Korean GreetingsHello, thank you, goodbye & more — free list
안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo) is the all-purpose "hello" in Korean — polite and safe in almost any situation. This free list covers the essential greetings: hello, thank you, sorry, goodbye and more, each with romanization and a note on when to use it.
| Korean | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 안녕하세요 | annyeonghaseyo | hello (polite) |
| 안녕 | annyeong | hi / bye (casual) |
| 안녕히 가세요 | annyeonghi gaseyo | goodbye (to one leaving) |
| 안녕히 계세요 | annyeonghi gyeseyo | goodbye (to one staying) |
| 감사합니다 | gamsahamnida | thank you (formal) |
| 고맙습니다 | gomapseumnida | thank you |
| 죄송합니다 | joesonghamnida | I am sorry (formal) |
| 미안해요 | mianhaeyo | sorry |
| 실례합니다 | sillyehamnida | excuse me |
| 만나서 반갑습니다 | mannaseo bangapseumnida | nice to meet you |
| 오랜만이에요 | oraenmanieyo | long time no see |
| 어서 오세요 | eoseo oseyo | welcome (come in) |
| 잘 자요 | jal jayo | good night |
| 잘 먹겠습니다 | jal meokgesseumnida | (said before eating) |
| 잘 먹었습니다 | jal meogeosseumnida | (said after eating) |
| 축하합니다 | chukahamnida | congratulations |
| 여보세요 | yeoboseyo | hello (on the phone) |
💡 Good to know
Goodbye has two forms: 안녕히 가세요 (to the person leaving) and 안녕히 계세요 (to the person staying). With friends, 안녕 works for both hello and bye. Add formality with 습니다 endings (감사합니다) in formal settings.
FAQ
- How do you say hello in Korean?
- 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo) is the standard polite "hello", usable almost anywhere. With close friends you can shorten it to 안녕 (annyeong).
- How do you say thank you in Korean?
- 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) and 고맙습니다 (gomapseumnida) both mean "thank you"; 감사합니다 sounds slightly more formal. A casual version is 고마워요.
- Why are there two ways to say goodbye in Korean?
- Because it depends on who is leaving: say 안녕히 가세요 to someone who is leaving, and 안녕히 계세요 to someone who is staying.
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Written by Alvin Lim Certified Korean Language Teacher (Level 2)