Korean Greetings: How to Politely Say Hello with 안녕하세요
Learn the standard polite Korean greeting 안녕하세요, when to use casual alternatives like 안녕, and how to adjust your greeting to the situation.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
The direct answer for politely saying hello in Korean is 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo). This is the standard polite greeting for most everyday situations: shops, offices, classrooms, and first meetings. It works at any time of day, so you do not need a separate 'good morning' form. This lesson teaches 안녕하세요 first, then shows when the casual 안녕 (annyeong) is appropriate. You will also learn a few related polite phrases for asking simple questions when you meet staff or someone new. The focus is on initial greetings, not farewells.
By the end, you can…
- politely greet someone in Korean using 안녕하세요.
- choose between 안녕하세요 and 안녕 based on the situation and relationship.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
안녕하세요
Hello. / Good day.
an-nyeong-ha-se-yo
The standard polite greeting. Use it with strangers, staff, teachers, older people, and in most public situations.
안녕
Hi. / Hey.
an-nyeong
Casual greeting for close friends, younger siblings, or people you already know well. Avoid with strangers or in formal settings.
안녕하십니까
Hello. (very formal)
an-nyeong-ha-sim-ni-kka
Extra-formal greeting used in business, military, news, or very respectful contexts. It can sound stiff in casual conversation.
처음 뵙겠습니다
Nice to meet you. (formal)
cheo-eum boep-get-seum-ni-da
Said when meeting someone for the first time in a polite or business setting. Literally 'I am seeing you for the first time.' The literal meaning is closer to 'I will be seeing you for the first time.'
실례합니다
Excuse me.
sil-lye-ham-ni-da
Polite way to get attention before asking a question, for example when approaching staff in a store.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo). It is a fixed polite greeting, not a question, even though it ends in -세요. You can use it when you enter a shop, meet a coworker in the morning, or greet a teacher. For example: 안녕하세요, 선생님. (annyeonghaseyo, seonsaengnim) means 'Hello, teacher.' If you want to add a name or title, place it after the greeting with a slight pause. For a very formal setting, 안녕하십니까 (annyeonghasimnikka) is also correct, but it is not required in ordinary polite conversation. The casual form 안녕 (annyeong) is used with close friends and people younger than you. It is not rude by itself, but it can be inappropriate if the relationship is not close.
When to use it
Use 안녕하세요 with anyone you do not know well, anyone older than you, and in service or workplace situations. For example, when you enter a café, you can say 안녕하세요 to the staff. When you meet a new colleague, 안녕하세요 is safe. Use 안녕 only with close friends, your younger siblings, or classmates you already know well. If you are unsure, choose 안녕하세요; it is rarely wrong in a polite context. If you are meeting someone for the first time in a formal business setting, you can say 안녕하십니까, 처음 뵙겠습니다. (annyeonghasimnikka, cheoeum boepgetseumnida). This combines a very formal hello with 'nice to meet you.'
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
안녕하세요. 처음 뵙겠습니다.
Hello. Nice to meet you.annyeonghaseyo. cheoeum boepgetseumnida.안녕하세요. 저는 민수입니다.
Hello. I am Minsu.annyeonghaseyo. jeoneun Minsu-imnida.실례합니다, 질문이 있습니다.
Excuse me, I have a question.sillyehamnida, jilmuni itseumnida.네, 말씀하세요.
Yes, please go ahead.ne, malsseumhaseyo.A little context goes a long way
Korean greetings often reflect relative age and social distance. 안녕하세요 is a safe polite default in most public and professional situations. 안녕 is not impolite among close friends, but using it with a stranger or an older person can sound too casual. When in doubt, start with 안녕하세요. If the other person is clearly a close friend, you can switch to 안녕 later. Titles like 선생님 (teacher) or 사장님 (boss) are often added after the greeting to show respect.
One thing to watch for
Using 안녕 with a stranger or someone older because it is shorter and easier to remember.
Try this instead: Use 안녕하세요 instead. For example, say 안녕하세요, 사장님. (annyeonghaseyo, sajangnim) when greeting a shop owner. 안녕 is fine with a close friend: 안녕, 민수야. (annyeong, Minsu-ya).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You walk into a small shop and see the owner. What is the safest polite greeting?
Show a sample answer
안녕하세요.
안녕하세요 is the standard polite greeting for strangers and service situations. 안녕하십니까 is also correct but more formal than needed here.
2Your close friend calls you. Which greeting is appropriate?
Show a sample answer
안녕.
안녕 is fine with a close friend. 안녕하세요 would also be grammatically correct, but it can sound distant between close friends.
3You are meeting a new business client for the first time. Give a polite greeting that includes 'nice to meet you.'
Show a sample answer
안녕하십니까, 처음 뵙겠습니다.
This combines a very formal hello with a first-meeting phrase. 안녕하세요, 처음 뵙겠습니다 is also acceptable and slightly less formal.
Start with 안녕하세요 for almost any polite situation. Switch to 안녕 only when you know the person well and the relationship is casual.
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