안녕
annyeong[a̠nɲʌ̹ŋ]
The Korean phrase for "hey there" is 안녕 (annyeong).
안녕 is an informal and friendly way to say "hey there" in Korean. It is a versatile word that can be used as both a greeting to say hello and a farewell to say goodbye.
Which one should you use?
While 안녕 is a standard informal greeting, the variation 안뇽 is a more playful and laid-back version used among close friends.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
안녕 is an informal term. It should only be used with friends, people younger than you or people you are very close to. Using this casual form with teachers, bosses or strangers can be perceived as rude.
How do you pronounce it?
annyeong
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the casual 안녕 with teachers, bosses or strangers, which can be perceived as rude.
Did you know?
- The greeting 안녕 literally translates to 'peace' or 'tranquility'. You are not just saying 'hello', but actually asking if the person is in a state of peace.
- Despite being a casual word, 안녕 is rooted in Sino-Korean characters, meaning its origins are actually linked to classical Chinese writing.
- In some very close friendships, the word is shortened even further in text to just the first consonant ㅇㄴ, which functions as a rapid-fire greeting.
Examples in context
- 안녕, 어떻게 지냈어?Hey, how have you been?
- 안녕, 잘 지냈어?annyeong, jal jinaesseo?Hey there, how have you been?
- 안녕, 나 왔어.annyeong, na wasseo.Hey there, I'm here.
- 안녕! 오랜만이야.annyeong! oraenmaniya.Hey there! It's been a long time.
Example conversation
Ji-eun and Min-jun meet unexpectedly at a cafe.
- 지은 Ji-eun안녕, 민준아!annyeong, minjun-a!Hey there, Min-jun!
- 민준 Min-jun어, 지은아! 안녕.eo, jieun-a! annyeong.Oh, Ji-eun! Hey there.
- 지은 Ji-eun여기서 뭐 해?yeogiseo mwo hae?What are you doing here?
- 민준 Min-jun그냥 커피 마시고 있어.geunyang keopi masigo isseo.I'm just drinking coffee.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 안녕, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 안녕, CC BY-SA 4.0.
