만나서 반가워요
mannaseo bangawoyo
In Korean, "good to see you" is expressed as 만나서 반가워요 (mannaseo bangawoyo).
This is a friendly greeting used when meeting someone you already know or have just been introduced to.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 만나서 (mannaseo), meaning 'because/since [we] met' and 반가워요 (bangawoyo), meaning 'am glad/happy'.
Which one should you use?
While 만나서 반가워요 is a common way to say "good to see you", you can also use 만나서 기쁩니다, which literally translates to "I am glad to see you". If you are meeting someone again after a certain period of time, you can say 또 만나서 반가워요 or 또 만나서 반가워.
How does it change in a sentence?
To change the politeness of the phrase, you can adjust the verb endings. Dropping the polite ending 요 (yo) to say 만나서 반가워 makes the phrase informal, which is used with close friends or people younger than you.
How do you pronounce it?
mannaseo bangawoyo
Did you know?
- While English speakers often use 'good to see you' with a wave or a smile, Koreans often accompany this greeting with a slight bow, where the depth of the bow signals your level of respect toward the other person.
- If you want to sound much more formal or business-like, you can use the phrase 처음 뵙겠습니다 (cheoeum boepgetseumnida), which means 'I am meeting you for the first time' rather than 'it is good to see you'.
- In many professional settings, you might not use the word 'see' at all, but instead use the verb 뵙다 (boepda) to express 'to see' or 'to meet' in a way that shows extreme respect to elders or superiors.
Examples in context
- 만나서 반가워요.mannaseo bangawoyo.Good to see you.
- 다시 만나서 반가워요.dasi mannaseo bangawoyo.Good to see you again.
Example conversation
Two acquaintances meet for the first time in a few months.
- 서연 Seo-yeon지훈 씨, 정말 오랜만이에요. 만나서 반가워요.Ji-hun ssi, jeongmal oraenman-ieyo. Mannaseo bangawa-yo.Ji-hun, it's been a long time. Good to see you.
- 지훈 Ji-hun저도 만나서 반가워요, 서연 씨.Jeodo mannaseo bangawa-yo, Seo-yeon ssi.Good to see you too, Seo-yeon.
- 서연 Seo-yeon잘 지냈어요?Jal jinaesseoyo?Have you been doing well?
- 지훈 Ji-hun네, 아주 잘 지냈어요.Ne, aju jal jinaesseoyo.Yes, I've been doing very well.
