안녕하세요
annyeonghaseyo?[a̠nɲʌ̹ŋɦa̠sʰe̞jo]
The English phrase hello there is translated into Korean as 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo?).
The phrase 안녕하세요 is a common and versatile way to say hello in a formal context. You can also use 반가워! to say "nice to meet you" during informal introductions.
Meaning: hello (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is derived from the noun 안녕, which literally means peace or well-being.
Which one should you use?
The form 안녕하세요 is the standard polite way to say hello, whereas 안녕 is strictly informal. For even greater levels of formality, 안녕하십니까 is a highly formal version used in business settings, news broadcasts or when addressing someone of much higher social status.
How does it change in a sentence?
The shortened form 안녕 is used as a casual "hi" or "goodbye" among close friends or to people younger than you.
Did you know?
- While 안녕하세요 is a greeting, it is grammatically a question asking if the other person is at peace. In the past, this was a sincere inquiry into someone's health and safety during unstable times.
- Although 안녕 is used for both 'hello' and 'goodbye' among friends, you cannot use 안녕하세요 to say goodbye. To say goodbye politely, you must use entirely different phrases depending on who is leaving.
- In Korea, you would rarely say 안녕하세요 to someone significantly younger than you or a close sibling. Doing so can sound sarcastic or create an awkward emotional distance.
Examples in context
- 안녕하세요, 처음 뵙겠습니다.annyeonghaseyo, cheoeum boepgetseumnida.Hello, it is nice to meet you.
- 선생님, 안녕하세요.seonsaengnim, annyeonghaseyo.Hello, teacher.
- 안녕하세요, 다들 잘 지내셨어요?annyeonghaseyo, dadeul jal jinaesyeosseoyo?Hello, has everyone been doing well?
Example conversation
Two colleagues meet in the office hallway.
- 민준 Min-jun민지 씨, 안녕하세요.Minji ssi, annyeonghaseyo.Hello, Minji.
- 민지 Min-ji안녕하세요, 민준 씨.Annyeonghaseyo, Minjun ssi.Hello, Minjun.
- 민준 Min-jun오늘 날씨가 정말 좋네요.Oneul nalssiga jeongmal jonneyo.The weather is really nice today.
- 민지 Min-ji네, 정말 좋네요.Ne, jeongmal jonneyo.Yes, it really is.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 안녕하세요, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
