안녕하세요, 잘 지내세요?
annyeonghaseyo, jal jinaeseyo?
The English phrase "hello, how are you?" is translated into Korean as 안녕하세요, 잘 지내세요? (annyeonghaseyo, jal jinaeseyo?)
This phrase is a polite greeting used to start a conversation and ask about someone's well-being. While the full phrase asks how someone is, the first part, 안녕하세요, is often used as a standalone greeting in Korean culture without needing to follow up with the second part.
What does it mean word for word?
The greeting 안녕하세요 literally translates to "Are you at peace?" or "Are you doing well?" The second part, 잘 지내세요?, means "Are you spending time well?" and is composed of 잘 (well), 지내다 (to spend time/live) and the polite ending -세요.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The full phrase 안녕하세요, 잘 지내세요? is polite and suitable for strangers or acquaintances. The shortened form 안녕 is informal and should only be used with close friends or people younger than you. For a very colloquial way to say "hey!" to a friend, you can use 야!
How does it change in a sentence?
The -요 ending in 안녕하세요 is what makes the phrase polite. The second part of the phrase uses the polite ending -세요.
How do you pronounce it?
annyeonghaseyo, jal jinaeseyo?
When do people say it?
When someone asks you 잘 지내세요?, a common response is 네, 잘 지내요 (Yes, I am doing well).
Did you know?
- While 잘 지내세요? asks about well-being, Koreans often ask 밥 먹었어? ('Did you eat?') as a greeting. This is not always an invitation to lunch but a way of showing care and affection.
- In Korea, a bow typically accompanies the greeting 안녕하세요. The depth and duration of the bow depend on the social hierarchy and the level of respect you wish to show the other person.
- The informal greeting 안녕 can be used both when arriving to say 'hello' and when leaving to say 'goodbye'. This dual use is only permitted with people of equal or lower social status.
Examples in context
- 안녕하세요, 잘 지내세요?annyeonghaseyo, jal jinaeseyo?Hello, how are you?
- 오랜만이에요. 안녕하세요, 잘 지내세요?oraenmanieyo. annyeonghaseyo, jal jinaeseyo?It's been a long time. Hello, how are you?
- 선생님, 안녕하세요, 잘 지내세요?seonsaengnim, annyeonghaseyo, jal jinaeseyo?Teacher, hello, how are you?
Example conversation
Minjun meets Seoyeon at a cafe.
- 민준 Min-jun서연 씨, 안녕하세요, 잘 지내세요?Seoyeon ssi, annyeonghaseyo, jal jinaeseyo?Seoyeon, hello, how are you?
- 서연 Seo-yeon네, 잘 지내요. 민준 씨도 잘 지내시죠?ne, jal jinaeyo. Minjun ssi-do jal jinaesijo?Yes, I am well. Are you doing well too, Minjun?
- 민준 Min-jun네, 저도 아주 잘 지내요.ne, jeodo aju jal jinaeyo.Yes, I am doing very well too.
- 서연 Seo-yeon다행이네요. 커피 마실까요?dahaeng-ineyo. keopi masilkayo?That's a relief. Shall we drink some coffee?
