안녕
annyeong[a̠nɲʌ̹ŋ]
To say hello informally in Korean, you use 안녕 (annyeong).
안녕 is a common and versatile way to greet someone casually, meaning hello. It is primarily used with friends or people who are younger than the speaker.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 안녕 literally means peace or well-being.
Which one should you use?
안녕 is a casual greeting, whereas 안녕하세요 is the standard polite form used with strangers, elders or in formal settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
Using 안녕 with someone older than you or someone in a higher social position is considered rude.
How do you pronounce it?
annyeong
Did you know?
- While 안녕 is the standard casual greeting, close friends often omit it entirely and instead ask 밥 먹었니?, which means 'Did you eat?' This functions as a way of saying 'hello' by showing care for the other person's well-being.
- While 'hello' is a greeting, using the informal 안녕 to say 'goodbye' is also common, effectively meaning 'stay in peace' or 'go in peace'.
- In K-dramas, a character switching from 안녕하세요 to 안녕 is often a pivotal plot point. This shift signals that two characters have officially transitioned to an intimate or close relationship.
Examples in context
- 안녕!annyeong!Hi!
Example conversation
Minjun meets his friend Jieun at a cafe.
- 민준 Min-jun지은아, 안녕!jieun-a, annyeong!Hi, Jieun!
- 지은 Ji-eun어, 민준아! 안녕.eo, minjun-a! annyeong.Oh, Minjun! Hi.
- 민준 Min-jun오늘 뭐 해?oneul mwo hae?What are you doing today?
- 지은 Ji-eun그냥 카페에 왔어.geunyang kape-e wasseo.I just came to a cafe.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 안녕, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
