What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 어떻게 (how) and 지내세요 (are you spending/living/passing time).
Which one should you use?
If you want to ask someone, particularly older individuals or people you hold in high regard, how they have been, you can use 잘 지내셨어요? For a more strictly formal situation, such as official encounters or when showing respect to someone of higher status, use 안녕하십니까?
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
There are several ways to adjust the level of formality. For a polite but slightly less formal tone, you can use 어떻게 지내요? In casual settings, you can use 어떻게 지내? to ask how someone is doing or 어떻게 지내고 있어? to ask how the person has been doing lately. When speaking to friends or people younger than you, 잘 지냈어? is the informal version used to ask if they have been well.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can change the level of politeness by altering the verb ending. For example, changing the ending from 지내세요? to 지내요? makes the phrase polite but slightly less formal.
How do you pronounce it?
eotteoke jinaeseyo?
Did you know?
- In many social situations, Koreans might skip 'how are you' entirely and instead ask if you have 'eaten' (밥 먹었어?) to express the same care for your well-being.
- While 어떻게 지내세요? asks about one's state, Koreans often use the phrase 별일 없으시죠? which literally means 'There are no special things happening, right?' This frames well-being as the absence of trouble.
- When using the formal 안녕하십니까?, you are not just asking how someone is, but are literally asking if they are in a 'peaceful' or 'safe' state.
Examples in context
- 요즘 어떻게 지내세요?yojeum eotteoke jinaeseyo?How have you been lately?
Example conversation
Seoyeon meets Hyunwoo at a cafe after a long time.
- 서연 Seo-yeon현우 씨, 오랜만이에요. 어떻게 지내세요?Hyunwoo ssi, oraenmanieyo. eotteoke jinaeseyo?Hyunwoo, it's been a long time. How are you?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo잘 지내고 있어요. 서연 씨는요?jal jinaego isseoyo. Seoyeon ssineunyo?I am doing well. How about you, Seoyeon?
- 서연 Seo-yeon저도 잘 지내요.jeodo jal jinaeyo.I am doing well too.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo다행이네요.dahaengineyo.I'm glad to hear that.
