좋은 하루 보내세요
joeun haru bonaeseyo
In Korean, enjoy your day is 좋은 하루 보내세요 (joeun haru bonaeseyo).
This phrase is a polite wish used when saying goodbye to someone to hope they have a pleasant day. It is commonly used by service workers (like shopkeepers or cashiers) when a customer is leaving, or between acquaintances when parting ways.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 좋은 (good), 하루 (day) and 보내세요 (please spend/pass).
Which one should you use?
While 좋은 하루 보내세요 (spend a good day) is grammatically natural, 좋은 하루 되세요 (be a good day) is a very common mistake where the person is accidentally telling the listener to become a good day.
How does it change in a sentence?
Removing the polite ending -세요 makes the phrase 좋은 하루 보내, which is used with close friends or people younger than you. Changing the ending to -십시오 makes the phrase 좋은 하루 보내십시오, which is a highly formal version used in professional or very respectful settings.
How do you pronounce it?
joeun haru bonaeseyo
Did you know?
- The word 하루 (day) originates from a combination of the Proto-Koreanic words for 'one' and 'day', suggesting a day is fundamentally viewed as 'one' unit of time.
- In many Korean service settings, the phrase is often delivered with a slight bow, as the verbal wish is inseparable from the physical gesture of respect.
- Unlike in English, where 'have a nice day' is common, Koreans traditionally used more specific parting phrases depending on the person's destination or health.
Examples in context
- 좋은 하루 보내세요.joeun haru bonaeseyo.Enjoy your day.
- 네, 좋은 하루 보내세요!ne, joeun haru bonaeseyo!Yes, enjoy your day!
- 지은 씨, 좋은 하루 보내세요.Jieun ssi, joeun haru bonaeseyo.Jieun, enjoy your day.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are leaving the office for the day.
- 지은 Ji-eun현우 씨, 먼저 퇴근할게요.Hyeonu ssi, meonjeo toegeunhalgeyo.Hyeonu, I'm leaving work first.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo네, 지은 씨. 수고하셨어요.Ne, Jieun ssi. sugohasyeosseoyo.Okay, Jieun. You worked hard today.
- 지은 Ji-eun감사합니다. 좋은 하루 보내세요!Gamsahamnida. joeun haru bonaeseyo!Thank you. Enjoy your day!
- 현우 Hyeon-woo네, 지은 씨도 좋은 하루 보내세요.Ne, Jieun ssi-do joeun haru bonaeseyo.Yes, you have a great day too, Jieun.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 하루, CC BY-SA 4.0.
