10 Basic Greetings In Korean: It's More Than Just A Greeting

Unlike other cultures, basic greetings in Korean (인사 / insa) is more than just saying hello (안녕하세요 /annyeong haseyo). SupportUkraine:FreeLingAppForUkrainians&FreeUkrainianLanguageCourse.Clickhere! Blog»KoreanBlog»10BasicGreetingsInKorean:It'sMoreThanJustAGreeting10BasicGreetingsInKorean:It'sMoreThanJustAGreetingAugust1,2022SheiwenAglibotLearnVietnameseWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow1334LearnUrduWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow19571LearnTamilWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow19563LearnSpanishWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow19551LearnSlovakWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow11636LearnPunjabiWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow19565LearnLithuanianWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow11634LearnLaoWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow19711LearnKoreanWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow1342LearnKhmerWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow1338LearnJapaneseWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow1332LearnItalianWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow19591LearnFrenchWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow19533LearnDutchWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow19573LearnCroatianWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow19569LearnSwahiliWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow19577LearnArabicWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow19593LearnBosnianWith50%OffalifetimeplanClaimOfferNow29814LearnTagalogWith50%OffalifetimeplanClaimOfferNow1336LearnCantoneseWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow11632LearnDanishWith50%OffalifetimeplanClaimOfferNow19583LearnSerbianWith50%OffalifetimeplanClaimOfferNow1206LearnAfrikaansWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow19581LearnMalayWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow5311LearnAlbanianWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow11638LearnBurmeseWith50%OffalifetimesubscriptionClaimOfferNow29812 1342 Unlikeothercultures,basicgreetingsinKorean(인사/insa)ismorethanjustsayinghello(안녕하세요/annyeonghaseyo)Play.BasicgreetingsinKoreancultureor인사(insa)areessentialforthem. Koreansareknowntobepolitetowardsothers.ItisthemainperspectivethatforeignersusuallyhaveaboutKoreanpeople. Ifyouarewonderingwhytheyareknowntobeextremelywell-mannered,itismainlyduetotheirconfucianisminfluence.Confucianismsupportsrespectforelders,authority,traditions,groupharmony,andtheimportanceoffamily,friendship,andancestry.YouwillnoticealltheseimportantpointsinthedailylivesofKoreanpeople,eventhefirsttimeyoucontactaKoreanperson. IfyouhavealreadylearnedtosayhelloinKorean,yournextstepisunderstandingeverygreeting.Afterthat,youcanusethemwithyourKoreanfriendsandpeopleyoumeetwhilevisitingSouthKorea.   Bowing BasicgreetingsinKoreanculturearedonewithabow.Bowsarereservedasgreetingsofrespectforone'ssenior.Thelowerandlongeryoubow,themorerespectisbeingshown.Closefriendsrarelybowtoeachother,butiftheyareonpublicoccasions,itispolitetobowtoeachothernomatterhowcloseyouare. Inbowing,postureisalsoessential.Bowingshouldoccurfromthewaistandnottheneck.YoucanoftenseethesebowsindifferentKoreanmoviesandseries,butifyouhavenotseenone,herearethedifferentvowsinKoreanculturethatyouneedtolearn: 1.CasualBow Thisbowisusedtogreetsomeoneclosetoyouorhavesimilarrankedcolleaguesorfriends.Peopleusethisbowinplaceswhereyoucan'tdodeeperbows,suchasincrowdedplaces,elevators,andpublictransportations.Thisbowisalsoapplicablewhengreetingaseniorwhenyouseehim/herseveraltimesthatday. 2.RespectfulBow(30º~45º) Youcannevergowrongwiththisbow.Therespectfulbowisthemostcommonbowusedingreetingalmosteverybody.Remember,abowshouldstartfromthewaist,nottheneck. 3.“Belly-button”Bow Thenameofthisbowcamefromthefactthatthehandsareclaspedtogetherandplacedisinanavelposition.Belly-buttonbowiscommonlyusedbypeopleinuniform,suchasflightattendantsandsalespeople. 4.90ºBow Thisiscalleda90ºbowbecauseyourbackisliterallybentat90º.Itisaformofrespect,anditisalsoanintentionalshowingofobedienceandservice. 5.BigBows IfyouareafanofanyK-popgroup,youmightbeseeingthemdoingbigbowsfortheirfans.Thisbowincludesamanbendingfullydownontheirkneeswithhandsonthegroundandwomenslightlysittingdown,legstogether,andhandsneartheirchest.Thistypeofbowisreservedforspecialoccasionslikeweddings,holidays,funerals,ancestralrites,greetingeldersafteralongtimeofabsence,andlastbutnotleast,showingextremegratitudeorremorse. Thesebowsareveryimportantingreetings.Silentbowsappearrudeunlessyouareinaplacewhereyouarenotallowedtospeak.Greetingsmightbeeasyinsomecultures.ButinaplacelikeNorthandSouthKorea,makesuretodoitrightbecausethismightoffendthelocalpeople.   Handshakes Koreanculturealsouseshandshakesingreetingsbesidesbows.RemembernottogriphandsverytightlybecauseKoreansdonotlikeitso,asoftgrabofthehandwilldo.AnotherinterestingaboutKoreanhandshakesisthattheyusebothhandswhenshakinghands.Theotherhandisusedtosupportyourforearmwhileshakinghands.Womendonotoffertoshakehandsfirsttomen,especiallyiftheyareWesternmen.However,WesternwomenmayoffertheirhandtoKoreanmen.   Casual,Polite,AndFormalSpeech Asmentionedabove,Koreansareveryparticularwiththeirvalues.Thesevaluesarereflectedthroughtheirwordsandactions.ThatiswhynativeKoreanspeakershavedifferentwaystosaytheirgreetingsandexpressions. Casualspeechisusedwhenyouspeakwithyourclosefriends,family,andthosewhoareyoungerthanyou. PoliteSpeechisusedwhenyouspeakwithstrangersinpeopleyoualreadyknowbutnotverywell. Formalspeechisusedduringformaloccasions.Itisalsousedwhentalkingtoelders,authorities,andcolleaguesinyourworkplace.   LearningBasicKoreanGreetingsInDifferentWays AreyouplanningtogotoSouthKorea?IfyoudonotknowhowtospeakKorean,itwillmakeithardtocommunicatewiththelocalpeople.Toenjoyyourwholetrip,youneedtolearnsomebasicKoreanphrases.So,let'sgetstartedwiththeKoreangreetings.AfterlearningthebasicKoreangreetingsetiquette,letusnowlearnbasicgreetingsintheKoreanlanguage. Hello/Hi:안녕하세요!(AnnyeongHaseyo!)Play Hello/Hi(Informal):안녕!(Annyeong!)Play GoodDay/Hello(Formal):녕하십니까(AnnyeongHasimnikka)Play Welcome:환영합니다(HwangyongHamnida)Play Howareyou?:어떻게지내세요?(EotteokeJinaeseyo?)Play What’sup?(Informal):요즘어때?(YojeumEottae?)Play Didyouhaveagoodmeal?:식사하셨어요?(Shiksahashutsuyo?)Play Didyoueat?:밥먹었어?(BabMeogeoss-eo?)Play Pleasetomeetyou/Nicetomeetyou:만나서 반갑습니다(MannaseoBangapseumnida)Play Pleasedtomeetyou:반갑습니다 (Bangapseumnida)Play Pleaselookafterme:잘부탁드립니다(JalBootakDeurimnida)Play LongTimeNoSee:오랜만이에요(Oraenmanieyo)Play Pleasestaywell:안녕히 계세요(AnnyeongHiGyeseyo)Play Pleasestaywell:안녕히가세요 (AnNyeongHiGaSeYo)Play Yo!:야!(Ya!)Play 1.안녕하세요!(AnnyeongHaseyo!)Play EnglishTranslation:Hello/Hi Thisgreetingisusedwhenyouarespeakingtoapersononaphonecall.Thelocalsacrossthecountrycommonlyusethis Therearedifferentwaystosayhellotosomeone. 안녕하세요! (Annyeong haseyo!)- usedtogreetsomeonepolitelyandrespectfully.Youcanalsousethisgreetinginintroducingyourself. 여보세요(Yeoboseyo)-  usedwhenansweringthephone.Itcanbe'Hello'inEnglish 2.안녕!(Annyeong!)Play EnglishTranslation:Hello/Hi(Informal) Thiswordisusedthesameasthefirstone,butitisinformalandcasual.Youcanusethisingreetingyourclosefriendsandthosewhohavethesameageasyou. 3.녕하십니까(AnnyeongHasimnikka)Play EnglishTranslation:GoodDay/Hello(Formal) Thisistheformalwayofgreetingsomeone.Thisgreetingisusuallyusedinwelcomingcustomerspolitelyandrespectfully. 4.환영합니다(HwangyongHamnida)Play EnglishTranslation:Welcome Koreansareverywelcomingpeople.IfyouvisitSouthKorea,youwillalsohearthiswhenyouenterastoreandrestaurant. 5.어떻게지내세요?(EotteokeJinaeseyo?)Play EnglishTranslation:Howareyou? AskingsomeoneHowareyou?isanotherwayofgreetingsinKorean.Thiswillgiveyouanideaabouttheircurrentsituations,whethertheyarehappyorgoingthroughaproblem.It'snicetocheckinwithsomebody. 요즘어때?(YojeumEottae?)Play Youcanalsousethisphrasewhenaskingsomeonehowtheyare.Theliteraltranslationofthisis"What’sup?"Thisismoreinformalthanthefirstone. 6.식사하셨어요?(Shiksahashutsuyo?)Play EnglishTranslation:Didyouhaveagoodmeal? Ifyouarewonderingwhythisisincluded,itisbecauseofKoreanfood.Knowingifsomeonehadtheirmealisanicegesturetoasksomeone.Iftheysaid"Yes,"thenyouknowthattheyareingoodcondition.Butwhentheysaid"No,"whynottreatthemtoaniceKoreanmeal? 밥먹었어?(BabMeogeoss-eo?)Play Thisliterallymeans“Didyoueat?”.Thiscanalsobeusedwhenaskingsomeoneiftheyhaveeatenalready. 7.만나서반갑습니다(MannaseoBangapseumnida)Play EnglishTranslation:Pleasetomeetyou/Nicetomeetyou IfyouareaforeignervisitingKorea,youneedtolearnthisbecauseitisaniceandpolitewaytosaytosomeone. 반갑습니다 (Bangapseumnida)Play Tosay"Pleasedtomeetyou."casually,usethisphrase. 잘부탁드립니다.(JalBootakDeurimnida)Play Youcanalsousethisphraseifyouareaforeignerwhojustarrivedinthecountry.Thistranslatesto"Pleaselookafterme."inEnglish.Youwillhearthisasarespectfulwayofgreetingsomeoneforintroductions. 8.오랜만이에요(Oraenmanieyo)Play EnglishTranslation:LongTimeNoSee Thisphrasecanalsobeusedasagreetingifyouhavenotseensomeoneinalongtime.Thiscreatestheimpressionthatyouaregladtoseethatpersonagainafterawhile.Koreansadd"ieyo"tosoundpolite. 오랜만에(Oraenman-e)Play Ifyouwanttobemorecasualwithyourfriends,thisistherightphrasetouse.Koreansadd"e"intheendingtosoundleastformal. 오랜만입니다(Oraenmanimnida)Play Ifyouwanttotalktosomeoneinaformalsettinglikeyourboss,usethisphrase.Adding"nida"inaword/phrasemakesitmostformal. 9.안녕히 계세요(AnnyeongHiGyeseyo)Play/안녕히가세요 (AnNyeongHiGaSeYo)Play EnglishTranslation:Pleasestaywell Therearedifferentwaystosaygoodbyetosomeoneinpoliteandcasualways. 안녕히계세요(AnnyeongHiGyeseyo)isusedwhenyouaretheoneleaving.Ontheotherhand,안녕히가세요 (Annyeonghigaseyo)isusedwhenyouaretheonestaying.Itmeans"Pleasegowell."Itfeelsgreathearingsomeonewishingyoutopleasestaywell.Whowouldnotwanttohearit? 잘 있어(JalItsuh)- thisisthecasualwaytosaygoodbyetosomeone.Thisliterallytranslatesto"bye(staywell),"whichyoucanusewithyourfriends. 잘 가(Jalga)- thisisanothercasualwayofsayinggoodbyetosomeone.Thistranslatesas"bye(gowell)"inEnglish. 10.야!(Ya!)Play EnglishTranslation:Yo! Youprobablybehearingalotofthisindramasandmovies.Thisisacommonwaytocalloutyourfriendsandgrabsomeone'sattention.   TimeOfTheDay AnotherexcitingfactaboutKoreansistheydon'thavedifferentgreetingsforthemorning,noon,evening,andnight.Theyuse안녕하세요! (AnnyeongHaseyo!) atalltimesoftheday.Butifyouarewonderinghowtosaygreetingsatdifferenttimesoftheday,hereitis. Korean(Hangul) Pronunciation EnglishTranslation 안녕하십니까Play좋은아침Play -annyeonghashimnikka-joheunachim GoodMorning 안녕하십니까 Play -annyeonghashimnikka GoodAfternoon 좋은저녁Play -joheunjeonyeok GoodEvening 안녕히주무십시요Play잘자Play -annyeong-hijumusipsio- jaljja GoodNight   SpecialOccasions Koreansalsocelebrateoccasions.SomeoccasionsareveryparticularinKoreanculture,andsomearecelebratedindifferentpartsoftheworld.Herearetheexamples: Korean(Hangul) Pronunciation EnglishTranslation 행운을빌어요Play행운을빈다Play화이팅Play -haenguneulbileoyo(formal)-haenguneulbinda(informal)-hwaiting GoodLuck 생일축하합니다Play생일축하드립니다Play생신축하드립니다Play생일축하해Play -saeng-ilchukhahamnida(formal)-saeng-ilchukhadeurimnida(formal)-saengsinchukhadeurimnida(formal)-saeng-ilchukhahae(informal) HappyBirthday 치하!Play축하해요!Play -chiha!-chughahaeyo! Congratulations 즐거운성탄절보내시고새해복많이받으세요Play메리크리스마스Play -jeulgeounseongtanjeolbonaesigosaehaebongmanh-ibad-euseyo-merikeuriseumaseu MerryChristmas 행복한새해되세요Play새해복많이받으세요Play새해복많이받으시고,가정에항상웃음꽃피시길기원합니다Play -haengboghansaehaedoeseyo-saehaebongmanh-ibad-euseyo-saehaebongmanh-ibad-eusigo,gajeong-ehangsangus-eumkkochpisigilgiwonhabnida HappyNewYear   Youdon'thavetobeasfluentasanativespeakertolearnthesegreetings.ItiscalledbasicgreetingsinKoreanforareason.ThesegreetingsaregreatwaystogetstartedinlearningtheKoreanlanguage.AfterlearningthesebasicgreetingsintheKoreanlanguage,thenextstepistopracticeKoreanpronunciation.Thisisessentialsothatlocalswillunderstandyou.   WantToKnowMoreThanGreetings?LearnKoreanNow! LookingforanexcellenttoolforlearningKorean?Whywastetimeondifferentresources?LearningnewlanguageslikeKoreanischallengingyetfulfilling.ThroughLingAppandpractice,wewillmakeithappen.Youcanstartlearningfromthe basicwordsandphrases inKorean,like감사합니다/ Kamsahamnida(Thankyou), 죄송합니다/ joesonghamnida(Sorry), 잠시만요/ jamshimanyo(Excuseme;Justamoment), and주세요/ juseyo (Please). TherearelotsofKoreanphrasesthatyouneedtoknowbeforeyougotoKorea.LessonsinLingApparemadetobeengagingandmeaningfultoenjoylearningnewlanguages.Inadditiontothis,thereareinteractivegamesandaudiorecordingstolearntherightKoreanpronunciationofwords.Takenote;youcandownloadtheLingApponyourphoneorclickonthelinksinthisblog. Koreanphrasesarenotthathardtolearnifyouputyourheartandmind.So,whatareyouwaitingfor?StartlearningKoreannow.   StartlearningKoreanforfreenowSharethispost facebook twitter linkedin SaygoodbyetoschoolbooksFunmini-gamesandquizzeshelpyoumasteringanewlanguagequickly.Practicehundredsofdialoguesonthego.Talktoourchatbotaboutdailylifetopics.Masterthelanguagewithextensivegrammartipsandinstructions.StartLearningSheiwenAglibot LeaveaReplyCancelreplyYouremailaddresswillnotbepublished.Requiredfieldsaremarked*Comment*Name* Email* Website Savemyname,email,andwebsiteinthisbrowserforthenexttimeIcomment. ThissiteisprotectedbyreCAPTCHAandtheGooglePrivacyPolicyandTermsofServiceapply. 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