Korean Conversation: Responding to Greetings Naturally
Learn to reply to common Korean greetings like 안녕하세요 with short, natural responses and follow-up questions such as 'And you?'
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
When someone greets you in Korean, a simple 안녕하세요 back is fine, but real conversations often continue with a short reply and a follow-up question. This lesson teaches you how to respond appropriately to greetings, using expressions like 'I'm good, thanks. And you?' You'll learn set phrases, when to use them, and how to keep the exchange going naturally. We'll focus on the reply turn, not on initiating or saying goodbye.
By the end, you can…
- respond to 안녕하세요 with a short, natural reply.
- ask 'And you?' using a follow-up question.
- choose between formal and informal responses based on the situation.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
안녕하세요?
Hello. / How are you?
an-nyeong-ha-se-yo?
Standard greeting used at any time of day. It can be both a greeting and a general 'How are you?'
네, 안녕하세요.
Yes, hello.
ne, an-nyeong-ha-se-yo.
A simple, polite reply when you don't want to elaborate. '네' means 'yes' and softens the response.
잘 지내요.
I'm doing well.
jal ji-nae-yo.
Polite and common reply to 'How are you?' Use with people you're not close to or in formal situations.
그럭저럭 지내요.
I'm getting by. / So-so.
geu-reok-jeo-reok ji-nae-yo.
A humble, neutral reply when things are just okay. It's polite and not negative.
넌? / 선생님은?
And you? (to a friend / to a teacher)
neon? / seon-saeng-nimeun?
Follow-up question. Use '넌?' to close friends of similar age; use '선생님은?' or 'name + 은/는?' to someone older or higher status.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
A natural reply often follows this pattern: (1) a short answer, (2) a thank-you or softener, (3) a follow-up question. For example: '네, 잘 지내요. 감사합니다. 그런데 선생님은요?' (Yes, I'm doing well. Thank you. And you, teacher?) You can also omit the thank-you: '잘 지내요. 넌?' (I'm good. And you?) The key is to keep it brief and return the question. Note that Korean does not use articles like 'a' or 'the', and verbs are not conjugated for person, so '지내요' works for I, you, he, she, etc. One thing to watch: '선생님은요?' is a shortened form of '선생님은 어떻게 지내세요?' and is used as a follow-up question, not as a direct 'How are you?' to open a conversation.
When to use it
Use the polite forms (지내요, 그럭저럭 지내요) with strangers, acquaintances, elders, and in professional settings. Use the informal forms (지내, 그럭저럭 지내) only with close friends or people much younger than you. If someone greets you with '안녕하세요?' you can simply reply '네, 안녕하세요?' with a rising intonation to return the greeting. When you want to ask 'And you?' to someone older, say '선생님은요?' or use their title + 은/는요? Avoid using '넌?' to someone older, as it can sound rude. Note that '넌' is the contracted form of '너는'; in careful speech it is pronounced closer to 'neon' than 'neoneun'.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
안녕하세요?
Hello. How are you?an-nyeong-ha-se-yo?네, 안녕하세요. 잘 지내요.
Yes, hello. I'm doing well.ne, an-nyeong-ha-se-yo. jal ji-nae-yo.그래요? 저도 잘 지내요.
Really? I'm doing well too.geu-rae-yo? jeo-do jal ji-nae-yo.다행이네요. 그럼 이따 봐요.
That's a relief. See you in a bit.da-haeng-i-ne-yo. geu-reom i-tta bwa-yo.A little context goes a long way
In Korean, the reply to a greeting often includes a follow-up question to show interest and maintain harmony. It's common to return the question with 'And you?' rather than just answering. Also, using the correct level of politeness is crucial: with strangers or elders, stick to polite forms ending in -요. Using informal speech to someone older can be considered rude. When in doubt, use the polite form. Keep in mind that age and social hierarchy strongly influence which form is appropriate, so it is safer to err on the side of politeness until you know someone well.
One thing to watch for
Responding with '좋아요' (jo-a-yo) to mean 'I'm good' when asked 'How are you?'
Try this instead: '좋아요' means 'I like it' or 'It's good' and is not used to describe your condition. To say 'I'm good/well,' use '잘 지내요' (jal ji-nae-yo). For example: '잘 지내요. 넌?' (I'm good. And you?)
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you politely reply 'I'm doing well' to 안녕하세요?
Show a sample answer
잘 지내요.
This is the standard polite reply. You could also say '네, 잘 지내요.' to add 'yes' for extra politeness.
2You want to ask 'And you?' to your teacher. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
선생님은요?
Using the title '선생님' plus '은요?' is polite and appropriate. '넌?' would be too informal and could be rude.
3What is a natural follow-up after saying '그럭저럭 지내요'?
Show a sample answer
넌? (to a friend) or 선생님은요? (to an older person)
Returning the question keeps the conversation going. Choose the form based on your relationship with the other person.
When greeted in Korean, reply briefly with 잘 지내요 or 그럭저럭 지내요, then ask 'And you?' using the right politeness level. Keep it short and friendly.
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