Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 안녕하세요 | annyeonghaseyo | [a̠nɲʌ̹ŋɦa̠sʰe̞jo] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 잘 있어 | jal isseo | [t͡ɕa̠ɭ is͈ʌ̹] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | informal |
| 잘 가 | jal ga | [t͡ɕa̠ɭ ka̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | informal |
| 또 뵙겠읍니다 | tto boepgesseumnida | formal | |
| 안녕히 계십시오 | annyeonghi gyesipsio | formal | |
| 안녕히 가십시오 | annyeonghi gasipsio | formal | |
| 또 봐요 | tto bwayo |
Phrases like 또 봐요 are used to mean "see you again" or "see you later" in a polite manner.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 또 봐요 literally means "again see".
Which one should you use?
When using informal terms, use 잘 가 (go well) if you are the one staying and the other person is leaving. Conversely, use 잘 있어 (stay well) if you are the one leaving and the other person is staying. In formal settings, follow this same logic: use 안녕히 가십시오 (go peacefully) when you are staying and the other person is leaving and use 안녕히 계십시오 (stay peacefully) when you are leaving and the other person is staying. While 또 봐요 is a polite way to say "see you later", it is less formal than the annyeonghi versions.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
또 뵙겠읍니다 and 안녕히 가십시오 or 안녕히 계십시오 are formal. 또 봐요 is a polite form that is less formal than the annyeonghi versions. For informal situations, you might use 다음에 봐 (catch you later) or the casual 잘 가 and 잘 있어.
How do you pronounce it?
annyeonghaseyo
Did you know?
- The word 안녕 (annyeong), which forms the basis of many greetings, literally translates to 'peaceful' or 'wellbeing'. You are essentially asking if the person is in a state of peace when saying hello or goodbye.
- In the Hangul alphabet, the consonant ㄱ (g) and the vowel ㅏ (a) used in the word 가 (ga) are the very first consonant and vowel in the standard ordering.
- While English speakers might say 'see you' to anyone, using 또 봐요 with a boss or elder can be seen as too casual because it lacks the highest level of honorifics.
Examples in context
- 저희 회의 다음에 뵙겠습니다. 좋은 하루 되세요.I will see you next time at our meeting. Have a nice day.
- 네, 다음에 뵙기를 기대하겠습니다.Yes, I look forward to seeing you next time.
- 수고하셨습니다! 다음에 봐요!You did a good job! See you later!
- 오늘은 정말 재밌었어. 다음에 봐!Today was really fun. See you later!
- 네, 다음에 또 놀자!Yes, let's hang out again next time!
Example conversation
Minji and Dohyun are leaving a cafe.
- 민지 Min-ji도현 씨, 이제 갈까요?Dohyun ssi, ije galkkayo?Dohyun, shall we go now?
- 도현 Do-hyeon네, 가요. 안녕하세요.ne, gayo. annyeonghaseyo.Yes, let's go. Goodbye.
- 민지 Min-ji네, 안녕하세요.ne, annyeonghaseyo.Yes, goodbye.
- 도현 Do-hyeon내일 또 봐요.naeil tto bwayo.See you again tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “see you later” translations and entries 안녕하세요, 잘 있어, 잘 가, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 가, 안녕하세요, 잘, 잘 가, 잘 있어, CC BY-SA 4.0.
