To say sorry in Korean, use 미안해 (mianhae) with friends and family, and 미안해요 (mianhaeyo) with people you speak to politely. For a boss, a customer, a teacher or anyone you owe real deference, the respectful choice is 죄송합니다 (joesonghamnida), or the softer polite 죄송해요 (joesonghaeyo).
- Casual
- 미안해 (mianhae)
- Polite
- 미안해요 (mianhaeyo)
- Respectful
- 죄송합니다 (joesonghamnida)
- Excuse me
- 실례합니다 (sillyehamnida)
- Reply
- 괜찮아요 (gwaenchanayo)
- Level
- A1
Is mianhamnida or joesonghamnida more polite?
Both are apologies, but they come from different words. 미안하다 (mianhada) is the ordinary feeling of being sorry. 죄송하다 (joesonghada) is humbler and lowers the speaker before the listener, so it is the one to use upwards: to your manager, your friend's parents, or a customer you have kept waiting.
| Korean | Romanization | Speech level | Say it to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 미안해 | mianhae | Casual (반말) | Friends, partners, younger siblings |
| 미안해요 | mianhaeyo | Polite (해요체) | Acquaintances and people of similar age you do not know well |
| 미안합니다 | mianhamnida | Formal (합쇼체) | Formal settings, usually toward equals or juniors |
| 죄송해요 | joesonghaeyo | Polite, humble | Someone older or senior, in a friendly tone |
| 죄송합니다 | joesonghamnida | Formal, humble | Bosses, customers, teachers, strangers: the safest apology |
If you are unsure, 죄송합니다 never sounds rude. The reverse mistake, a breezy 미안 to your boss, can.
How do you say sorry for something in Korean?
Name the reason first, with the verb ending -어서/-아서 (-eoseo/-aseo, because), then apologise. 정말 (jeongmal) or the more casual 진짜 (jinjja) both add "really".
늦어서 죄송합니다.
Neujeoseo joesonghamnida.
I'm sorry I'm late.
기다리게 해서 미안해.
Gidarige haeseo mianhae.
Sorry for keeping you waiting.
Casual.
정말 미안해요.
Jeongmal mianhaeyo.
I'm really sorry.
진짜 미안해.
Jinjja mianhae.
I'm so sorry.
Casual and heartfelt.
Friends often add the other person's name, with 아 (a) after a name ending in a consonant or 야 (ya) after a vowel. That is exactly how a twin apologises to his brother in this Contos story:
민준아, 미안해.Minjuna, mianhae.
When does sorry not translate as 미안해?
English uses sorry for several jobs that Korean splits up. To get past someone or interrupt, say 실례합니다 (sillyehamnida, excuse me). To call a waiter, use 저기요 (jeogiyo, excuse me). And when someone shares bad news, an apology sounds odd; show sympathy instead.
실례합니다.
Sillyehamnida.
Excuse me.
Squeezing past, or knocking before you go in.
저기요!
Jeogiyo!
Excuse me!
Getting a stranger's or a waiter's attention.
안됐네요.
Andwaenneyo.
I'm sorry to hear that.
Literally "that's a pity".
삼가 고인의 명복을 빕니다.
Samga goinui myeongbogeul bimnida.
My deepest condolences.
A set formal phrase, mostly written, for a death.
How do you accept an apology in Korean?
Use 괜찮아요 (gwaenchanayo, it's OK) politely, or 괜찮아 (gwaenchana) with friends. To brush it off more firmly, say 아니에요, 괜찮아요 (anieyo, gwaenchanayo): no, really, it's fine. The same 아니에요 is also the everyday answer to thank you in Korean.
Follow the twins' week of swapped lives in Korean at A1, tapping any word you don't know.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce joesonghamnida?
Roughly "jweh-song-ham-ni-da". The vowel in 죄 is usually said like "weh", and the b in 합니다 becomes m before n.
Can you say mian to friends?
Yes. 미안 (mian) on its own is a quick, very casual sorry between friends, like "my bad". Avoid it with anyone older or senior.
Is mianhamnida wrong to a boss?
It is not wrong grammatically, but 죄송합니다 (joesonghamnida) is the expected apology to someone senior. 미안합니다 sounds less humble, and to a senior it can come across as not sorry enough.
Do Koreans bow when they apologise?
Often, yes. A bow with the apology shows sincerity, and the deeper the bow, the more serious the apology. Between friends a bow is not needed.