👋 Basic Korean Greetings You Must Know
👋 Basic Korean Greetings You Must Know: Speak naturally from day one
Master 10 high-impact greetings you’ll use every day—in class, at cafés, and when meeting Koreans.
By the end, you’ll know when to use casual vs. polite “hello,” how to say goodbye, and what to add for respect. Short, practical, travel-safe.
이 글에서는 일상에서 바로 쓰는 인사말 10가지를 발음과 함께 익히고, 상황별 높임 표현을 간단히 정리합니다.
📑 Table of Contents
🎯 Learning Goals
- Choose the right greeting by situation (casual vs. polite vs. honorific).
- Pronounce greetings clearly with simple Romanization support.
- Use add-ons like “long time no see,” “nice to meet you,” and “take care.”
🧩 Core Content
Flow overview: Start with polite default → add respect if needed → switch to casual only with close friends/similar age.
핵심 팁: 처음 만날 때는 기본적으로 안녕하세요를 사용하고, 상대가 윗사람이면 안녕하십니까로 높여 주세요.
🗣️ Essential Phrases (Top 10)
| Korean | RR | English |
|---|---|---|
| 안녕하세요. | annyeonghaseyo | Hello (polite) |
| 안녕하십니까? | annyeonghasimnikka | Hello (formal/honorific) |
| 안녕! | annyeong | Hi/Bye (casual; friends) |
| 처음 뵙겠습니다. | cheoeum boepgetsseumnida | Nice to meet you (formal) |
| 반가워요. | bangawoyo | Nice to meet you (polite) |
| 오랜만이에요. | oraenman-ieyo | Long time no see |
| 잘 지냈어요? | jal jinaesseoyo | How have you been? |
| 안녕히 계세요. | annyeonghi gyeseyo | Goodbye (you leave) |
| 안녕히 가세요. | annyeonghi gaseyo | Goodbye (they leave) |
| 건강하세요. | geon-ganghaseyo | Please stay healthy / Take care |
💬 Dialogue & Quick Quiz
Scene: First meeting at a language meetup.
🧍♀️ A: 안녕하세요. 처음 뵙겠습니다.
🧑✈️ B: 안녕하세요. 반가워요. 어디에서 오셨어요?
🧍♀️ A: 저는 미국에서 왔어요.
EN: A greets politely, B responds politely and asks a friendly question.
📝 Quick Quiz (open)
- Translate: “오랜만이에요.” → ________.
- Fill in: Leaving first → “안녕히 ___세요.”
Answers: Long time no see.; 가
❌ Common Mistakes
- Using ‘안녕!’ with strangers/elders → Fix: say 안녕하세요 or 안녕하십니까.
- Mixing goodbye forms → Fix: If you leave: 안녕히 계세요; if they leave: 안녕히 가세요.
- Too many bows or none at all → Fix: Small nod + smile is enough in casual settings.
❓ FAQ
“안녕하세요” vs. “안녕하십니까” — which should I use?
Use 안녕하세요 as the polite default. In formal contexts (presentations, service desks, elders), 안녕하십니까 is safest. 일상에서는 “안녕하세요”가 기본, 격식 상황에서는 “안녕하십니까”를 쓰세요.
Do I need to bow every time?
A slight nod is fine with friends; a small bow is respectful for elders/staff. 친한 사이는 고개만 끄덕, 윗사람/직원에게는 가볍게 인사하세요.
🌏 Did You Know?
- Korean greetings often pair with a short bow. See visitor etiquette tips on the official VisitKorea site.
- Honorifics shape tone beyond greetings—learn more via KOREA.net.
⚠️ Rules can vary by context—observe how people around you greet and mirror politely.
🎓 italki Lesson
Want live practice & instant feedback? Book a 1:1 session and role-play first meetings today.
