Your first hello
Small words. A warm welcome.
안녕하세요 is a polite greeting you can use throughout the day. A small bow makes it even warmer. By the end, you will be able to recognize and practise 5 useful expressions for this situation.
5 expressions to use in context
Read the Korean first. Romanization is an approximate reading aid, so return to the Hangul spelling and use the Listen button in the interactive lesson when you want to hear your device’s Korean voice.
| Korean | Romanization | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 안녕하세요 | annyeonghaseyo | Hello |
| 감사합니다 | gamsahamnida | Thank you |
| 네 | ne | Yes |
| 아니요 | aniyo | No |
| 안녕히 가세요 | annyeonghi gaseyo | Goodbye (to someone leaving) |
How to make this lesson stick
- Picture the situation. 안녕하세요 is a polite greeting you can use throughout the day. A small bow makes it even warmer.
- Say one line at a time. Read the Hangul, check the meaning, then repeat without looking at the English.
- Change the order. Recall the Korean from a randomly chosen English meaning instead of memorizing the table sequence.
- Use the interactive lesson. Listen, save useful expressions, and answer the short review questions.
Check your recall
Try to say each Korean expression before opening the answer. A correct answer means more when you can also picture when you would use it.
Hello
안녕하세요
annyeonghaseyo
Thank you
감사합니다
gamsahamnida
Yes
네
ne
No
아니요
aniyo
Goodbye (to someone leaving)
안녕히 가세요
annyeonghi gaseyo
Language note
English meanings describe the use in this lesson rather than every possible translation. Politeness and nuance can change with the relationship and situation. For dictionary pronunciation, definitions and more examples, consult the National Institute of Korean Language Korean–English Learners’ Dictionary.
Use the phrase before you forget it.
Open the interactive version to listen and test yourself. No account is required.
Practise this lesson →