What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 잘 (well), 지내고 (spending time/living) and 있어요? (are you/is it happening?).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
There are several ways to express this depending on the social context. For formal situations, such as speaking to someone you are not close to, someone older or someone of higher rank, you should use 어떻게 지내세요? For standard polite speech suitable for acquaintances or people older than you, use 잘 지내요? If you are speaking to close friends or people younger than you, use the informal version 어떻게 지내? or 잘 지냈어? To show high respect to elders or superiors, use the honorific version 잘 지내셨어요?
How does it change in a sentence?
The shorter form 잘 지내요? is a more common way to ask this question in standard polite speech than the continuous form 잘 지내고 있어요?
How do you pronounce it?
jal jinaego isseoyo?
When do people say it?
When someone asks you this question, a standard polite response is 네, 잘 지내요. (Yes, I am doing well.).
Did you know?
- Depending on the relationship, a Korean speaker might replace this question with 밥 먹었어요? ('did you eat?'), which functions as a cultural equivalent to asking if someone is doing well.
- If you use the honorific version 잘 지내셨어요?, you are not just being polite, you are acknowledging the person's social status or age. Using the wrong level of respect can actually cause more offense than a grammatical error.
- A common way to respond to this question if you are actually struggling is to say 그냥 그래요 ('just so-so'), which is a culturally accepted way to avoid sounding too negative or overly positive.
Examples in context
- 선생님, 어떻게 지내세요?Teacher, how are you doing?
- 어떻게 지내?How are you doing?
- 오랜만이야, 어떻게 지내?Long time no see! How have you been?
- 여행 잘 다녀왔어? 어떻게 지내?Did you have a good trip? How have you been?
- 요즘 잘 지내고 있어요?yojeum jal jinaego isseoyo?Are you doing well lately?
- 그동안 잘 지내고 있어요?geudong-an jal jinaego isseoyo?Have you been doing well all this time?
- 가족들도 다 잘 지내고 있어요?gajokdeuldo da jal jinaego isseoyo?Is your family also doing well?
Example conversation
Jieun meets Jihoon after a long time at a cafe.
- 지은 Ji-eun지훈 씨, 그동안 잘 지내고 있어요?Jihoon ssi, geudong-an jal jinaego isseoyo?Jihoon, have you been doing well all this time?
- 지훈 Ji-hun네, 저는 아주 잘 지내고 있어요.Ne, jeoneun aju jal jinaego isseoyo.Yes, I am doing very well.
- 지은 Ji-eun정말 다행이네요.Jeongmal dahaeng-ineyo.That's a relief.
- 지훈 Ji-hun지은 씨도 잘 지내고 있어요?Jieun ssi do jal jinaego isseoyo?Are you doing well too, Jieun?
