Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 잘 하셨습니다 | jal hasyeotseumnida | formal, honorific |
| 잘 하셨어요 | jal hasyeosseoyo | honorific, informal |
| 잘 했어요 | jal haesseoyo | informal |
| 잘 했어 | jal haesseo | informal |
These phrases are used as exclamations of praise to tell someone they did a good job or performed a task well.
What does it mean word for word?
The form 잘 하셨습니다 is composed of 잘 (well), 하다 (to do) and honorific markers.
Which one should you use?
While 잘 했어요 and 잘 하셨어요 both mean "did well," you should use 잘 하셨어요 instead of 잘 했어요 when praising someone of higher social status or someone older than you.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The most formal version is 잘 하셨습니다, which is suitable for professional settings or public announcements. The forms 잘 했어요 and 잘 했어 are informal. Specifically, 잘 했어 is the casual form used with friends, children or people younger than you.
How do you pronounce it?
jal hasyeotseumnida
When do people say it?
When receiving a compliment in Korean culture, it is customary to respond modestly by saying 아닙니다 (it's not true).
Did you know?
- In a professional setting, saying 'well done' to a superior can actually feel like a social error. Because the phrase 잘 하셨습니다 contains honorific markers that elevate the person you are speaking to, it can inadvertently sound like you are 'evaluating' their performance from a position of authority.
- While 잘 했어 means 'well done', the word 잘 can also mean 'often' in certain contexts, such as when describing a habit.
- The way you pronounce the final consonant in the formal 잘 하셨습니다 is very subtle. The 'ㅂ' sound in the suffix '습니다' is actually an unreleased stop, meaning your lips close but you do not release a puff of air.
Examples in context
- 잘 했어!Well done!This example shows the use of the informal form 잘 했어.Tatoeba #8368162 by Eunhee, translation #464478 by lukaszpp
- 잘 하셨습니다! 이 프로젝트가 성공적으로 마무리 되었습니다.Well done! This project has successfully been completed.
- 와! 시험에서 만점 맞았네! 잘 했어!Wow! You got a perfect score on the exam! Well done!
- 지금까지 열심히 일해온 걸로 알아. 고생했어, 정말 대단해!I know you've worked hard until now. You did a great job, truly remarkable!
- 정말 잘 하셨습니다.jeongmal jal hasyeotseumnida.You really did a great job.
- 이번 발표는 잘 하셨습니다.ibeon balpyoneun jal hasyeotseumnida.You did well on this presentation.
Example conversation
A manager is praising an employee for a presentation.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo발표가 아주 훌륭했습니다. 잘 하셨습니다.balpyoga aju hyullyunghaessseumnida. jal hasyeossseumnida.The presentation was excellent. Well done.
- 지은 Ji-eun감사합니다, 현우 님.gamsahamnida, hyeon-u nim.Thank you, Hyeon-u.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo준비를 많이 하신 것 같네요.junbireul mani hasin geot gatneyo.It seems like you prepared a lot.
- 지은 Ji-eun칭찬해 주셔서 감사합니다.chingchanhae jusyeoseo gamsahamnida.Thank you for the praise.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “well done” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
