잘 지냈어요?
jal jinaesseoyo?
잘 지냈어요? (jal jinaesseoyo?) is the Korean way to say "have you been well".
This phrase is a greeting used to ask someone how they have been since the last time you saw them. It is not used as a daily "hello" but rather when meeting someone after a period of time has passed.
Which one should you use?
While 잘 지냈어요? is a standard way to ask if someone has been well, you might encounter other forms depending on the level of respect required. 어떻게 지내? is used in informal conversations, whereas 어떻게 지내셨습니까? is a polite way to inquire about someone's well-being.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the honorific marker 시 (as in 잘 지내셨어요?) makes the phrase more respectful and suitable for elders or superiors.
How do you pronounce it?
jal jinaesseoyo?
When do people say it?
When someone greets you with this phrase, a standard positive response is 네, 잘 지냈어요 (Yes, I have been well).
Did you know?
- While 잘 지냈어요? asks about your general well-being, Koreans often ask if you have 'eaten rice' (밥 먹었어?) as a way to express care and check in on someone.
- While English speakers focus on the person's state of being, Korean speakers often use the verb 지내다 (jinaeda), which literally means 'to pass time' or 'to spend time'.
- In Korea, answering 네, 잘 지냈어요 ('Yes, I have been well') is often a social lubricant rather than a literal report. Even if someone has had a difficult time, they may use this phrase to avoid burdening the listener with their problems.
Examples in context
- 안녕하십니까? 지금까지 잘 지냈습니까?How have you been so far?
- 어떻게 지내셨습니까? 건강하시고 좋은 하루 보내셨으면 좋겠습니다.How have you been? I hope you're healthy and have had a good day.
- 안녕? 잘 지냈어?Hi, have you been well?
- 그동안 잘 지냈어요?geudong-an jal jinaesseoyo?Have you been well during that time?
- 오랜만이에요, 잘 지냈어요?oraenmanieyo, jal jinaesseoyo?It's been a long time, have you been well?
- 별일 없이 잘 지냈어요?byeollil eopsi jal jinaesseoyo?Have you been well without any trouble?
Example conversation
Ji-eun meets Min-jun at a cafe after a few months.
- 지은 Ji-eun민준 씨, 오랜만이에요. 잘 지냈어요?Min-jun ssi, oraenmanieyo. jal jinaesseoyo?Min-jun, it's been a while. Have you been well?
- 민준 Min-jun네, 지은 씨도 잘 지냈어요?ne, Ji-eun ssi-do jal jinaesseoyo?Yes, have you been well too, Ji-eun?
- 지은 Ji-eun저도 아주 잘 지냈어요.jeodo aju jal jinaesseoyo.I have been very well too.
- 민준 Min-jun다행이네요. 커피 마실까요?dahaeng-ineyo. keopi masilkkayo?That's a relief. Shall we have some coffee?
