안녕하세요
annyeonghaseyo?[a̠nɲʌ̹ŋɦa̠sʰe̞jo]
The English phrase "peace, do you do?" translates to Korean as 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo?).
What does it mean word for word?
The root of the phrase is 안녕, which literally means peace, well-being or health.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
안녕하십니까 is a highly formal version used in business settings, news broadcasts or when addressing someone of much higher status. In contrast, 안녕 is an informal form used only with close friends or people younger than you.
How does it change in a sentence?
Dropping the -하세요 suffix from the standard form results in the informal version 안녕.
Did you know?
- In Korea, it is common to ask 식사 하셨어요? ('Have you eaten?') as a greeting similar to 안녕하세요 to express care for the other person's well-being.
- The term 안녕 is also used as a way to say 'goodbye' when leaving a friend, turning the greeting of 'peace' into a parting wish.
- When saying 안녕하세요, Koreans typically accompany the phrase with a bow to show respect, with the depth of the bend indicating the level of social hierarchy.
Examples in context
- A: 안녕하십니까? 저는 박 현우입니다. (Annyeonghashimnikka? Jeoneun Park Hyeonwooimnida.)Hi, how do you do? I am Hyeonwoo Park.
- 선생님, 안녕하세요!seonsaengnim, annyeonghaseyo!Hello, teacher!
Example conversation
Seoyeon meets Hyunwoo at a coffee shop.
- 서연 Seo-yeon현우 씨, 안녕하세요.hyunwoo ssi, annyeonghaseyo.Hello, Hyunwoo.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo아, 서연 씨! 안녕하세요.a, seoyeon ssi! annyeonghaseyo.Oh, Seoyeon! Hello.
- 서연 Seo-yeon잘 지냈어요?jal jinaesseoyo?Have you been well?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo네, 잘 지냈어요.ne, jal jinaesseoyo.Yes, I have been well.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 안녕하세요, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
