잘 지내요
jal jinaeyo
In Korean, "I am fine" can be expressed as 잘 지내요 (jal jinaeyo).
잘 지내요 is used specifically as a response to a greeting such as "How have you been?" to indicate that you are doing well. It is not typically used to respond to questions about whether you are hurt or if something is wrong.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 잘 지내요 literally means "I am spending time well" or "I am living well".
Which one should you use?
While 잘 지내요 answers how your life is going, 괜찮아요 is used to say you are "okay" or to decline an offer, such as saying "No thank you, I'm fine".
How does it change in a sentence?
You can adjust the formality of the phrase 잘 지내요 by changing its ending. Removing the 요 from the end results in the informal 잘 지내, which is used with friends or people younger than you. Conversely, changing the ending to 지냅니다 creates the highly formal 잘 지냅니다. In the phrase 나 괜찮아, the subject marker 는 is omitted to create a more casual version.
How do you pronounce it?
jal jinaeyo
Did you know?
- If you use the highly formal version 잘 지냅니다 with a close friend, it may actually sound sarcastic or unintentionally distant because the level of politeness is so high.
- While 잘 지내요 is a standard reply, Koreans often answer 'how are you' by mentioning a specific recent event or a complaint about being busy rather than using a generic phrase like 'I am fine'.
- The adverb 잘 used in this phrase is thought to be an abbreviation of the native word 자루, which refers to a measure or a roll.
Examples in context
- 네, 잘 지내요.ne, jal jinaeyo.Yes, I am doing well.
- 요즘 어떻게 지내요? 저는 잘 지내요.yojeum eotteoke jinaeyo? jeoneun jal jinaeyo.How have you been lately? I am doing fine.
- 별일 없이 잘 지내요.byeolil eopsi jal jinaeyo.I am doing well without any issues.
Example conversation
Two acquaintances meet on the street and exchange greetings.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo서연 씨, 잘 지냈어요?Seoyeon ssi, jal jinaesseoyo?Seoyeon, have you been doing well?
- 서연 Seo-yeon네, 잘 지내요. 현우 씨는요?ne, jal jinaeyo. Hyeonu ssineunyo?Yes, I am fine. How about you, Hyeonu?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo저도 잘 지내요.jeodo jal jinaeyo.I am doing well too.
- 서연 Seo-yeon다행이네요.dahaengineyo.I am glad to hear that.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 잘, CC BY-SA 4.0.
