# Gam Sa Ham Ni Da vs. Kom Mop Sam Ni Da



## IcemanSK (Jun 22, 2009)

I need a hand with understanding the difference between the two terms. Am I correct in my understanding that the former is less formal (like "thanks") & the latter is more formal (as in "thank you" or thank you very much?") 

I've never gotten a good understanding of the two meanings.


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## MBuzzy (Jun 22, 2009)

Sounds like you've got it to me.  Just two different levels of respect.  Where Americans get wrapped up is in trying to translate it into our words.  You are right that it is basically like Thanks vs Thank you, but not all Korean words are like that.  There are many words that have different levels of formality for which we have only one level.  The entire language is based on who you are talking to.  The same word can be said as many as five different ways depending on who you're talking to and how formal you need to be.


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## Errant108 (Jun 23, 2009)

It's completely based off of who you are addressing, your position, and social situation.

Also, they're one word, not sets of different words.  Gamsahamnida & Komapsumnida.


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## Miles (Jun 24, 2009)

Errant108 said:


> It's completely based off of who you are addressing, your position, and social situation.
> 
> Also, they're one word, not sets of different words. Gamsahamnida & Komapsumnida.


 
Can you expand on this?  

Does this mean that someone of a lower social status always uses "komapsumnida" to someone of a higher status who would response with "gamsahamnida" if the situation were reversed?  For example, if I am addressing my GM, I should always use "komapsumnida" whereas if he were to address me, he would use "gamsahamnida"?

How about student to student of same relative rank/position? Would either be appropriate?

Thanks!


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## MBuzzy (Jun 24, 2009)

Miles said:


> Can you expand on this?
> 
> Does this mean that someone of a lower social status always uses "komapsumnida" to someone of a higher status who would response with "gamsahamnida" if the situation were reversed? For example, if I am addressing my GM, I should always use "komapsumnida" whereas if he were to address me, he would use "gamsahamnida"?
> 
> ...


 
Komapsumnida is used when you are of lower "rank" and addressing someone of higher "rank."  By rank, this can mean actual rank in military or martial arts scenarios, in industry, or simply age.  Gamsahamnida is used when you are of higher or the same "rank" and adressing another person of lower or the same "rank."  Although in my experience, komapsumnida isn't used very often and only for a pretty big difference in levels.  For the most part, gamsahamnida is going to be ok for just about anything you need.


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## IcemanSK (Jun 24, 2009)

MBuzzy said:


> Komapsumnida is used when you are of lower "rank" and addressing someone of higher "rank." By rank, this can mean actual rank in military or martial arts scenarios, in industry, or simply age. Gamsahamnida is used when you are of higher or the same "rank" and adressing another person of lower or the same "rank." Although in my experience, komapsumnida isn't used very often and only for a pretty big difference in levels. For the most part, gamsahamnida is going to be ok for just about anything you need.


 

Thanks! This clears a lot up for me. I have decent diction with this term, (gamsahamnida) but I still get odd looks when I use with native speakers. I guess I need to practice more.


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## DMcHenry (Jun 30, 2009)

I always have believed it was the other way around, the less formal komapsumnida (I think of as 'thanks') and the more formal kamsahamnida (more like a polite 'thank you').  I remember GM Kim Jae-joon getting pissed off at hearing that so much pronounced so badly and made a bunch of guys keep repeating it correctly back to him 

From my understanding, the most formal would be like "tedanhi- gamsahamnida" (I may be misspelling that some, but it's a "thank you very much").


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## rmclain (Jun 30, 2009)

Gomap Sumnidda is a common "Thank you," for common situations, such as thanking a waitstaff for something or thanking someone you know (same or lower status).

To show greater appreciation with this term add, "Tedani," to make, "Tedani Gomap Sumnidda," which means "Big Thanks."

Gamsa Hamnidda means, "I'm grateful," and is used to show respectful thanks. More formal.  You could add "Tedani" to this as well.

R. McLain





IcemanSK said:


> I need a hand with understanding the difference between the two terms. Am I correct in my understanding that the former is less formal (like "thanks") & the latter is more formal (as in "thank you" or thank you very much?")
> 
> I've never gotten a good understanding of the two meanings.


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## MBuzzy (Jun 30, 2009)

The only thing that I can think here is that it is a regional thing.  But I can say that in Kunsan (Southern ROK) and in Seoul and North, Gamsahamnida is the less formal, common version.  I lived there for a year and have been studying the language for a while and in all my time living there, I NEVER heard a single person say Komapsumnida.  I had many Koreans who were very helpful in helping me learn the language. 

Now, I know that most colleges here teach Komapsumnida as "the way" to say Thank you, simply as a "disrepsect avoidance" issue.  That is also how it is done in my Martial Arts organization.  In fact, when I asked our president (HC Hwang, Hwang Kee's son) about it, he replied that "American's wouldn't understand the distinction, so we use the more formal version to avoid any disrespect to ANYONE."  That is generally the default.  Teach the most respectful version to be sure that you don't insult anyone.

It is possible to insult someone, simply by how to address then and the distinction in the words that you use.

There is also the variation "chongmai gamsahamnida," which is basically thank you very much or a very gracious version of thank you.  This is also used in special occassions.  It isn't used as frequently as we use thank you very much.  For example, my first week in Korea, I used chongmai gamsahamnida and the clerk laughed and respectfully told me that this expression is a bit more formal than I would want to use in that situation - luckily that clerk spoke very fluent english.

I will have to look up "tedanhi gamsahamnida" as I've never heard or run into that one either.


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## IcemanSK (Jun 30, 2009)

rmclain said:


> Gomap Sumnidda is a common "Thank you," for common situations, such as thanking a waitstaff for something or thanking someone you know (same or lower status).
> 
> To show greater appreciation with this term add, "*Tedani*," to make, "Tedani Gomap Sumnidda," which means "Big Thanks."
> 
> ...


 
Can you give me a phonetic pronounciation of Tedani, please? 
Thank you!


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## MBuzzy (Jun 30, 2009)

&#45824;&#45800;&#55176; - daedanhi
Wow, that wasn't easy.  I had a hard time finding this one.  It is pronounced "Day dahn hee."  Also not a very common way to say it, used in the same context as chongmai gamsahamnida, pretty formal.  It translates to "greatly" or "great" thanks.  Used in an extremely gracious circumstance.


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