This workshop helps you speak Korean greetings with confidence. You will practice a polite greeting for strangers and public situations, a casual greeting for close friends, and a formal introduction when meeting someone new. You will also practice getting a stranger's attention politely and understanding a short reply. Each native example comes from the lesson recordings, and you will find a clear answer or self-check after every task so you can confirm what you said.
Choosing the right greeting
Korean has more than one way to say hello, and the choice depends on who you are talking to. The polite greeting «안녕하세요» means "Hello" or "Good day." Use it with strangers, staff, teachers, older people, and in most public situations. The casual greeting «안녕» means "Hi" or "Hey." Use it in an established casual relationship where both people are comfortable speaking informally; familiarity or age alone is not enough. A very formal greeting «안녕하십니까» means "Hello" in a strongly respectful style. It appears in business, military, news, or very respectful contexts, and it can sound stiff in casual conversation. When you meet someone for the first time in a polite or business setting, you can add «처음 뵙겠습니다», which means "Nice to meet you" in a formal way. A simple plan for beginners: if you are unsure, start with the polite greeting, then listen to how the other person responds.
Meeting someone and getting attention
A short first meeting often combines a greeting and an introduction. In one recorded exchange, speaker A says «안녕하세요. 처음 뵙겠습니다.», which means "Hello. Nice to meet you." Speaker B answers with «안녕하세요. 저는 민수입니다.», which means "Hello. I am Minsu." Notice the order: greet first, then give your name. When you need to stop a stranger politely, use «실례합니다, 질문이 있습니다.», which means "Excuse me, I have a question." A helpful reply is «네, 말씀하세요.», which means "Yes, please go ahead." This pair is useful in shops, stations, or any public place where you need information. Speak the first line clearly, pause, and wait for the reply before adding your question. If the person answers with the go-ahead line, you can continue.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
안녕하세요
Hello. / Good day.
an-nyeong-ha-se-yo
안녕
Hi. / Hey.
an-nyeong
안녕하십니까
Hello. (very formal)
an-nyeong-ha-sim-ni-kka
처음 뵙겠습니다
Nice to meet you. (formal)
cheo-eum boep-get-seum-ni-da
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
안녕하세요. 처음 뵙겠습니다.
Hello. Nice to meet you.안녕하세요. 저는 민수입니다.
Hello. I am Minsu.실례합니다, 질문이 있습니다.
Excuse me, I have a question.네, 말씀하세요.
Yes, please go ahead.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided polite exchange
Imagine meeting someone at a community class for the first time. You greet them politely, and they introduce themselves as Minsu.
Your task: Play the recording of «안녕하세요. 처음 뵙겠습니다.» and repeat it aloud as speaker A. Then play the recording of «안녕하세요. 저는 민수입니다.» and listen for the reply. Finally, say speaker A's line again and pause as if the other person has answered with the recorded reply.
Reply comprehension and choice
Imagine you are in a public place and need to ask a stranger a question. You politely get the stranger's attention, and the stranger replies.
Your task: Listen to «네, 말씀하세요.» once without speaking. Then choose the best meaning: (a) Yes, please go ahead, or (b) Hello, I am Minsu. Say your choice aloud, then repeat the recorded line once.
Recall with correct roles
Imagine you are in a public place and need to ask a stranger a question. You start the exchange, and the stranger answers.
Your task: Without looking at the text, say the line for getting a stranger's attention politely. Then say the line that means "Yes, please go ahead" as the stranger's reply. After that, say the attention-getting line again and pause for the reply.
Common questions
When should I use the polite greeting instead of the casual greeting?
Use the polite greeting «안녕하세요» with strangers, staff, teachers, older people, and in most public situations. Use the casual greeting «안녕» in an established casual relationship where both people are comfortable using informal speech. If you are unsure, start with the polite greeting and listen to how the other person responds.
What should I say when I meet someone for the first time in a polite setting?
You can combine the polite greeting with the formal first-meeting phrase, as in «안녕하세요. 처음 뵙겠습니다.», which means "Hello. Nice to meet you." The other person may answer with a polite greeting and a name introduction, as in «안녕하세요. 저는 민수입니다.». Greet first, then give your name.
Sources and further reading
- korean: greetings formal informalChecked September 2026
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