What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 잘 (well), 지내다 (to spend time/live) and the polite ending -요.
Which one should you use?
While 잘 지내요? is a common way to ask how someone is, other forms exist for different levels of politeness. 안녕? is a simple and friendly way to greet friends or peers, whereas 잘 지냈어? is an expression commonly used among acquaintances to ask "Have you been well?" In highly formal or professional settings, you might use 잘 지내십니까? or the even more polite 잘 지내셨습니까? when you haven't seen someone for a long time. For those of higher social status or unfamiliar individuals, 안녕하십니까? is the most formal option, while 안녕하세요? serves as the standard formal greeting used in most professional or respectful environments.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For close friends or people younger than you, you can use the informal 잘 지내? If you need to be very respectful in professional or highly formal settings, use 잘 지내십니까? or 안녕하십니까?
How does it change in a sentence?
While 잘 지내요? asks about a current state, using the past tense 잘 지냈어요? is often more common when specifically asking how someone has been during the interval since your last meeting.
How do you pronounce it?
jal jinaeyo?
When do people say it?
When someone asks you this greeting, a standard positive response is 네, 잘 지내요 (Yes, I am doing well).
Did you know?
- While 'How are you?' in English is often a reflexive social pleasantry, using the past tense version 잘 지냈어요? in Korean often signals a much deeper, genuine interest in the person's life during your absence.
- The verb 지내다 used in this greeting literally describes 'spending' or 'passing' time, framing the experience of living as the usage of a resource.
- The word 잘 (well) is an abbreviation of the older Korean word 자루 (jaru).
Examples in context
- 안녕하세요? 어떻게 지내세요?Hello, how are you doing?
- 오랜만이에요! 잘 지내셨습니까?Long time no see! Have you been well?
- 안녕? 잘 지내?Hi, how have you been?
- 어! 안녕! 잘 지냈어?Hey! Hi! Have you been well?
- 아니요, 별로예요No, not really.
- 요즘 잘 지내요?yojeum jal jinaeyo?Are you doing well lately?
- 다들 잘 지내요?dadeul jal jinaeyo?Is everyone doing well?
Example conversation
Minjun meets Seoyeon at a cafe after a long time.
- 민준 Min-jun서연 씨, 그동안 잘 지내요?Seoyeon ssi, geudongan jal jinaeyo?Seoyeon, have you been well during that time?
- 서연 Seo-yeon네, 잘 지내요. 민준 씨도 잘 지냈어요?Ne, jal jinaeyo. Minjun ssi-do jal jinaesseoyo?Yes, I am well. Have you been well too, Minjun?
- 민준 Min-jun저도 아주 잘 지내요.Jeodo aju jal jinaeyo.I am doing very well too.
- 서연 Seo-yeon정말 다행이네요.Jeongmal dahaeng-ineyo.I am so glad to hear that.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 잘, CC BY-SA 4.0.
