Learn Hardcore Korean: abeojineun dambaereul piwoyo.

-은/는 marks the topic, roughly “as for …” or “speaking of ….” Here, 아버지는 means “as for (my) father.” It frames “father” as the topic and then tells you something about him (that he smokes). It can also imply contrast, as in: 아버지는 담배를 피워요, 어머니는 안 피우세요.
If the last syllable ends with a vowel (like 아버지), use -는; after a consonant, use -은.

Why is it 담배를 and not 담배가?

Because 피우다 (“to smoke”) is a transitive verb that takes an object. -을/를 is the object marker, so 담배를 = “cigarettes/tobacco (object).”
Use -를 after a vowel (담배), -을 after a consonant.

Why is it 피워요 and not “피우어요”? Is it different from 피어요?

Base verb: 피우다 (“to smoke; to light/make bloom”)
Polite present ending: -어요
In speech, 우 + 어 → 워, so 피우어요 → 피워요.
피어요 comes from 피다 (“to bloom; to be lit”), not from 피우다. Don’t confuse:
- 꽃이 피어요. “The flowers bloom.”
- 담배를 피워요. “(He) smokes.”

Does this mean “He smokes (habitually)” or “He is smoking right now”?

Korean plain present often expresses a general/habitual fact. 아버지는 담배를 피워요 most naturally means “Father smokes.”
For “right now,” use the progressive: 아버지는 지금 담배를 피우고 있어요.

How do I make this more respectful when talking about my father?

Add subject honorifics and the honorific topic particle:

아버지께서는 담배를 피우세요. (neutral-polite, respectful)
In very formal style:
아버지께서는 담배를 피우십니다.
Using -께서는 (honorific topic) and -시- (subject honorific) shows respect toward the subject (your father).

Should I say “my father” as 제 아버지 or 우리 아버지?

Both are possible, but in Korean it’s very common to say 우리 아버지 (“our father”) to mean “my father,” showing in-group/family belonging. 제 아버지 is also correct and slightly more formal/neutral.
Example: 우리 아버지께서는 담배를 피우세요.

Can I drop the particles in casual speech?

Yes, in conversation you can often drop particles when the meaning is clear:

아버지 담배 피워요.
However, keep particles when you need clarity, formality, or when the sentence might become ambiguous without them.

How do I say “He doesn’t smoke” or “He can’t smoke”?

Plain negation: 아버지는 담배를 안 피워요. / 아버지는 담배를 피우지 않아요.
Cannot (due to inability/restriction): 아버지는 담배를 못 피워요.
Has quit (honorific): 아버지께서는 금연하셨어요.

Is 담배(를) 피다 also correct, or must it be 피우다?

Both are widely used in speech: 담배(를) 피우다 and 담배(를) 피다 can both mean “to smoke.”

피우다 is the more standard/explicit form (common in writing and teaching materials).
피다 is very common in everyday conversation.
When in doubt (e.g., tests or formal writing), use 피우다.

Why not use 흡연하다?

흡연하다 is Sino-Korean and sounds formal/technical (“to smoke” in a policy/signage sense). You’ll see it in signs like 흡연구역 (smoking area) or 금연 (no smoking). In everyday speech, use 담배(를) 피우다/피다.

How do I ask “Does your father smoke?” politely?

Neutral-polite with subject honorific: 아버지께서는 담배를 피우세요?
If you skip honorifics (less appropriate when referring to someone else’s father), it would be 아버지는 담배를 피워요?, but adding -시- (피우세요?) is better etiquette.

How can I specify how much or how often he smokes?

Frequency: 자주 (often), 가끔 (sometimes), 거의 안 (hardly), e.g., 아버지는 담배를 자주 피우세요.
Quantity:
- One cigarette (standard counter): 담배 한 개비 피우세요.
- One pack: 하루에 한 갑 피우세요.
  Note: In casual speech, people often say 담배 한 대 for “one cigarette,” though the standard counter is 개비.

What’s the difference between 아버지, 아빠, 아버님/부친?

아버지: standard/respectful “father” (most neutral).
아빠: casual “dad” (used by children/family; informal).
아버님: honorific form used to address/reference someone else’s father (or very politely your own).
부친: formal/written (“father” in official contexts).
Choose based on formality and who you’re speaking to/about.

Could I say 담배를 아버지는 피워요? What about word order?

Korean is flexible with order, but the default is Subject–Object–Verb. 담배를 아버지는 피워요 is possible for contrast/emphasis (e.g., “As for father, (he’s the one who) smokes”), but the neutral, most natural order is 아버지는 담배를 피워요.

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

아버지는: “a-beo-ji-neun” (ㅈ is a soft “j,” not “ch”).
담배를: “dam-bae-reul” (ㅂ between vowels sounds like a soft “b”).
피워요: “pi-wo-yo” (워 is one syllable “wo,” not “u-eo”).
Revised Romanization: Abeojineun dambae-reul piwoyo.

How do I put this in the past or future?

Past (habit/fact): 아버지는 담배를 피웠어요.
Past with honorific: 아버지께서는 담배를 피우셨어요.
Future/intention: 아버지는 담배를 피울 거예요. (honorific: 피우실 거예요)

Whose father is it? There’s no “my” in the Korean.

Without a possessor, 아버지 usually refers to the speaker’s own father in context. If clarity is needed, add 우리/제:

우리 아버지는 담배를 피우세요. (commonly “my father”)
그분의 아버지는 담배를 피우세요. (“that person’s father”)