What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally means "Have you been spending time well?" It is composed of 잘 (well), 지냈어 (the past tense of "to spend time/live") and a question particle.
Which one should you use?
While 잘 지냈어? specifically asks about the period of time since you last met, 안녕? is a more general greeting used for both "hello" and "how are you" among close friends.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a polite version suitable for people you are not close with or who are older than you, use 잘 지냈어요? If you are addressing elders or people of much higher social status, use the highly respectful honorific form 잘 지내셨어요?
How does it change in a sentence?
To answer the question with a statement rather than a question, simply drop the rising intonation at the end of the sentence to say 잘 지냈어 (I have been well).
Did you know?
- In Korean, the concept of 'how are you' is often expressed through whether someone has eaten, using phrases like 밥 먹었어? ('Did you eat?').
- If you use the informal 잘 지냈어? with a stranger, it can be perceived as a significant social error or even an intentional insult to their status.
- When answering 잘 지냈어?, Koreans often omit the subject 'I' entirely. In the phrase 잘 지냈어, the person being spoken about is understood through context rather than a pronoun.
Examples in context
- 민지야, 그동안 잘 지냈어?Minji-ya, geudong-an jal jinaesseo?Minji, how have you been?
- 지훈아, 요즘 잘 지냈어?Jihoon-a, yojeum jal jinaesseo?Jihoon, how are you doing lately?
- 오랜만이야, 잘 지냈어?Oraenmaniya, jal jinaesseo?It's been a long time, how are you?
Example conversation
Minji and Jihoon run into each other at a cafe.
- 민지 Min-ji지훈아, 오랜만이야! 잘 지냈어?Jihoon-a, oraenmaniya! Jal jinaesseo?Jihoon, long time no see! How are you?
- 지훈 Ji-hun응, 민지야. 나 아주 잘 지냈어.Eung, Minji-ya. Na aju jal jinaesseo.Yeah, Minji. I've been doing great.
- 민지 Min-ji다행이다. 별일 없었지?Dahaeng-ida. Byeol-il eopseotji?That's good to hear. Nothing unusual happened, right?
- 지훈 Ji-hun응, 그냥 똑같아.Eung, geunyang ttokgata.Yeah, same as usual.
