안녕히 계세요
annyeonghi gyeseyo[a̠nɲʌ̹ŋʝi kje̞sʰe̞jo]
The English phrase "goodbye for now" can be translated into Korean as 안녕히 계세요 (annyeonghi gyeseyo).
안녕히 계세요 is a polite way to say goodbye to someone who is staying behind.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 안녕히 (peacefully) and 계세요 (please stay/be).
Which one should you use?
The informal 안녕 can be used as both "hello" and "goodbye" among close friends or people younger than you.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
안녕히 계세요 is a polite expression. A slightly less formal but still polite variation is 안녕히 계셔요. For very close friends or those younger than you, you may use the informal 안녕.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 안녕히 계셔요 is a slightly less formal but still polite variation of 안녕히 계세요.
How do you pronounce it?
annyeonghi gyeseyo
Did you know?
- The word 안녕 is derived from Chinese characters meaning 'peace' and 'comfort', reflecting a cultural wish for the other person to be free from worry.
- The phrase 안녕히 계세요 is used even if you are only leaving the room for a few minutes, as long as the other person remains in that space.
- In a very formal or business setting, you might hear 안녕히 계십시오 instead of 안녕히 계세요, which uses an even higher level of honorific politeness.
Examples in context
- 안녕히 계세요.annyeonghi gyeseyo.Goodbye for now.
- 먼저 가볼게요. 안녕히 계세요.meonjeo gabolgeyo. annyeonghi gyeseyo.I will head out first. Goodbye for now.
- 집에 가서 연락할게요. 안녕히 계세요.jibe gaseo yeollakhalgeyo. annyeonghi gyeseyo.I will contact you when I get home. Goodbye for now.
Example conversation
Dohyun is leaving Jieun's house after visiting her.
- 도현 Do-hyeon오늘 정말 즐거웠어요.oneul jeongmal jeulgeowosseoyo.I had a great time today.
- 지은 Ji-eun저도요. 조심히 가세요.jeodoyo. josimhi gaseyo.Me too. Please get home safely.
- 도현 Do-hyeon안녕히 계세요, 지은 씨.annyeonghi gyeseyo, Jieun ssi.Goodbye for now, Jieun.
- 지은 Ji-eun네, 도착하면 연락해요.ne, dochakhamyeon yeollakhaeyo.Okay, contact me when you arrive.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 안녕히 계세요, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 안녕히, CC BY-SA 4.0.
