The most natural way to ask how are you in Korean is 잘 지내요? (jal jinaeyo?), "are you doing well?", or, to someone you haven't seen for a while, 잘 지냈어요? (jal jinaesseoyo?), "have you been well?". With friends, drop the 요. 요즘 어떻게 지내세요? (yojeum eotteoke jinaeseyo?) is a politer, fuller "how are you getting on?"
- Most natural
- 잘 지냈어요? (jal jinaesseoyo?)
- Present tense
- 잘 지내요? (jal jinaeyo?)
- Respectful
- 요즘 어떻게 지내세요? (yojeum eotteoke jinaeseyo?)
- Casual
- 잘 지냈어? (jal jinaesseo?)
- Answer
- 네, 잘 지내요 (ne, jal jinaeyo)
- Level
- A1
Do Koreans ask how are you when they say hello?
Not the way English speakers do. 안녕하세요 already wishes the other person well, so shop staff, strangers and colleagues you saw yesterday don't get a "how are you?" on top. The question is for people you know, usually after some time apart, which is why the past tense 잘 지냈어요? is so common.
| Korean | Romanization | Speech level | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 잘 지냈어요? | jal jinaesseoyo? | Polite | Meeting someone after weeks or months |
| 잘 지내요? | jal jinaeyo? | Polite | Checking in, often by message |
| 요즘 어떻게 지내세요? | yojeum eotteoke jinaeseyo? | Polite, honorific | An older acquaintance, a former teacher |
| 잘 지내셨어요? | jal jinaesyeosseoyo? | Honorific | Elders, a friend's parents, a senior colleague |
| 잘 지냈어? | jal jinaesseo? | Casual (반말) | Friends, younger siblings |
| 요즘 어때? | yojeum eottae? | Casual | "How's life?" to a close friend |
| 별일 없지? | byeollil eopji? | Casual | "All good?" between family and old friends |
지내다 (jinaeda) means to get along or spend your days, and 잘 (jal) means well. In this Contos story, Jieun runs into Junho, an old friend, at the market in her home town, and he asks exactly this, in casual speech:
서울에서 잘 지냈어?Seoureseo jal jinaesseo?
How do you answer 잘 지냈어요?
Keep it short. Korean answers echo the verb, then bounce the question back, usually with the person's name rather than a word for "you".
네, 잘 지냈어요.
Ne, jal jinaesseoyo.
Yes, I've been well.
덕분에 잘 지냈어요.
Deokbune jal jinaesseoyo.
I've been well, thanks to you.
A courteous set phrase; the other person needn't have done anything.
그냥 그래요.
Geunyang geuraeyo.
So-so.
요즘 좀 바빠요.
Yojeum jom bappayo.
I've been a bit busy lately.
잘 지냈어요. 지민 씨는요?
Jal jinaesseoyo. Jimin ssineunyo?
I've been well. And you, Jimin?
Name plus 씨 is politer than any Korean word for you.
How do you ask if someone is all right?
When something looks wrong, switch to 괜찮아요? (gwaenchanayo?), "are you OK?". It is a question of concern, not a greeting. For an elder, add the honorific -으세요. In this story a regular customer hears that the shop's owner has died and nearly sinks to the floor; the owner's son catches her arm and asks:
할머니, 괜찮으세요?Halmeoni, gwaenchaneuseyo?
할머니 here is a polite way to address any elderly woman, not only your own grandmother.
What mistakes do learners make with how are you?
Translating "I'm fine, thank you" as 괜찮아요 is the classic one. It means "I'm OK" in the sense of "nothing is wrong", so it can make people wonder what happened. Answer 잘 지내요 instead. The other slip is asking 어떻게 지내세요? every morning: it suits someone you haven't seen for a while, not the colleague at the next desk.
Older relatives may skip all of this and ask whether you have eaten, a habit covered in how to say hello in Korean. When you first meet someone, use nice to meet you in Korean instead.
Read Korean stories from A1 and see how friends, neighbours and families greet each other.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce jal jinaeyo?
Roughly "jal jee-neh-yo". The l in 잘 is light, and the ae in 내 sounds like the e in "bed".
What is the difference between jal jinaeyo and jal jinaesseoyo?
잘 지내요? asks how things are now. 잘 지냈어요? is past tense, "have you been well?", and is the usual question when you meet someone after a gap.
How do you say I'm fine in Korean?
Say 잘 지내요 (jal jinaeyo), "I'm doing well". Keep 괜찮아요 (gwaenchanayo) for reassuring someone who is worried about you.
Is eotteoke jinaeseyo formal?
It is polite with the honorific -시-, so it shows respect. It suits older acquaintances and people you want to honour; with friends, 요즘 어때? (yojeum eottae?) is more natural.