Korean Greetings

Posted on 23. Nov, 2008 by in Vocabulary

Hello everyone!  Today we’re going to learn some important Korean greetings.  The most basic and frequently used greeting is an-nyung-ha-se-yo (안녕하세요).  An-nyung-ha-se-yo (안녕하세요) means hello.  You might be surprised to know that there is no separate greeting for good morning, good afternoon or good evening.  Whether it’s the morning, afternoon or evening, you just use the phrase an-nyung-ha-se-yo (안녕하세요).

There is one exception.  For the phrase ‘good night’ it’s more natural to use the phrase jal ja-yo (잘 자요).  This literally means sleep well.  Now some Koreans from time to time might use the phrase jo-un a-chim (좋은 아침).  Jo-un a-chim (좋은 아침) means good morning.  However, the predominant method for saying good morning is still an-nyung-ha-se-yo (안녕하세요).  I tell my students to just learn the phrase an-nyung-ha-se-yo (안녕하세요) because it’s easier to remember and the more common greeting that Koreans use to say good morning.

Also, if you want to ask someone how they have been you can use the phrase an-nyung-ha-shim-ni-kka (안녕하십니까).  This phrase is on the formal level.  You can also say ’how are you’ as jal ji-nes-sum-ni-kka (잘 지넸습니까).  While jal ji-nes-sum-ni-kka (잘 지넸습니까) is still formal, it’s a little less formal than an-nyung-ha-shim-ni-kka (안녕하십니까).

While there is only one phrase used to say hello, there are actually two phrases that you could use to say good-bye in Korean.  Each phrase depends on the situation and the person you are talking to.  For example, if you say good-bye to your professor in the hallway and the professor is physically walking away from you, you would use the phrase an-nyung-hi ka-se-yo (안녕히 가세요).  However, if you say good-bye to your professor in his/her office and the professor stays put at his/her desk, you would say an-nyung-hi-ke-se-yo (안녕히 계세요).  As you’ve noticed, whether the person is leaving or staying put, determines the specific good-bye greeting used.

If you want to be less formal when you say good-bye, use the phrase an-nyung (안녕).  This phrase can be used whether the person you’re talking to is staying or leaving; it doesn’t matter.  However, don’t use this phrase when you’re talking to someone older than you or someone you don’t know that well.  While saying good-bye using an-nyung (안녕) is easier to remember, it can only be used with certain people.  One way I try to remember which good-bye greeting to use is by the verb stem.  The greeting used for people who are leaving contains the verb stem ka (가) which means ‘to go’ while the good bye used for people who are staying contains the verb stem ke (계) which means ‘to be.’  They are very subtle in sound, so make sure you know the difference between the two good-byes.

Ok everyone, I have to go, so for now I’m going to say daume bayo (다음에 봐요) or see you next time!

If you are looking to learn Korean, check out our website at Transparent.com for free resources like Korean Word of the Day and our Korean Facebook community, or take it to the next level with a free trial of our self-guided online Korean course.

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54 Responses to “Korean Greetings”

  1. happy 4 May 2009 at 3:12 am #

    ..I love almost everything about korea though i’m not a citizen of the said country..!!
    ..I’v watched several korean movies and I like them very much..!!!
    ..I also love the language and expressions of koreans..
    ..I hope that I could go to Korea sooner or later..

  2. doreen 6 May 2009 at 6:50 am #

    yong marame na man ara hindi na ko mag hahanap ng eba!!!!

  3. Ginny 6 May 2009 at 8:13 am #

    I have no clue what you said

  4. meachelle 7 June 2009 at 10:10 am #

    annyung haseyo!!
    i really want to learn the korean language.it’s fun and exciting.
    daume bayo!!
    =D

  5. berna 25 June 2009 at 9:24 pm #

    Thanks for this blog…i learned something. Hope to read other greetings next time.

    I’m courting with a korean guy and it helps me.

  6. kris 27 June 2009 at 3:40 am #

    This website is really helpful.
    Thanks!!!

  7. mia 15 July 2009 at 9:09 am #

    kamsamita! i learned some few words in boys over flowers because i watch it over and over again.hehe

  8. mia 15 July 2009 at 9:11 am #

    and thank you so much daume bayo!!!!! :)

  9. amani 17 August 2009 at 1:43 pm #

    it’s good know i learn some thing at liste and i wish that i could learn more then that . i like korean us a language

  10. zineb 27 August 2009 at 4:16 pm #

    hola.choh a yo.kamsamnida.your site is quite useful.am algerian but i’m fond of”korea”,its people,its culture,nature,dishes,…that’s why am learning the lge.wish me luck guys.is it right to say “anneonghi jumushipsiyo”to concern “good night”?by the way”onjenganun hangug kayo shipoyo.”korea saranghe”

  11. joenz 9 September 2009 at 7:08 am #

    i really wan 2 learn bout kOrean languages^^

  12. rose ann 2 October 2009 at 3:13 am #

    please more,thanx for the info how to speak in korean i am a pilipino i want to learn how to speak korean…tnx!=)

  13. Kitty 29 December 2009 at 11:32 pm #

    kamsahamnida !!

    daume bayo ! :’p

  14. Zelda 11 January 2010 at 6:12 pm #

    Thanks a heap!!!!!!!

  15. monique 25 January 2010 at 7:54 am #

    I Love Korean

  16. afra 2 February 2010 at 11:35 am #

    thank you !

  17. hannah lee 1 April 2010 at 9:50 am #

    an nyung ha seo!

  18. hannah lee 1 April 2010 at 9:52 am #

    i love lee hyun woo…

  19. Dale 20 April 2010 at 8:16 am #

    I have a business meeting today with a korean firm and found exactly what i needed. Thanks a mill. annyunghi kaseyo

  20. maria francesca a reyes 31 July 2010 at 8:12 am #

    i want to korean because that is my favorite country

  21. hermie 20 September 2010 at 1:14 pm #

    ginny, kamsa hamnida for this information. it helped a lot…

    tomorrow’s chuseok day in korea so “pukmanhi badeoseyo” to all koreans out there… more luck to come

    ok.. time for me to sleep.. jal ja yo : )

  22. rayken 21 September 2010 at 6:17 am #

    i’ll b going to incheon seoul, koread next year may . yeayyyy!!!~

  23. jezza 30 September 2010 at 9:39 am #

    ….anyong haseyo…….

  24. putri 22 November 2010 at 12:05 pm #

    anyung haseo
    it’s exciting to learn korea language

  25. kimshay 26 January 2011 at 4:25 am #

    i do like korean cultures’the way they talk, their expressions, attitudes.. eveything… i love them all

  26. kimshay 26 January 2011 at 4:28 am #

    i love kim hyun joong
    kim hyun jun
    kim hye seong
    kim kibum
    jung kyung ho
    and
    moon geun young

    hehehe!!!

  27. kimshay 26 January 2011 at 4:32 am #

    anyeonghi kaseyo!!!!

    smile!!

  28. kimchi 8 March 2011 at 2:53 pm #

    neomu neomu bogoshipo:(

  29. kazzy 22 March 2011 at 2:28 am #

    yoboseyo!!!!!!!
    saranghe koreaaaaaaaaanssssssssssssssssssssssssss

  30. myung hee 31 March 2011 at 1:46 pm #

    Annyoung hashimnika..!!!!! I Really LOVE KOREA….. how I wish I could go to KOREA…… i really love their languages and how they say it…………. ♥♥♥ :)

  31. lyhan 12 May 2011 at 12:33 am #

    Korea have the best actress and actors ! ever !haeng un eul bin da !

  32. 공주 27 August 2011 at 4:24 pm #

    안녕하세요 !!!
    I have a question here, about “합니다”.

    when listening people’s pronunciation it sounds like “hamnida” but literally it is “hapnida”. So which one is better?

    And, another one is, is “좋은 아침합니다” is something correct to greet? thx in advance!! =D

  33. min 2 November 2011 at 11:44 pm #

    anyung haseyo :) …i really want to learn korean languages…so hope someone can teach me:)….anyung….

  34. ki 18 November 2011 at 2:58 am #

    An ngung ha se yo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    i am studying korean so please kindly give me some idea for learning easier

    you are welcome !!1

    daume bayo!!!

  35. jhorna.012 11 December 2011 at 12:27 pm #

    i am learning how to speak korean now because of my bestfriend who is korean. she’s so beautiful.

  36. darren 2 May 2012 at 1:18 pm #

    hello, i am a korean. han gueg e be wo se go ma wo, ge li go de man eun sa lam del yi han geug e be wot eu myen jo ket e!!!!

  37. darren 2 May 2012 at 1:20 pm #

    it means:hello, i am a korean.thanks for learning korean, and i want more people to learn korean!!!!

  38. darren 2 May 2012 at 1:24 pm #

    ne moo jol lye!!! an nyung hee ja/ju mu se yo!!! bee meel een de… nan won le a ee ya!!! 너무졸려!!! 안녕히 주무세요/잘자!!!비밀인데…난원래 아이야!!!

  39. Tricia 19 May 2012 at 12:08 am #

    How do you know how to construct Korean words… I’m a beginner and I’m wondering..

  40. kemer said 5 June 2012 at 7:59 pm #

    i am going to start how to write,read and every thing about korean.Because of i watch kbs world so i want to learn i wish i learn fast.

  41. kemer said 5 June 2012 at 8:05 pm #

    can any of you pepole tell me how is it to learn every thing about korean.send me please on kemersaid@hotmail.com the leters ,how to read them and write them. And if you can other things

  42. kemer said 5 June 2012 at 8:37 pm #

    can you send me how to write korean leters and read the letters.

  43. Hayleigh Hutchinson 6 June 2012 at 12:33 pm #

    Korea was great. I was stationed there for a little over a year, in the Army. Oh course, that happened, back in the late 1970′s. There were NO TV broadcast until like 6 pm, because how could you watch tv, when you should be either working, or taking care of the kids, preparing food, and the everyday grind. After work is over, then it’s relaxing time. The country has changed 500% NOW. with modernize is everything. Korea is not as advanced as Japan ( my favorite ), but trying.

  44. Linda 9 July 2012 at 5:40 pm #

    Great story you’ve shared! : )

  45. Queen 19 July 2012 at 8:16 pm #

    i love u lee min ho(gu jun pyo) so m learning koren…..

  46. joannah 7 September 2012 at 9:51 am #

    anyung haseyo
    je i remeun joannah imnida .
    je uneun uganda saram imnida.
    man na seup bap gap sumnida.
    i love korean.
    i really want to learn it.
    anyway.
    gamsamida!!!
    i dont know whether i said sense.

  47. lidya 2 October 2012 at 7:31 am #

    anihaseyo am lidya i love u korea i use to watch korean movies dat’s good
    i like it so much

  48. lidya 2 October 2012 at 7:32 am #

    am from eritrea

  49. Jennifer Kezaabu 15 November 2012 at 12:43 pm #

    kamsa hamnida, daume bayo (thank you, see you next time)

  50. http://fiverr.com 24 November 2012 at 3:35 pm #

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