Korean Greetings and Basic Phrases

The 45 phrases below are the ones visitors to Korea actually use in the first few days: hello, goodbye, thank you, sorry, and what to say at the table. Each comes with the Hangul, a romanization, the English meaning and a note on when it fits. Press Listen to hear it at natural speed, or Slowly to catch each syllable.

One thing to know first: Korean changes the ending of a phrase to match how polite you are being. Endings in -습니다 are formal, endings in -요 are polite and friendly, and phrases with no ending at all are for close friends. As a visitor, the -요 or -습니다 form is always safe.

Everyday Korean by situation

Voice:

Hello and goodbye

Korean has one everyday "hello" but two "goodbyes": which one you say depends on who is leaving and who is staying.

  • 안녕하세요

    annyeonghaseyo

    Hello

    The safe default with anyone, at any time of day. A small nod goes with it.

  • 안녕

    annyeong

    Hi / Bye (casual)

    Only with close friends, younger people and children. It works for both hello and goodbye.

  • 안녕히 가세요

    annyeonghi gaseyo

    Goodbye (to someone leaving)

    Literally "go in peace". Said by the person who stays, such as a shop clerk to a customer.

  • 안녕히 계세요

    annyeonghi gyeseyo

    Goodbye (when you are the one leaving)

    Literally "stay in peace". Said by the customer walking out of the shop.

  • 또 만나요

    tto mannayo

    See you again

  • 좋은 하루 되세요

    joeun haru doeseyo

    Have a nice day

  • 안녕히 주무세요

    annyeonghi jumuseyo

    Good night (polite)

    To parents, hosts or anyone older. 주무시다 is the honorific verb for "sleep".

  • 잘 자

    jal ja

    Good night (casual)

Meeting someone

First meetings are where politeness matters most. These are the lines you will hear when someone introduces themselves.

  • 만나서 반가워요

    mannaseo bangawoyo

    Nice to meet you

  • 반갑습니다

    bangapseumnida

    Nice to meet you (formal)

    The -습니다 ending sounds more formal; common at work or when meeting an older person.

  • 처음 뵙겠습니다

    cheoeum boepgetseumnida

    How do you do? (first meeting)

    Very polite, used once at the very first meeting, for example with a partner's parents.

  • 이름이 뭐예요?

    ireumi mwoyeyo?

    What is your name?

  • 제 이름은 지우예요

    je ireumeun jiuyeyo

    My name is Jiwoo

    Swap in your own name. After a name ending in a consonant, use 이에요: 제 이름은 아린이에요.

  • 잘 부탁드립니다

    jal butakdeurimnida

    I look forward to working with you

    No neat English match; roughly "please treat me well". Said when joining a class, team or project.

  • 잘 지냈어요?

    jal jinaesseoyo?

    How have you been?

  • 잘 지내요

    jal jinaeyo

    I'm doing well

  • 오랜만이에요

    oraenmanieyo

    Long time no see

Thank you, sorry, yes and no

Each of these comes in a more formal and a softer form. Visitors are rarely judged for using the formal one.

  • 감사합니다

    gamsahamnida

    Thank you (formal)

    The one to use in shops, restaurants and taxis.

  • 고마워요

    gomawoyo

    Thank you (friendly)

  • 고마워

    gomawo

    Thanks (casual)

  • 천만에요

    cheonmaneyo

    You're welcome

    Correct but a little bookish; in daily life people often just say 아니에요 or smile.

  • 죄송합니다

    joesonghamnida

    I'm sorry (formal)

  • 미안해요

    mianhaeyo

    I'm sorry

  • 괜찮아요

    gwaenchanayo

    It's okay / I'm fine

    Also a polite "no thanks" when someone offers you something.

  • 네

    ne

    Yes

    Also means "I see" or "go on" while someone is talking.

  • 아니요

    aniyo

    No

  • 실례합니다

    sillyehamnida

    Excuse me

    To get past someone or before asking a stranger a question.

  • 잠시만요

    jamsimanyo

    Just a moment, please

    Also what people say on a crowded subway to get through.

Love and feelings

The phrases K-drama fans already half-know. Hearing them slowly makes the vowels much clearer.

  • 사랑해요

    saranghaeyo

    I love you

  • 사랑해

    saranghae

    I love you (casual)

    Between partners, close friends and family. Dropping -요 is what makes it intimate.

  • 보고 싶어요

    bogo sipeoyo

    I miss you

    Literally "I want to see you".

  • 행복하세요

    haengbokhaseyo

    Be happy

    A warm closing line in letters, cards and goodbyes.

  • 한국 좋아요

    hanguk joayo

    I like Korea

Wishes and celebrations

Birthdays, New Year and the small "you can do it" lines Koreans use all the time.

  • 생일 축하해요

    saengil chukahaeyo

    Happy birthday

  • 축하해요

    chukahaeyo

    Congratulations

  • 새해 복 많이 받으세요

    saehae bok mani badeuseyo

    Happy New Year

    Literally "receive many blessings in the new year". Said for both 1 January and Lunar New Year (Seollal).

  • 힘내세요

    himnaeseyo

    Cheer up / Hang in there

  • 화이팅!

    hwaiting!

    You can do it!

    From English "fighting", used as "go for it". The standard spelling is 파이팅, but 화이팅 is what most people write and say.

  • 수고하세요

    sugohaseyo

    Keep up the good work

    Said to staff when leaving a shop or office. Not used toward someone senior.

At the table and around town

Useful the moment you sit down to eat or walk into a shop.

  • 잘 먹겠습니다

    jal meokgetseumnida

    Thank you for the meal (before eating)

    Said to whoever cooked or is paying, just before the first bite.

  • 잘 먹었습니다

    jal meogeosseumnida

    Thank you for the meal (after eating)

  • 맛있어요

    masisseoyo

    It's delicious

  • 얼마예요?

    eolmayeyo?

    How much is it?

  • 한국어 잘 못해요

    hangugeo jal mot haeyo

    I don't speak Korean well

  • 천천히 말씀해 주세요

    cheoncheonhi malsseumhae juseyo

    Please speak slowly

About the romanization and audio

The romanization follows the official Revised Romanization of Korean, which shows the spelling rather than every sound change. That is why 감사합니다 is written gamsahamnida, while the 합 is actually said closer to ham. Our guide to Korean pronunciation explains these changes using names as examples.

The recordings are synthesized voices (Naeun and Jinhee) speaking standard Seoul Korean, each recorded once at natural speed and once slowly. Pick a voice at the top of the page; your choice applies to every phrase.

Want to hear your own Korean name? Browse the Korean name dictionary, or create a Korean name of your own.