잘 지내요
jal jinaeyopolite
To say "I am fine" in Korean, answer 잘 지내요 (jal jinaeyo), "I am doing well". Another common reply is 괜찮아요 (gwaenchanayo), "I am okay". It is also called 잘 지내 (jal jinae).
Meaning: reply to how are you (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 잘 지내요 | jal jinaeyo | polite |
| 괜찮아요 | gwaenchanayo | polite |
| 잘 지내 | jal jinae | casual |
Which one should you use?
잘 지내요 answers the question "how are you". 괜찮아요 means "it is okay" and also works for "no problem" or "I am not hurt".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Idols answer fans politely with -요 (-yo). With close friends the casual form is 잘 지내 (jal jinae) or 괜찮아 (gwaenchana).
How does it change in a sentence?
To add "thank you, and you?" say 잘 지내요. 감사합니다. 당신은요? or more naturally 잘 지내요. 그쪽은요?
Did you know?
- 괜찮아요 is one of the most used Korean words, and the title word 괜찮아 appears in many Korean song lyrics.
Examples in context
- 저는 잘 지내요. 감사합니다.jeoneun jal jinaeyo. gamsahamnida.I am fine. Thank you.
- 괜찮아요, 걱정하지 마세요.gwaenchanayo, geokjeonghaji maseyo.I am okay, do not worry.
- 응, 잘 지내.eung, jal jinae.Yes, I am fine.
Example conversation
Fan Yuri answers her friend Hyejin who asks about her week.
- Hyejin유리야, 잘 지내?yuriya, jal jinae?Yuri, how are you?
- Yuri응, 잘 지내. 너는?eung, jal jinae. neoneun?Yes, I am fine. And you?
- Hyejin나도 괜찮아.nado gwaenchana.I am okay too.
