고마워
gomawo[ko̞ma̠wʌ̹]
The phrase "thank you for" in Korean is expressed using 고마워 (gomawo).
The phrase is used to express gratitude to someone for something they have done.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
고마워 is the most commonly used informal way to say thank you and should be used with friends or people younger than you. For most everyday social situations, you can use the polite form 고마워요 by adding the suffix –요 to 고마워. For formal and respectful situations, 감사합니다 is a more formal option. If you wish to convey a much deeper level of gratitude when someone has gone above and beyond, you can use 대단히 감사합니다.
How do you pronounce it?
gomawo
When do people say it?
In Korean culture, there are several ways to express thanks depending on the social context. 감사합니다 is the most common and universally used expression for 'thank you' in formal situations. If you want to say 'thank you very much', you can use 너무 감사해.
Did you know?
- The root of 고마워 comes from 고맙다, which historically shared a connection to words meaning 'divine' or 'spirit', suggesting that a favor was seen as a blessing.
- In some traditional contexts, Koreans may avoid saying 고마워 or 감사합니다 to very close family members, as expressing formal gratitude can imply a distance that is inappropriate for an intimate bond.
- If you are thanking someone for a gift, it is common to use the phrase 잘 쓸게요 (I will use it well) rather than just saying 'thank you' to show that you value the item.
Examples in context
- 늦은 시간까지 대답해 주셔서 감사합니다.Thank you for responding until late at night.
- 지난 주말에 같이 놀아줘서 고마워.Thanks for hanging out together last weekend.
- 도와줘서 고마워Thank you for helping
- 선물 고마워.seonmul gomawo.Thank you for the gift.
- 도와줘서 고마워.dowajwoseo gomawo.Thank you for helping me.
- 기다려줘서 고마워.gidaryeojwoseo gomawo.Thank you for waiting.
Example conversation
Dohyun and Subin are meeting at a cafe.
- 도현 Do-hyeon먼저 와서 기다려줘서 고마워.meonjeo waseo gidaryeojwoseo gomawo.Thank you for coming early and waiting.
- 수빈 Su-bin아니야, 나도 방금 왔어.aniya, nado banggeum wasseo.No, I just arrived too.
- 도현 Do-hyeon커피 사줘서 고마워, 수빈아.keopi sajwoseo gomawo, Subin-a.Thank you for buying the coffee, Subin.
- 수빈 Su-bin별거 아니니까 맛있게 마셔.byeolgeo aninikka masitge masyeo.It's nothing, so enjoy it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 고마워, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 고마워, CC BY-SA 4.0.
