How to Say You're Doing Well in Korean (Casual Responses Beyond "I'm Fine")
Learn casual Korean answers to "How are you?" like 괜찮아, 잘 지내, and 피곤해, plus how to bounce the question back with 너는?
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
Practise casual Korean replies about how you are doing, from 응, 잘 지내. ("Yeah, I'm doing well") to 좀 피곤해. ("I'm a bit tired"). These recordings use 반말 (banmal), informal speech without polite endings. Use them with a close friend when you already speak casually with each other; being the same age or younger does not by itself establish that relationship. The dialogue also models returning the question with 너는? ("And you?"). Choose a reply that fits how you feel.
By the end, you can…
- answer "How are you?" in Korean with several casual responses beyond "I'm fine."
- return the question naturally using 너는? or 너는 어때?
- recognize when casual 반말 is appropriate and when it is not.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
잘 지내?
How are you doing? / Are you doing well?
jal jinae?
The standard casual greeting question to a close friend. Literally "Are you living well?"
응, 잘 지내.
Yeah, I'm doing well.
eung, jal jinae
A simple positive answer. 응 (eung) is casual "yes."
완전 좋아!
Pretty good! / Really good!
wanjeon joa!
완전 (wanjeon) means "totally/really" and adds energy. Use with close friends.
좀 피곤해.
I'm a bit tired.
jom pigonhae
좀 (jom) softens the statement, like "a bit." Honest but not complaining heavily.
그럭저럭 괜찮아.
So-so, I'm okay.
geureokjeoreok gwaenchana
그럭저럭 (geureokjeoreok) means "so-so" or "getting by." Useful when you don't want to sound too positive or too negative.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Learn the complete forms
Learn these replies as complete forms: 피곤해 means "I'm tired," 바빠 means "I'm busy," and 좋아 means "good." They are not all made by attaching 해 to a feeling word. In 좀 피곤해, 좀 adds "a bit." In the recorded conversation, 너는? asks "And you?" after a reply. Practise the exact recorded lines before changing them.
Use an established casual relationship
Use this lesson's informal forms with a close friend when casual speech is already comfortable for both of you. Do not assume a classmate, coworker or younger person wants you to use 반말. With an unfamiliar person, use polite speech instead. 잘 지내요 is a polite form and 잘 지내세요? is a polite question with an honorific marker; the choice of greeting also depends on whether you already know the person.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
민수야, 잘 지내?
Minsu, how are you doing?Minsu-ya, jal jinae?응, 완전 좋아! 너는?
Yeah, pretty good! And you?eung, wanjeon joa! neoneun?나는 좀 피곤해. 어제 늦게 잤어.
I'm a bit tired. I went to bed late yesterday.naneun jom pigonhae. eoje neutge jasseo.아, 그래? 그럼 오늘 일찍 자.
Oh, really? Then sleep early today.a, geurae? geureom oneul iljjik ja.A little context goes a long way
In this dialogue, the friends ask about each other and one explains feeling tired. Returning a question can help continue a conversation, but it is not required after every reply. A short positive or negative answer can fit the situation; choose it for its meaning rather than a general rule about how Koreans should respond.
One thing to watch for
Calling 반말 "casual polite style," or using it with a new acquaintance simply because they are your age or younger.
Try this instead: These recordings use informal speech without polite endings. Practise them in an established casual friendship. When that relationship is not established, choose polite speech rather than copying the casual endings.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1Your close friend asks 잘 지내? You are actually a little tired. What is a natural casual answer?
Show a sample answer
좀 피곤해.
좀 (jom) softens the answer to "a bit," and 피곤해 (pigonhae) is the casual form of "I'm tired." You could also say 그럭저럭 괜찮아 if you want to sound more neutral.
2How do you return the question to your friend after answering?
Show a sample answer
너는?
너는? (neoneun?) means "and you?" and is the shortest natural way to bounce the question back. 너는 어때? (neoneun eottae?) is also correct and slightly more explicit.
3You want to say "pretty good" with extra enthusiasm to a close friend. Which phrase fits?
Show a sample answer
완전 좋아!
완전 (wanjeon) means "totally/really" and 좋아 (joa) means "good." Together they make an energetic casual response. 잘 지내 is also fine but sounds calmer.
With a close friend you already speak casually with, choose a taught reply that matches your feeling. You can add 너는? to ask the question back. Match your speech level to the relationship and situation.
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