The standard way to say hello in Korean is 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo), the polite form you can use with almost anyone. With close friends, younger siblings or children, say 안녕 (annyeong). The formal 안녕하십니까 (annyeonghasimnikka) belongs to news presenters, speeches and workplaces where people speak very formally.
- Safe default
- 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo)
- Casual
- 안녕 (annyeong)
- Formal
- 안녕하십니까 (annyeonghasimnikka)
- On the phone
- 여보세요 (yeoboseyo)
- Level
- A1
Which Korean hello should you use?
Korean grammar has several speech levels, and greetings follow them. The polite level, 해요체 (haeyoche), is what most learners need day to day. The very formal 합쇼체 (hapsyoche) and the casual 반말 (banmal) sit either side of it.
| Korean | Romanization | Speech level | Who you say it to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 안녕하세요 | annyeonghaseyo | Polite (해요체) | Shop staff, neighbours, teachers, people you have just met |
| 안녕하십니까 | annyeonghasimnikka | Formal (합쇼체) | Presentations, broadcasts, very formal offices, the armed forces |
| 안녕 | annyeong | Casual (반말) | Close friends of your age, children, younger family |
| 여보세요 | yeoboseyo | Polite | Only when answering or starting a phone call |
| 어서 오세요 | eoseo oseyo | Polite | What staff say as you walk into a shop or restaurant: welcome |
The root word 안녕 (annyeong) means peace or well-being, so 안녕하세요 is literally asking whether the other person is well. It is a greeting, not a real question, and nobody expects a report on your health. Because it carries no time of day, it works morning, afternoon and evening.
How do Koreans reply to annyeonghaseyo?
Simply say it back, usually with a small nod or bow of the head. Adding 네 (ne, yes) in front is a friendly way to acknowledge the greeting. Friends often skip the formula and go straight to a question about how you have been.
네, 안녕하세요.
Ne, annyeonghaseyo.
Hello (in reply).
네 here works like a warm "oh, hi".
잘 지냈어요?
Jal jinaesseoyo?
How have you been?
Polite. Casually: 잘 지냈어? (jal jinaesseo?)
오랜만이에요.
Oraenmanieyo.
Long time no see.
밥 먹었어?
Bap meogeosseo?
Have you eaten?
A casual check-in between friends and family, often used much like hello.
What mistakes do learners make with hello?
The commonest slip is saying 안녕 to someone older or to a stranger. It is fine between friends but sounds over-familiar to a shopkeeper or your friend's parents. When in doubt, stay with 안녕하세요.
Two smaller points. First, 안녕 is also goodbye in casual speech, so context decides which one is meant (see how to say goodbye in Korean). Second, Korean has no everyday word for good morning in the English sense: 좋은 아침 (joeun achim) exists and is friendly, but 안녕하세요 is the normal greeting at any hour.
In writing you will often see 안녕하세요 with a question mark, because grammatically it is a question. Here it is in one of the Contos stories, as a young bookshop owner visits her elderly neighbour:
안녕하세요, 할머니.Annyeonghaseyo, halmeoni.
할머니 (halmeoni) means grandmother, but Koreans also use it politely for any elderly woman, as here.
Read A1 Korean stories where every 안녕하세요 is one tap away from its translation.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce annyeonghaseyo?
Roughly "ahn-nyoung-ha-say-yo", with the stress spread evenly. In quick speech the h in 하 is often soft, so it can sound close to "ahn-nyoung-a-say-yo".
Is annyeong rude?
Not between friends, where it is normal. Said to a stranger, a teacher or anyone older, it sounds too casual. Use 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo) with them.
How do you say hello on the phone in Korean?
Say 여보세요 (yeoboseyo). It is only used on the phone, both to answer and to check the other person can still hear you.
Do you bow when you say annyeonghaseyo?
A small bow or nod of the head is usual, deeper for someone much older or senior. Between friends a wave or a smile is enough.
Does annyeonghaseyo mean good morning?
It covers good morning, good afternoon and good evening, since it does not refer to the time of day. That makes it the safest greeting to learn first.