How to Greet in Korean
Learning how to greet someone in Korean is a great stepping stone on your path to fluency. It gives you the chance to spark a conversation, show your respect, and enhance your experience whenever you’re around native Korean speakers. Luckily, if you’ve ever wanted to know how to greet elders in Korean or how to casually say hi to your friend, you’ve come to the right place. Here, we’ll give you everything you need to know when greeting in Korean, starting with a crash course in Korean formality.
Understanding the Different Levels of Formality for Greetings in Korean
Although many languages have different ways to say something in formal and informal settings, Korean actually has seven different levels of formality! This means seven different ways to say hello, each based on who you’re talking to, their level of status, and the situation at hand. But don’t worry. You won’t have to memorize them all. Most of the levels of formality are outdated, and today, three primary ones are used—casual (or informal), standard (or polite), and formal (or honorific).
What is Casual/Informal Korean Speech?
Casual or informal Korean is used when talking to anyone younger than you, anyone with a lower level of seniority, and amongst friends and family.
What is Standard/Polite Korean Speech?
Standard or polite Korean is used when talking to acquaintances or in neutral social standings/age situations.
What is Formal/Honorific Korean Speech?
Formal or honorific Korean is used when talking to people you don’t know well, when introducing yourself, and with anyone older or with a higher level of seniority.
8 Casual, Polite, and Formal Korean Greetings
How to greet someone in Korean depends on the formality, but learning them all will allow you to adapt to whatever situation you’re in. That’s why we’ve put together 10 of the most common greetings in Korean and broken them into their informal, standard, and formal counterparts. If you want even more practice before applying your skills, download Tandem today and practice your greetings in Korean with a native speaker. Until then, let’s check out some greetings in Korean formal, polite, and casual formalities.
1. “Hello” Greetings in Korean
Casual ‘hello’
To casually greet a close friend or someone who is significantly younger than you, you can say 안녕 (annyeong). This is kind of like saying ‘hi’ instead of ‘hello.’ Don’t use this form with someone older or with more authority than you.
Polite ‘hello’
A more standard way to say ‘hello’ is 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo). This is technically the most common way to greet in Korean and can be used in almost any situation.
Formal ‘hello’
If you’re wondering how to greet elders in Korean, stick with the formal method of 안녕하십니까 (annyeonghasimnikka). This is also used in situations where you first meet someone and want to show a certain degree of respect. For example, if you meet your significant other’s parents for the first time, it’s best to stick to formal greetings in Korean.
2. “Nice to Meet You” Greetings in Korean
Casual ‘nice to meet you’
Since you wouldn’t casually say nice to meet you to your friends, this form is primarily used when older individuals meet children. The greeting in Korean is 만나서 반가워 (mannaseo bangawo).
Polite ‘nice to meet you’
The more common way to say nice to meet you in Korean is 만나서 반가워요 (mannaseo bangawoyo). While it’s still considered polite, it should only be used if you’re meeting someone who is around the same age as you or holds the same social standing.
Formal ‘nice to meet you’
To stay on the safe side with your Korean greetings, formal phrases should be used. To say nice to meet you, this would be 만나서 반갑습니다 (mannaseo bangapseumnida).
3. “Good Morning” Greetings in Korean
Casual ‘good morning’
When you’re saying good morning to close friends, you can say 은 아침 (joeun achim). You can also ask them if they slept well, which is often used interchangeably with a good morning. In a casual setting, this would be 잘 잤어? (jal jasseo)
Polite ‘good morning’
For a more polite way of saying good morning in Korean, you’d want to use 좋은아침이에요 (joeunachimieyo). Typically speaking, this is the most common or standard way you’d say good morning and can be used in almost all situations—except when formality is required. Alternatively, you can ask someone if they slept well with the phrase 잘 잤어요? (jal jasseoyo?).
Formal ‘good morning’
Finally, when you’re in formal situations, you’ll want to say 잘 주무셨어요? (jal jumusyeosseoyo). If you want to ask someone if they slept well, you’d say 안녕히 주무셨어요? (annyeonghi jumusyeosseoyo?).
4. “Have a Nice Day” Greetings in Korean
Casual ‘have a nice day’
If you want to casually tell your close friend or family member to have a nice day, the Korean greeting would be 좋은 하루 보내 (joeun haru bonae). If you’re in school, this is also an appropriate form to use amongst your classmates.
Polite ‘have a nice day’
The more standard way to tell someone to have a nice day is to use the Korean greeting 좋은 하루 보내세요 (joeun haru bonaeseyo). This can be used in almost all situations, except for a few which require a more formal approach.
Formal ‘have a nice day’
The most formal way to tell someone to have a nice day is to say 좋은 하루 보내십시오 (joeun haru bonaesipsio).
5. “Long Time No See” Greetings in Korean
Casual ‘long time no see’
The most casual way to say, long time no see in Korean is 오랜만이야 (oraenmaniya). This is often used with Koreans who are younger than you or amongst your closest friends.
Polite ‘long time no see’
The standard way to say this is to use 오랜만이에요 (oraenmanieyo). There’s really no ‘formal’ way to say this phrase, so if you’re in a situation that demands a bit more respect, stick to one of the other formal greetings in Korean.
6. “How Are You?” Greetings in Korean
Casual ‘how are you?’
When you’re talking to close friends or family members, you can ask them how they are by saying 잘 지냈어? (jal jinaesseo?).
Polite ‘how are you?’
The most common way to ask someone how they are is to say 잘 지냈어요? (jal jinaesseoyo?). If you’re looking for a little bit more detail in their response, you can change the greeting to 어떻게 지냈어요? (eotteoke jinaesseoyo?).
Formal ‘how are you?’
For the most formal settings, stick to 잘 지내셨어요? (jal jinaesyeosseoyo?) or 어떻게 지내셨어요? (eotteoke jinaesyeosseoyo).
7. “What’s Up?” Greetings in Korean
Casual ‘what’s up?’
There’s really only one form of ‘what’s up?’ in Korean: the casual form. It’s an informal Korean greeting that shouldn’t be used outside your close circle of friends or certain family members. However, when it’s appropriate, you can say 무슨 일이야? (museun ir-iya?).
8. “Welcome” Greetings in Korean
Casual ‘welcome’
Welcoming someone in Korean greetings is used when you have company or possibly when you’re greeting someone who just entered the country. In casual settings, amongst good friends, you can say 어서 와 (eoseo wa).
Polite ‘welcome’
A more standard way to welcome someone with Korean greetings is by saying 어서 오세요 (eoseo oseyo).
Formal ‘welcome’
The most formal way to welcome someone is to say 어서 오십시오 (eoseo osipsio). This is often used when individuals arrive at a job interview or in business settings when dealing with people of superior standing.
Although this list is a great place to start, it’s just the beginning. Check out our article on how to learn basic Korean phrases for even more!
How to Greet in Korean with a Bow
Another option for greetings in Korean formal situations is using a bow. Typically speaking, the lower you bow, the more respect you show the receiving party. Of course, there are also different variations in when to bow, how you bow, and how low to bow in each situation.
Casual bows can be used to greet friends or those of similar social standing. However, they’re also used in situations that don’t allow for deeper bows—such as when you’re in crowded areas. A respectful bow is the most commonly used type and requires a 30 to 45-degree angle. A 90-degree bow is used as a form of respect but can also show obedience or service to another. Finally, big bows—when you’re literally squatting close to the ground—are used on special occasions. Most commonly, these are reserved for weddings or funerals, some holidays, and when someone wants to show extreme gratitude or remorse.
Learning how to greet someone in Korean is an exciting venture, but it definitely takes a little practice. Unfortunately, depending on where you live, it might be a little difficult to find a native Korean speaker who’s willing to spend time practicing with you. Luckily, there’s an app for that! Tandem offers a unique language learning experience that will help you deepen your understanding and improve your Korean greetings while learning how and when to use them in everyday life. All you need to do is download the app, sign up, and find a native speaker of your target language. Once you match, you’ll begin communicating through language exchange and one-on-one teaching. To join our worldwide community, sign up for Tandem today.
