You walk into a Seoul café, meet a new classmate, or leave the office before your colleagues. What should you say? Korean greetings depend on your relationship with the other person and, sometimes, on who is leaving.
You do not need dozens of phrases to get started. A polite hello, a thank-you, and the right goodbye will cover plenty of everyday encounters. This guide shows you how to use them naturally while travelling, studying, or living in Korea.
Romanization is a pronunciation aid, not an exact guide to Korean sounds. Use it to get started, but practise reading the Hangul alongside it and listening to the expressions.
1. Start with 안녕하세요: Your Everyday Hello
안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo) means “Hello” or “Hi.” It is a polite greeting for shop staff, teachers, neighbours, colleagues, and people you are meeting for the first time. If you learn only one Korean greeting today, choose this one.
Entering a café
You: 안녕하세요.
Barista: 안녕하세요.
“Hello.” / “Hello.”
A small nod can accompany your greeting. You do not need a deep bow every time you enter a shop; a friendly voice and a slight dip of the head are enough.
안녕 (annyeong) means both “Hi” and “Bye,” but it is casual speech. Use it with close friends when you already speak casually together, or with young children. Someone looking your age does not automatically make it appropriate.
Meeting a close friend
You: 안녕!
Friend: 안녕!
“Hi!” / “Hey!”
안녕하십니까 (annyeonghasimnikka) is a more formal “Hello.” You may hear it in official introductions, presentations, or formal business settings. For an ordinary café visit or shopping trip, 안녕하세요 is already polite.
When meeting someone new, add 만나서 반가워요 (mannaseo bangawoyo)—“Nice to meet you.” The more formal version, 만나서 반갑습니다 (mannaseo bangapseumnida), suits professional introductions and formal meetings.
Meeting someone in class
A: 안녕하세요. 만나서 반가워요.
B: 만나서 반가워요.
“Hello. Nice to meet you.” / “Nice to meet you, too.”
For pronunciation, try learning 안녕하세요 as one flowing phrase. English spellings cannot fully represent its sounds, so listening and repeating will help more than sounding out each Roman letter.
2. Morning Greetings and Seeing Someone Again
Korean does not require a different everyday hello for morning, afternoon, and evening. 안녕하세요 works throughout the day. That makes it especially useful when you are still building confidence.
좋은 아침이에요 (joeun achimieyo) means “Good morning.” People do use it, especially as a cheerful greeting among familiar colleagues or friends. However, it is not a compulsory replacement for 안녕하세요 before lunchtime.
Arriving at the office
A: 좋은 아침이에요!
B: 안녕하세요!
“Good morning!” / “Morning!”
잘 지냈어요? (jal jinaesseoyo?) means “How have you been?” Use it with someone you already know after some time apart. It is not a first-meeting greeting or something you need to say after every hello.
Seeing a classmate after a break
A: 잘 지냈어요?
B: 네, 잘 지냈어요.
“How have you been?” / “I’ve been well.”
오랜만이에요 (oraenmanieyo) means “It’s been a while” or “Long time no see.” It pairs naturally with 잘 지냈어요 when you run into an old neighbour, friend, or colleague.
Meeting someone you have not seen recently
A: 오랜만이에요! 잘 지냈어요?
B: 네, 잘 지냈어요.
“It’s been a while! How have you been?” / “I’ve been well.”
3. Choose Your Goodbye by Who Is Leaving
안녕히 가세요 (annyeonghi gaseyo) is a polite “Goodbye” said to someone who is leaving. 안녕히 계세요 (annyeonghi gyeseyo) is what you say when you leave and the other person stays.
This distinction is useful in shops and restaurants. As the departing customer, you can say 안녕히 계세요. The staff member can reply with 안녕히 가세요.
Leaving a shop
Customer: 안녕히 계세요.
Staff member: 안녕히 가세요.
“Goodbye.” / “Goodbye.”
If both people are leaving, you can both say 안녕히 가세요. Another useful option is 조심히 가세요 (josimhi gaseyo)—“Take care on your way” or “Get home safely.”
Heading home after class
A: 조심히 가세요.
B: 안녕히 가세요.
“Get home safely.” / “Goodbye.”
다음에 봐요 (daeume bwayo) means “See you next time.” Use it with someone you expect to see again, such as a classmate or someone from a regular meetup.
Finishing a meetup
A: 다음에 봐요!
B: 네, 다음에 봐요!
“See you next time!” / “Yes, see you!”
Bedtime greetings are different. 안녕히 주무세요 (annyeonghi jumuseyo) means “Good night” or “Sleep well,” said respectfully to someone such as a parent or older relative. For example, say 안녕히 주무세요 to your grandmother before bed; it is not a general late-night goodbye to restaurant staff.
With a close friend or child, use the casual 잘 자 (jal ja)—“Sleep well.” A short bedtime message to a close friend could simply be: 잘 자!
4. Keep It Polite at Work and School
안녕하세요 is a dependable greeting at work and school, too. Start politely with teachers, new colleagues, and unfamiliar classmates. Becoming friendly does not automatically mean you have agreed to use casual speech.
The everyday polite style in 안녕하세요 and 만나서 반가워요 is called 해요체. The more formal style in 안녕하십니까 and 만나서 반갑습니다 is 하십시오체. 안녕 and 잘 자 are examples of 반말, or casual speech.
잘 부탁드립니다 (jal butakdeurimnida) is useful when joining a team or introducing yourself in a new working relationship. Depending on the situation, a natural English equivalent is “I look forward to working with you.” It expresses goodwill and a wish for cooperation, rather than serving as a universal hello.
Joining a new team
You: 안녕하세요. 잘 부탁드립니다.
“Hello. I look forward to working with you.”
You may hear 수고하셨습니다 (sugohasyeotseumnida) after work or a shared task. It means something like “Thanks for your hard work” or “Good work today.” It is common among coworkers, but some people find it awkward when directed upwards because it can sound like an assessment of their effort.
Follow the habits of your workplace, especially with senior colleagues. As a beginner, you can simply announce your departure with 먼저 가보겠습니다 (meonjeo gabogetseumnida)—“I’ll head off first.”
Leaving while colleagues remain
You: 먼저 가보겠습니다.
Colleague: 조심히 가세요.
“I’ll head off first.” / “Get home safely.”
5. Add Thanks in Restaurants, Cafés, and Shops
In everyday service encounters, pair your greeting with 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida)—“Thank you.” Although it uses a formal polite ending, it is completely normal in daily life. For example, say 감사합니다 when a barista hands you your drink.
Staff may greet you with 어서 오세요 (eoseo oseyo)—“Welcome.” This welcomes someone into a place, so you do not need to repeat it back. Answer with 안녕하세요 instead.
Entering a shop
Staff member: 어서 오세요.
You: 안녕하세요.
“Welcome.” / “Hello.”
잘 먹겠습니다 (jal meokgetseumnida) is said before eating. “Thank you for the meal” often captures its social meaning, especially when someone has prepared or provided the food. It can also mark the start of a shared meal; you do not have to announce it to restaurant staff whenever you eat alone.
Starting a meal prepared by your host
You: 잘 먹겠습니다.
“Thank you for the meal.”
After eating, 잘 먹었습니다 (jal meogeotseumnida) means “Thank you for the meal” or “I enjoyed the meal.” You can use it to thank a host or acknowledge a good meal at a restaurant.
Paying after lunch
You: 잘 먹었습니다. 감사합니다.
“I enjoyed the meal. Thank you.”
맛있게 드세요 (masitge deuseyo) means “Enjoy your meal.” Say it to someone else who is about to eat. Unlike 잘 먹겠습니다, it is not an announcement that you are starting your own meal.
Receiving your food
Server: 맛있게 드세요.
You: 감사합니다.
“Enjoy your meal.” / “Thank you.”
Quick Practice
- You are leaving a café, and the barista is staying inside. Which goodbye should you use?
- You meet your teacher for the first time. Should you say 안녕 or 안녕하세요?
- Your friend’s family has prepared dinner. What can you say before you start eating?
Answers
- 안녕히 계세요. You are leaving, and the other person is staying.
- 안녕하세요. A polite greeting suits a teacher you are meeting for the first time.
- 잘 먹겠습니다. It acknowledges the meal before you begin and can express appreciation.
Try Your First Greeting Today
Start with 안녕하세요, add 감사합니다 when someone helps you, and choose your goodbye according to who is leaving. Keep casual greetings for relationships where casual speech is already comfortable.
Now picture yourself entering a café and say 안녕하세요 aloud. Imagine collecting your drink, saying 감사합니다, and leaving with 안녕히 계세요. That is a useful first conversation you can practise today.
