Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 얼른 나으세요 | eolleun na'euseyo |
| 빠른 완쾌를 바랍니다 | ppareun wankwaereul baramnida |
These phrases are used to express your hope that someone recovers from an illness or injury. Depending on the context, you might choose a standard polite version, a highly formal version for business or written cards or a version intended for someone of higher social status or an elder.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 얼른 나으세요 literally means 'quickly get well' or 'recover quickly'.
Which one should you use?
얼른 나으세요 is the standard polite way to say 'get well soon'. In contrast, 빠른 완쾌를 바랍니다 is a much more formal and professional way to express the sentiment, which is often used in written cards or formal business contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
To speak informally to a close friend or someone younger, you can use the informal version 얼른 나아.
How do you pronounce it?
eolleun na'euseyo
Did you know?
- When visiting a patient, Koreans may avoid using words related to 'death' or 'long-term illness' even if they are trying to be sympathetic, as this is seen as inviting bad luck.
- In Korean culture, telling someone to 'get well' can sometimes be accompanied by the suggestion to eat a certain food, like 'porridge' (죽), which is the quintessential recovery meal.
- The word 얼른 used in the phrase 'get well quickly' is a remnant of Middle Korean, appearing in texts dating back to the 15th century like the Worin seokbo.
Examples in context
- 금방 회복할 거예요.You'll recover soon.
- 몸 조리 잘 하시고 얼른 나으세요.mom jori jal hasigo eolleun naeuseyo.Take good care of yourself and get well soon.
- 아프지 말고 얼른 나으세요.apeuji malgo eolleun naeuseyo.Don't be sick and get well soon.
Example conversation
Subin calls Minjun to check on him after hearing he is sick.
- 수빈 Su-bin민준 씨, 몸은 좀 어때요?Minjun ssi, momeun jom eottaeyo?Minjun, how are you feeling?
- 민준 Min-jun조금 더 쉬어야 할 것 같아요.jogeum deo swieoya hal geot gatayo.I think I need to rest a bit more.
- 수빈 Su-bin푹 쉬고 얼른 나으세요.puk swigo eolleun naeuseyo.Rest well and get well soon.
- 민준 Min-jun걱정해 줘서 고마워요, 수빈 씨.geokjeonghae jwoseo gomawoyo, Subin ssi.Thank you for your concern, Subin.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “get well soon” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 얼른, CC BY-SA 4.0.
