🙋 How to Introduce Yourself in Korean: Step-by-Step Guide
👋 Nail Your Korean Self-Introduction (Name · Country · Job)
First impression matters. In 5 tiny steps, you’ll say hello, your name, where you’re from, what you do—and close politely, all in natural Korean.
처음 만남에서 꼭 쓰는 자기소개를 5단계로 간단히 정리했어요. (한글+RR, 예문+퀵퀴즈 포함)
📑 Table of Contents (open/close)
🎯 Learning Goals
- Use 안녕하세요 safely in all first-meeting contexts.
- Introduce name · country · job with correct endings (입니다 / 예요·이에요).
- Understand speech levels (formal -습니다 / polite -요 / casual) for real-life fit.
👋 Step 1 — Say Hello
- 안녕하세요. annyeong-haseyo → Hello (polite; default for first meetings)
- 안녕. annyeong → Hi (casual; friends/younger)
처음엔 안녕하세요가 가장 안전해요.
🧑💼 Step 2 — Your Name
Patterns
- 저는 [name]입니다. jeo-neun [name]-imnida — formal
- 제 이름은 [name]이에요/예요. je i-reum-eun [name]-i-e-yo/ye-yo — polite
Examples
- 저는 마이크입니다. jeo-neun Mike-im-ni-da
- 제 이름은 수지예요. je i-reum-eun Su-ji-ye-yo
Tip: consonant ending → 이에요, vowel ending → 예요. Formal setting? use 입니다.
🌍 Step 3 — Where You’re From
저는 [country]에서 왔어요. jeo-neun [country]-e-seo wa-sseo-yo
- 저는 미국에서 왔어요. … mi-guk-e-seo …
- 저는 캐나다에서 왔어요. … kae-na-da-e-seo …
👨🎓 Step 4 — What You Do
저는 [job/student]이에요/예요. jeo-neun [job]-i-e-yo/ye-yo
- 저는 학생이에요. … hak-saeng-i-e-yo
- 저는 엔지니어예요. … en-ji-ni-eo-ye-yo
저는 한국어를 공부해요. jeo-neun han-gu-geo-reul gong-bu-hae-yo — I study Korean.
🗣️ Step 5 — Close Politely
- 반갑습니다. ban-gap-seum-ni-da — formal
- 만나서 반가워요. man-na-seo ban-ga-wo-yo — polite
마무리 인사와 함께 가볍게 고개 숙여 인사해요.
🏷️ Speech Levels: 존댓말 vs 반말 (Why It Matters)
Three everyday levels you’ll meet
- Formal (-습니다/-ㅂ니다): presentations, announcements, customer service.
o-neul hoe-ui si-jak-ha-ge-sseum-ni-da. → 오늘 회의 시작하겠습니다. - Polite (-요): default with strangers, older people, colleagues you don’t know well.
o-neul hoe-ui si-jak-hae-yo. → 오늘 회의 시작해요. - Casual (반말): close friends/family, younger people, agreed peers.
o-neul hoe-ui si-jak-hae. → 오늘 회의 시작해.
How to switch safely
- Start polite—always. Even if the person looks young, begin with -요.
- Mirror politely. If the other person keeps -요, you keep -요. Maintain the same level.
- Wait for an invitation. Use casual only after the other person suggests it (e.g., “말 놓으셔도 돼요” / “편하게 하세요”) or when you’ve clearly become close.
When you are invited, respond politely
- “그럼 편하게 말 놓을게요. 감사합니다.” (Then I’ll speak casually. Thank you.)
- Or stay polite if unsure: “괜찮다면 존댓말로 계속 할게요.”
Why it’s culturally important
- Respect & hierarchy. Korean is shaped by age/role (선배·후배, 직급). Right level = respect.
- Social distance. Speech level signals closeness. Casual too soon can feel rude.
- Titles matter. Use names + 씨, or titles + 님 (선생님, 사장님). It shows care for the relationship.
요약: 겉보기 나이와 무관하게 항상 존댓말로 시작하고, 상대의 제안이 있거나 서로 가까워졌을 때만 자연스럽게 반말로 전환하세요.
🧩 Sample Full Introduction (Hangul · RR · EN)
| Korean | RR | English |
|---|---|---|
| 안녕하세요. | annyeong-ha-se-yo | Hello. |
| 저는 사라예요. | jeo-neun Sa-ra-ye-yo | I’m Sarah. |
| 미국에서 왔어요. | mi-guk-e-seo wa-sseo-yo | I’m from the U.S. |
| 저는 대학생이에요. | jeo-neun dae-hak-saeng-i-e-yo | I’m a college student. |
| 한국어를 공부해요. | han-gu-geo-reul gong-bu-hae-yo | I study Korean. |
| 만나서 반가워요! | man-na-seo ban-ga-wo-yo | Nice to meet you! |
❌ Common Mistakes
- Using 안녕 with strangers. Default to 안녕하세요 for first meetings. 처음엔 공손하게.
- Mixing endings. Don’t combine 입니다 with casual lines in one intro. 격식 톤 유지.
- Wrong 예요/이에요. Vowel→예요, consonant→이에요. 받침 확인.
- Skipping particles in tests. 한국어를 공부해요. 말하기에선 생략 가능해도 시험/글쓰기는 표기.
- Casual too soon. Wait until invited or clearly close. 상대 제안 전엔 존댓말.
👩🏫 Teacher’s Tips
- Record a 20–30s intro. Repeat daily with a smile; posture helps clear diction. 짧게·자주.
- Swap one detail at a time. Change country/job to build flexibility. 변형 연습.
- Shadow real interviews. Mimic idols’ self-intros to copy rhythm. 억양/리듬.
📝 Quick Quiz
- Fill in: 저는 태국__ 왔어요. → 에서
- Pick the polite ending for vowel-ending name: 제 이름은 리사__ . → 예요
- What level if the person looks young but you’re not sure? → -요 (polite)
- How to respond when invited to use casual? → 그럼 편하게 말 놓을게요. 감사합니다.
Tiny habit: Post your 2-line intro in the comments today.
📘 More Posts You’ll Find Helpful!
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Tags : Introduce yourself in Korean, Beginner Korean, TOPIK 1, TOPIK 2, Korean greetings, Korean phrases, Korean for travel, Formal vs polite Korean, Korean pronunciation
