Korean: Informal Ways to Say Thanks to Friends
Learn casual Korean thanks like 고마워 and 땡큐 for small favors among close friends, and see how they differ from formal 감사합니다.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
In Korean, how you say thanks changes with who you are talking to. Among close friends, classmates your age, and people you know well, short casual forms are normal and warm. This lesson teaches beginner-friendly informal thanks such as 고마워 (gomawo), 정말 고마워 (jeongmal gomawo), and 땡큐 (ttaengkyu). You will practice when each sounds natural, how they differ from polite or formal thanks, and how to answer briefly when a friend thanks you.
By the end, you can…
- say thanks informally to a close friend in Korean.
- choose between 고마워, 정말 고마워, and 땡큐 for small favors.
- respond naturally when a friend thanks me in casual Korean.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
고마워
Thanks
go-ma-wo
The basic casual thanks. Use it with close friends, younger people you are close to, or people your age you know well. Not for strangers, teachers, or older adults.
정말 고마워
Thanks a lot
jeong-mal go-ma-wo
Adds 정말 (really) for stronger feeling. Good when a friend does something helpful, like lending you a charger or saving your seat.
진짜 고마워
Thanks a lot / I really appreciate it
jin-jja go-ma-wo
진짜 is very common in casual speech and feels friendly and emphatic. Use it with friends, not in formal situations.
땡큐
Thank you (casual, borrowed from English)
ttaeng-kyu
A playful, casual borrowing from English. Common among younger speakers and in text messages. It can sound light or joking, so use it only with friends.
고마워, 진짜
Thanks, really
go-ma-wo, jin-jja
Putting 진짜 after 고마워 adds emphasis, like 'Thanks, seriously.' Natural in spoken Korean among friends.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core informal form is 고마워 (gomawo). You can make it stronger by adding an adverb before it: 정말 고마워 (jeongmal gomawo) or 진짜 고마워 (jinjja gomawo). You can also add the adverb after it for a spoken, emphatic feel: 고마워, 진짜 (gomawo, jinjja). These are fixed casual expressions; you do not need to change them for different friends. For a slightly more polite but still friendly version, some speakers say 고마워요 (gomawoyo), which adds the polite ending -요 and is not casual.
When to use it
Use 고마워 and its casual variants for small favors among friends: someone holds your bag, sends you notes, or waits for you. If the person is older, a teacher, a stranger, or someone you just met, use polite 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) or 고맙습니다 (gomapseumnida) instead. 땡큐 (ttaengkyu) is fine with close friends and in casual messages, but it can sound too light for a serious favor. When in doubt, choose the polite form; you can switch to casual once the relationship is clearly close.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
내 우산 좀 빌려줘.
Lend me your umbrella for a bit.nae u-san jom bil-lyeo-jwo응, 여기.
Sure, here.eung, yeo-gi고마워, 진짜!
Thanks, really!go-ma-wo, jin-jja뭘, 천만에.
No problem, you're welcome.mwol, cheon-man-eA little context goes a long way
Korean has clear speech levels, so casual thanks are not just shorter; they signal closeness and equal or familiar status. Using 고마워 with a teacher or an older stranger can sound rude even if your intention is friendly. Age and social distance matter more than how much you feel thankful.
One thing to watch for
Using 고마워 with a teacher, boss, or someone you just met because you want to sound friendly.
Try this instead: Use polite or formal thanks in those situations: 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) or 고맙습니다 (gomapseumnida). Save 고마워 for close friends and people clearly in your casual circle.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1Your close friend saves your seat in class. Which casual phrase fits best: 고마워 or 감사합니다?
Show a sample answer
고마워
고마워 is the casual thanks for a close friend and a small favor. 감사합니다 is polite and would sound distant here, though it is not wrong in an emergency.
2How do you make 고마워 stronger in casual speech?
Show a sample answer
정말 고마워 or 진짜 고마워
Adding 정말 or 진짜 before 고마워 adds emphasis. Both are common; 진짜 is especially casual and friendly.
3A friend says 고마워 to you after you help them. What is one natural casual reply?
Show a sample answer
천만에 or 뭘.
천만에 (cheonmane) means 'you're welcome' and 뭘 (mwol) is a casual 'no problem.' Both fit among friends; more polite replies like 별말씀을요 are for formal situations.
Use 고마워, 정말 고마워, and 땡큐 only with close friends for small favors; switch to 감사합니다 or 고맙습니다 when the person is older, unfamiliar, or in a formal setting.
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