Language/Korean/Vocabulary/Hello-and-Goodbye

Korean Vocabulary → Greetings and Introductions → Hello and Goodbye

As a Korean language teacher, I have seen how important greetings and farewells are in Korean culture. Koreans always greet each other politely, whether they are meeting for the first time or have known each other for years. In this lesson, I will teach you the basics of Korean greetings and farewells, as well as some cultural information and interesting facts. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently say "hello" and "goodbye" in Korean.

Basic Greetings

Koreans usually use the word "안녕하세요?" (annyeonghaseyo?) as a standard greeting. It can be used in formal and informal situations and means "hello" or "how are you?" It's considered polite to add the person's name or title to the end of the greeting, such as "안녕하세요, 선생님?" (annyeonghaseyo, seonsaengnim?) meaning "hello, teacher?"

Other basic greetings in Korean include:

• 안녕 (annyeong) - Informal way of saying "hello" or "goodbye" to friends or family members.
• 안녕히 계세요 (annyeonghi gyeseyo) - Formal way of saying "goodbye" to someone who is staying or remaining.
• 안녕히 가세요 (annyeonghi gaseyo) - Formal way of saying "goodbye" to someone who is leaving.
• 반갑습니다 (bangapseubnida) - Formal way of saying "nice to meet you".

It's important to note that age and seniority play an important role in Korean society. Younger people should always use a more formal language when speaking to their elders, while older people can use informal language with younger ones.

Interesting Facts and Cultural Information

Koreans have a unique way of greeting people they are close to. They usually say "안녕, 나야!" (annyeong, naya!) which means "hello, it's me!". This is often used between close friends or family members.

In Korean culture, it is customary to bow when greeting someone. The degree of the bow depends on the formality of the situation and the relative status of the people bowing to each other. A slight bow (15-degree angle) is given to peers or acquaintances, while a deeper bow (45-degree angle) is given to superiors, such as parents, teachers, or bosses.

Koreans often ask each other about their age as a way of determining their relative status. In Korean, age is counted differently. Everyone is considered one year old at birth and then adds one year to their age when the Lunar New Year passes.

Vocabulary

Here are some basic Korean vocabulary words and phrases related to greetings and farewells:

Korean	Pronunciation	English
안녕하세요?	annyeonghaseyo?	Hello/How are you? (Formal)
안녕	annyeong	Hello/Goodbye (Informal)
안녕히 계세요	annyeonghi gyeseyo	Goodbye (Formal, to someone staying)
안녕히 가세요	annyeonghi gaseyo	Goodbye (Formal, to someone leaving)
반갑습니다	bangapseubnida	Nice to meet you (Formal)

Practice Sentences

Here are some practice sentences for you to get comfortable with Korean greetings and farewells:

• 안녕하세요? 지금 몇 시예요? (annyeonghaseyo? jigeum myeot siyeyo?) - Hello, what time is it now?
• 안녕! 오늘 밤에 만나자. (annyeong! oneul bame mannaja.) - Hi! Let's meet tonight.
• 안녕히 계세요. (annyeonghi gyeseyo.) - Goodbye (to someone staying).
• 안녕히 가세요. (annyeonghi gaseyo.) - Goodbye (to someone leaving).
• 반갑습니다! 저는 한국 사람이에요. (bangapseubnida! jeoneun hanguk saramieyo.) - Nice to meet you! I am Korean.

Sources

• Korean Greetings
• Korean Language

Table of Contents - Korean Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Korean Alphabets

• Reading and writing Korean Alphabets
• Korean Pronunciation
• Subject and Object Markers

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Greetings and Introductions

• Hello and Goodbye
• Introducing Yourself
• Family and Friends

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Korean Culture and Customs

• Korean Etiquette
• Korean Holidays
• Korean Cuisine

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Sentence Building

• Basic Verb Conjugation
• Question Words
• Connecting Verbs

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Daily Routine

• Daily Activities
• Means of Transportation
• Weather and Seasons

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Korean Pop Culture

• Korean Dramas
• Korean Music
• Korean Cinema

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Describing People and Things

• Describing People
• Describing Things
• Comparatives and Superlatives

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Food and Drinks

• Food and Ingredients
• Drinks
• Cooking and Recipes

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Korean Traditions

• Korean Weddings
• Korean Festivals
• Korean Games and Sports

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Verb Tenses

• Past Tense
• Future Tense
• Progressive Tense

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Travel and Sightseeing

• Travel Vocabulary
• Sightseeing Vocabulary
• Shopping Vocabulary

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Korean Arts and Crafts

• Korean Calligraphy
• Korean Pottery
• Korean Paper Crafts

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Conjunctions and Connectors

• Conjunctions
• Connectors
• Conditional Sentences

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Health and Body

• Body Parts
• Health Vocabulary
• Exercise and Fitness Vocabulary

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Korean Nature

• Korean National Parks
• Korean Folk Villages
• Korean Eco-Friendly Practices