예
ye[je̞(ː)]
예 is the Korean way to say yes.
예 is used to express agreement or to say yes in a polite manner.
Which one should you use?
While 예 is a polite way to say yes, 네 is the more common, standard polite way to say yes in modern daily conversation. For informal situations, such as speaking with friends or people younger than you, you would use 응 instead of 예.
How do you pronounce it?
ye
Did you know?
- In a polite conversation, a Korean speaker might say 예 repeatedly while the other person is talking. This is not meant to interrupt or agree with every point, but to signal that they are listening attentively.
- In historical texts from 1447, the word appeared as a contraction of the word for 'here', meaning 'here it is'.
- Depending on the intonation, 예? with a rising tone is used to ask 'Excuse me?' or 'What did you say?' It serves as a polite request for the speaker to repeat themselves.
Examples in context
- 네, 가능합니다.Yes, I'm available.
- 응, 좋아!Yeah, sounds good!
- 그래, 알았어.Yeah, I got it.
- 예, 알겠습니다.ye, algetseumnida.Yes, I understand.
- 예, 맞아요.ye, majayo.Yes, that is correct.
- 예, 괜찮습니다.ye, gwaenchansseumnida.Yes, it is okay.
Example conversation
A junior employee is confirming instructions from a senior colleague.
- 지은 Ji-eun민준 씨, 이 서류 확인했나요?Minjun ssi, i seoryu hwaginhaen-nayo?Minjun, did you check these documents?
- 민준 Min-jun예, 확인했습니다.ye, hwaginhaesseumnida.Yes, I checked them.
- 지은 Ji-eun내일까지 다 끝낼 수 있어요?naeil-kkaji da kkeun-nael su isseoyo?Can you finish everything by tomorrow?
- 민준 Min-jun예, 가능합니다.ye, ganeunghamnida.Yes, it is possible.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 예, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 예, CC BY-SA 4.0.
