Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 안녕하세요 | annyeonghaseyo | [a̠nɲʌ̹ŋɦa̠sʰe̞jo] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 안녕 | annyeong | [a̠nɲʌ̹ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | informal |
The phrase is used as a greeting between sunrise and sunset.
What does it mean word for word?
The root word 안녕 (annyeong) literally means peace, well-being or being free from harm.
Which one should you use?
The polite form 안녕하세요 is grammatically structured as a question asking if the listener is in a state of peace.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
안녕하세요 is the standard polite way to greet strangers, elders or colleagues. The informal 안녕 is used only with close friends or people younger than you and can serve as both a greeting (hello) and a parting (goodbye).
How do you pronounce it?
annyeonghaseyo
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers should avoid using the informal 안녕 when speaking to superiors or people they have just met, as it can be perceived as rude.
When do people say it?
If you wish to tell someone to "have a good day" rather than just greeting them, you can use different phrases. Polite options include 좋은 하루 되세요 or the more formal 즐거운 하루 되십시오. For a casual setting with friends, you might use 좋은 하루 되렴 or the relaxed and friendly 좋은 하루 보내.
Did you know?
- Because 안녕 means 'peace', the greeting historically carried a deeper meaning of asking if the person had survived a period of turmoil or illness.
- When saying 안녕하세요, it is customary to perform a bow to show respect to the listener.
- The word 안녕 is a Sino-Korean word, meaning its roots are actually the Chinese characters for 'peace' and 'serenity' rather than a native Korean construction.
Examples in context
- 안녕하세요.Good day!This example shows how to use 안녕하세요 for a greeting.Tatoeba #392055 by Sushiman, translation #855284 by pirytm
- 안녕하세요, 선생님.annyeonghaseyo, seonsaengnim.Good day, teacher.
- 식당에 가니까 안녕하세요라고 말해요.sikdange ganikka annyeonghaseyo-rago malhaeyo.When you go to the restaurant, say hello.
Example conversation
Subin and Dohyun meet at a cafe.
- 수빈 Su-bin도현 씨, 안녕하세요!Dohyun ssi, annyeonghaseyo!Hello, Dohyun!
- 도현 Do-hyeon아, 수빈 씨 안녕하세요.a, Subin ssi annyeonghaseyo.Oh, hello Subin.
- 수빈 Su-bin여기서 만나네요.yeogiseo mannane-yo.We meet here.
- 도현 Do-hyeon정말 반가워요.jeongmal ban-gawo-yo.It is really nice to see you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good day” translations and entries 안녕하세요, 안녕, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 안녕, 안녕하세요, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
