어
eo[ʌ̹]
어 is an informal Korean way to say yes or to acknowledge that you have heard someone.
어 is used to mean 'yes' or 'uh-huh'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
어 is strictly informal. It should only be used in informal settings, such as when speaking with friends or with people who are younger than you.
How do you pronounce it?
eo
Did you know?
- In many Korean digital contexts, texting only the syllable 어 can be perceived as extremely blunt or even cold, despite being a standard informal agreement.
- While the phrase 어 functions as a simple 'yes' in conversation, it is also the same sound used for the word 'language' when written with the Hanja 語.
- While 어 is a simple 'yes', adding a question mark to the intonation turns it into 어?, which often expresses disbelief or asks the speaker to repeat themselves.
Examples in context
- 어!? 진짜?What!? Really?
- 어, 정말 귀여워!Wow, so cute!
- 어머, 정말 신기해!Oh my, that's amazing!
- 어, 알았어.eo, arasseo.Oh, okay.
- 어, 맞아.eo, maja.Yeah, that's right.
- 어, 지금 가.eo, jigeum ga.Yeah, I'm going now.
Example conversation
Minjun and Minji are talking casually at a cafe.
- 민준 Min-jun민지야, 이거 먹어볼래?Minji-ya, igeo meogeobollae?Minji, do you want to try this?
- 민지 Min-ji어, 맛있겠다!eo, masitgetda!Yeah, looks delicious!
- 민준 Min-jun진짜 맛있어.jinjja masisseo.It's really tasty.
- 민지 Min-ji고마워, 민준아.gomawo, Minjun-a.Thanks, Minjun.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 어, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 어, CC BY-SA 4.0.
