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well, you'd use it for informal purposes.. as you probably know, the formal language has a longer ending. and it can get confusing, because although language is separated into 'ban mal' and 'jon daemal' there are 'inbetweens' like, using what you said 'gam sam nee da' is 'go ma wuh' in 'ban mal', but if you want to be semi-formal, you'd say 'go ma wuh yo'. usually, to make things ban mal, you'd drop the 'yo' but this is just a general rule that doesnt apply 100% of the time. so, if you were talking to your elders, you'd use the highest level of language, when you're talking to peope younger than you, you can drop it... but then again it also depends on your age. if you're 25 and you're talking for the first time toa 24 year old, you'd use a lighter 'jon daemal', but if you're 25 talking to a 5 year old, you'd use just total 'banmal'. it can get confusing, pm me if you need more help, or if you'd give me a senario i could answer it for you lo

Korean is easier than Chinese but it's still hard for me because
i haven't really heard or grown up with it..

반말과 존대말 (Informal/formal):

In case there are people who don't know about this (excluding the OP), 반말(ban-mal) is an informal use of the Korean language.

When to use it:
반말 is used amongst friends who are familiar with each other. It can also be used to older people, but only if they insist that you use 반말 to them. You NEVER use 반말 to people you do not know and/or have just met, regardless of the fact that they are older/the same age/younger than you are. You always use 존대말(formal terminology) to them.

In the case of elders, it is HIGHLY suggested you use 존대말 to them. Lately, it's been changing. Children have been known to use 반말 to their parents. In my case, I was trained to address them formally, and have continued to do so to this very day.

Cultural/Historical facts:
The Korean culture runs on a system tightly based off daoism and Confusism (I know I spelled that wrong, can someone give me the proper spelling for it), especially the second one. "RESPECT YOUR ELDER" is a huge issue in Korea. When addressing to the following people use these terms:

- Younger girl to an older girl: 언니(unni)
- Younger girl to an older boy: 오빠(oppa)
- Younger boy to an older girl: 누나 (noona)
- Younger boy to an older boy: 형(hyung)
- When addressing women 30+ and/or married: 아줌마(ajumma)
- When addressing men 30+ and/or married: 아저씨(ajushi)
- When addressing women 60+: 할머니(halmuhnee)
- When addressing men 60+: 할아버지(halabuhji)
*Note: Just a small bonus here. When you're riding the bus or subway in Korea, it is common courtesy to get up for people who are 60 and over if there are no seats available. On the subway, if you are not pregnant or a disabled personel, it is rude to sit in the priority seating.

FORMALITY IS AWAYS ACCEPTED IN KOREA!!!

Verb endings/some terminology:
SUFFIXES FOR FORMAL TERMS:
1. -습니다
2. -요
3. -죠
*I believe there is more to this, but this is all I can think of off the top of my head.

TERMINOLOGY FOR INFORMAL WORDS:
1. 안녕
2. 해지마
3. 왜그래?
4. 아니
5. 그래
6. 어
7. 뭐
8. 야
9. 잘자
10.우러

For 반말, it's not a matter of adding suffixes or endings. You can worry about those things for when you use 존대말.

XD I grew up using only 빈말 so I have little knowledge of 존데밀 XD its sorta weird

My friend told me banmal is like informal speech. 3nodding

Thanks kaze no sakura for those information! It looks really helpful! mrgreen

라선앤 <-- my Korean name. (:

no.

that`s : Ra Suhn Ain.
It`s my Korean name from my Chinese name. ^^