안녕하세요, 어떻게 지내세요?
annyeonghaseyo, eotteoke jinaeseyo?
The English phrase "hi, how are you?" is translated into Korean as 안녕하세요, 어떻게 지내세요? (annyeonghaseyo, eotteoke jinaeseyo?)
This phrase is a polite greeting used to say hello and ask about someone's well-being. In many social situations, the first part, 안녕하세요, is used as a standard "hello" on its own, even if you do not follow up with a question about their well-being.
What does it mean word for word?
The greeting 안녕하세요 literally translates to "Are you at peace?" or "Are you doing well?"
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase 안녕하세요, 어떻게 지내세요? is polite. If you are speaking to close friends or people younger than you, you can use the informal version 안녕, 어떻게 지내?
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase 어떻게 지내세요?, the ending -세요 in 지내세요 makes the question polite and respectful.
How do you pronounce it?
annyeonghaseyo, eotteoke jinaeseyo?
Did you know?
- In Korea, people often ask 밥 먹었어? which means 'Have you eaten?' as a way of saying 'How are you?' It is a caring greeting rather than a literal invitation to lunch.
- The root of 안녕하세요 is 안녕, which is derived from Chinese characters meaning 'peace' and 'comfort'. Historically, it was used to ask if someone had survived a difficult period or disaster.
- The informal 안녕 can be used both as a 'hello' and a 'goodbye'. This makes it one of the few words in Korean that functions as both an arrival and a departure greeting.
Examples in context
- 안녕하세요, 어떻게 지내세요? 오랜만이에요.annyeonghaseyo, eotteoke jinaeseyo? oraenmanieyo.Hi, how are you? It has been a long time.
- 선생님, 안녕하세요, 어떻게 지내세요?seonsaengnim, annyeonghaseyo, eotteoke jinaeseyo?Teacher, hi, how are you?
Example conversation
Seoyeon meets her acquaintance Jihoon on the street.
- 서연 Seo-yeon지훈 씨, 안녕하세요, 어떻게 지내세요?Jihoon ssi, annyeonghaseyo, eotteoke jinaeseyo?Jihoon, hi, how are you?
- 지훈 Ji-hun안녕하세요, 서연 씨. 잘 지내고 있어요.annyeonghaseyo, Seoyeon ssi. jal jinaego isseoyo.Hi, Seoyeon. I am doing well.
- 서연 Seo-yeon다행이네요. 요즘 많이 바쁘세요?dahaengineyo. yojeum mani bappeuseyo?That is a relief. Are you very busy lately?
- 지훈 Ji-hun네, 조금 바쁘지만 괜찮아요.ne, jogeum bappeujiman gwaenchanayo.Yes, I am a little busy, but I am okay.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 안녕하세요, 어떻게, CC BY-SA 4.0.
