + respectful suffix	Polite talk to outsiders, elders, formal settings
우리 사위 (uri sawi)	our son-in-law	Warm, in-family reference; common in speech
큰사위 (keun-sawi)	older son-in-law	When there are two or more daughters married
작은사위 (jageun-sawi)	younger son-in-law	When there are two or more daughters married
사윗감 (sawit-gam)	son-in-law candidate	Before marriage, when talking about a match
(성)+서방 (… seobang)	“Mr. + surname,” used for a son-in-law	Older-style in-family address in some homes
사위도 반자식 (sawi-do ban-jasik)	“A son-in-law is half a child”	Set saying; shows affection from in-laws

What “사위” Covers And What It Doesn’t

In English, “son-in-law” can mean “my child’s husband” with no extra details. Korean works the same way for the base meaning: 사위 is your daughter’s husband. It also extends into set sayings and proverbs about family roles, so you may see it in phrases that aren’t about one specific person.

What 사위 does not do is replace a person’s name in all situations. In many households, people still use names, titles, or nicknames when speaking directly. The kinship noun is still useful, but you’ll often pair it with a polite suffix or swap to a more direct form of address, depending on the room.

Talking About Him Vs Talking To Him

When you refer to someone’s relationship, 사위 is fine. When you speak to him, Korean tends to lean on names and honorific markers. That’s why you’ll hear forms like 사위분, or surname + 서방 in some families. You can also hear “OO 씨” (name + 씨) in more modern speech.

Politeness Add-Ons: 분, 님, And 씨

분 is a respectful marker that can attach to kinship terms, making 사위 → 사위분 when you want a more courteous tone. 님 is a broad honorific you’ll see on many titles and sometimes on kinship nouns in careful speech, though 사위님 is less common than 사위분 in everyday talk. 씨 is a polite address suffix used with given names or full names, not with 사위 itself.

Pronunciation And Romanization So You Don’t Stumble

사위 is two syllables: 사 + 위. In quick speech it comes out close to “sa-wi.” If you read romanization online, you’ll see both “sawi” and “sa-wi.” Romanization is just a spelling aid, not a perfect sound guide, so it helps to know the rules it’s based on.

South Korea’s official system is Revised Romanization, published by the National Institute of Korean Language. Their rules state that romanization follows standard Korean pronunciation and uses only Roman letters as far as possible. Romanization of Korean rules lays out the system and its basic principles.

A Simple Mouth Map For 사위

• 사: like “sa” in “salsa,” with a clean “s” and an open “a.”
• 위: starts with a “w” glide, then “i” like “we.” It’s not “wee” stretched out; it’s short.

Spelling, Particles, And Plurals

In writing, 사위 stays as one block. When you add a particle, it sticks right to it: 사위가, 사위는, 사위를. If you mean “sons-in-law” as a group, Korean keeps the same noun and adds 들: 사위들. You’ll also see compounds like 사윗감. That ㅅ sound is a linking marker used in many Korean compounds, so treat 사윗감 as its own word when you read and write it.

If you’re writing a name card, a note, or a caption, Hangul is the safest choice. Roman letters can vary by style, while Hangul stays clear across settings.

If you want to sound natural, keep both syllables even. Don’t punch the first syllable too hard. Also, don’t insert an extra vowel, like “sa-wee-uh.” Korean syllables stay tight.

Using 사위 In Real Sentences

Here are sentence patterns you can reuse. Keep them short, then plug in names as needed.

If you searched for son in law in korean right before a meet-and-greet, start with 사위, then add a polite ending. That’s enough in most rooms.

Neutral, Everyday Reference

• 제 사위예요. (Je sawi-ye-yo.) = “He’s my son-in-law.”
• 우리 사위가 왔어요. (Uri sawi-ga wasseo-yo.) = “Our son-in-law came.”

Polite Reference When You’re Being Careful

• 사위분은 어디 계세요? (Sawi-bun-eun eodi gyeseyo?) = “Where is your son-in-law?”
• 사위분께서 도와주셨어요. (Sawi-bun-kke-seo dowajusyeosseoyo.) = “Your son-in-law helped.”

When You’re Introducing Him

Introductions often mix a kinship term with a name. A common, polite pattern is “(이분은) 제 사위 (이름) 씨예요.” If you’re not sure about name suffixes, you can keep it even simpler: “제 사위예요” plus a handshake and the person’s name.

Son In Law In Korean For Weddings, Holidays, And In-Law Visits

The same word, 사위, can feel too blunt or too vague at big family events. So Koreans lean on context and small grammar choices.

At A Wedding Reception Table

If an older relative asks who someone is, a safe reply is “제 사위예요.” If you want to be extra polite about the other family’s perspective, “사위분” is a respectful pick. It keeps the tone friendly without making the sentence long.

On Holidays With Many Relatives

When there are multiple married daughters in the extended family, “큰사위” and “작은사위” help people keep track. They’re descriptive, not insulting. Still, it’s smart to follow the lead of the household. If everyone uses names, you can do the same and save the labels for reference when you’re explaining who is who.

During A First Visit To In-Laws

In a first-meeting setting, outsiders might call the person “사위분” when speaking to the parents. Inside the home, the parents may still say “우리 사위.” Both can be right, because they signal different relationships: one is respect, the other is closeness.

Common Mistakes Learners Make With 사위

Mixing Up 사위 And 사돈

사위 is the person: your daughter’s husband. 사돈 is the relationship between the two sets of parents after a marriage. If you say 사돈 when you mean “son-in-law,” you’ll sound like you’re talking about parents-in-law connections, not the husband himself.

Overusing Romanization

Romanization can get you started, but it can also freeze your pronunciation in an English pattern. Try reading 사위 in Hangul each time you practice. Say it slowly once, then at normal speed.

Skipping Polite Markers In Formal Talk

If you’re speaking to elders or you’re in a formal setting, adding 분 in 사위분 can keep things smooth. It’s a small change, but it often matches the tone people expect in respectful speech.

Quick Reference Phrases You Can Copy

These are short lines for common moments. You can swap the name, or drop it if it feels too much.

Situation	Korean Phrase	Romanization
“This is my son-in-law.”	제 사위예요.	Je sawi-ye-yo.
“My son-in-law’s name is Minho.”	제 사위는 민호 씨예요.	Je sawi-neun Minho ssi-ye-yo.
“Where is your son-in-law?”	사위분은 어디 계세요?	Sawi-bun-eun eodi gyeseyo?
“He’s my older son-in-law.”	큰사위예요.	Keun-sawi-ye-yo.
“He’s my younger son-in-law.”	작은사위예요.	Jageun-sawi-ye-yo.
“My son-in-law helped a lot.”	사위가 많이 도와줬어요.	Sawi-ga mani dowajwosseoyo.
“Say hello to our son-in-law.”	우리 사위한테 인사해요.	Uri sawi-hante insahaeyo.
“Nice to meet you.”	처음 뵙겠습니다.	Cheoeum boepgetseumnida.
“Please take good care of our daughter.”	우리 딸 잘 부탁드려요.	Uri ttal jal butakdeuryeoyo.

How To Build Your Own Lines Fast

You don’t need a hundred sentences memorized. You need a few building blocks you can snap together.

Block 1: Pick The Noun

• Neutral: 사위
• Polite: 사위분
• Warm: 우리 사위

Block 2: Pick A Particle

Korean particles mark the role in the sentence. Two you’ll use a lot:

• -은/는 for topic: 사위는…
• -이/가 for subject: 사위가…

Block 3: End The Sentence Politely

For everyday polite speech, you’ll often use -아요/-어요 endings, like 왔어요 (came) or 있어요 (is). For more formal speech, -습니다 endings are common, like 반갑습니다 (nice to meet you).

Where Learners Often Want One More Word

English speakers sometimes want a single word that means “my son-in-law” as one chunk. Korean doesn’t work that way. You build it with grammar: 제 사위 (my son-in-law) or 우리 사위 (our son-in-law). “우리” can sound odd in English, but in Korean it’s a normal way to speak about close family members.

When You Mean “Future Son-In-Law”

If someone is dating your daughter and the marriage isn’t done yet, you can say 사윗감 for “son-in-law candidate.” It’s a common word in match talk. Use it with care: it can sound like you’re sizing someone up, so it fits best in casual family chat, not in direct talk to the person.

Keeping Your Speech Natural

When you need to say son in law in korean in a chat, say the term, then add 사위 once. It sounds clear.

Say the core word once, then switch to names when you can. That’s the easiest way to keep your speech natural. If you’re speaking in English and dropping a Korean term, keep it simple: “My daughter’s husband, 사위.” In a full Korean sentence, let particles do the work and avoid stacking extra honorifics.

A Mini Practice Plan You Can Do In Five Minutes

1. Say 사위 ten times: slow once, normal nine times.
2. Say 사위분 five times, then 사위 five times, to feel the extra syllable.
3. Read three lines out loud: 제 사위예요. / 우리 사위가 왔어요. / 사위분은 어디 계세요?
4. Swap one noun: 사위 → 큰사위 or 작은사위, then repeat the line.

A Final Checklist Before You Use The Word

• Are you talking about the relationship? Use 사위.
• Are you speaking to elders or in a formal moment? Try 사위분.
• Are there multiple sons-in-law in the same group? Use 큰사위 or 작은사위.
• Are you speaking directly? Use a name + 씨, or follow the family’s habit.

If you remember one thing, keep 사위 as your anchor word, then adjust the politeness level with one small change. After a few uses, it starts to feel natural.