네
ne[ne̞(ː)]
In Korean, 'yes' can be expressed through several forms depending on the social context. The default form is 네 (ne). Wiktionary also lists 예 (ye) and 응 (eung).
Meaning: word used to indicate agreement or acceptance (particle)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 네 | ne | [ne̞(ː)] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [ne̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
|
| 예 | ye | [je̞(ː)] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 응 | eung | [ɯŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | informal |
| 어 | eo | [ʌ̹] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | informal |
The word is used to indicate agreement or acceptance. For example, 네 is frequently used as a way to say 'I see' or 'I understand' to acknowledge that you are listening to a speaker.
Which one should you use?
While 네 is the standard polite way to say yes, 예 is a more formal version. For casual or informal situations, 응 and 어 are used.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
네 is the standard polite way to say yes, suitable for most social situations with strangers or superiors. 예 is a more formal version, often used in highly professional settings, the military or formal announcements. For informal speech, 응 is used only with close friends or people younger than you and 어 is often used interchangeably with 응 in casual speech.
How do you pronounce it?
ne
Did you know?
- A person may say 네 several times in a row to indicate they are following a long explanation, acting more as a heartbeat of the conversation than a series of agreements.
- The word 네 is a linguistic chameleon because it can also function as a possessive pronoun meaning 'your'.
- The formal version 예 may share a historical root with the Sino-Korean word for 'etiquette' or 'ritual', written as 禮.
Examples in context
- 네. 그 남자와 키스했어요.Yes, I kissed him.This sentence shows how to use 네 to confirm an action.Tatoeba #11106056 by intertime, translation #2260408 by Hybrid
- "이 자동차들 다 네 거야?" "응, 다 내 거야.""Are these cars yours?" "Yes, they are mine."This example demonstrates using 응 in a casual dialogue.Tatoeba #8469609 by Eunhee, translation #386689 by Mouseneb
- "뭔가 필요하시나요?" "네, 대화를 좀 했으면 하는데요.""Do you need something?" "Yes, I need to talk to you."This example illustrates using 네 to answer a question and express a need.Tatoeba #8533607 by Eunhee, translation #3010125 by Hybrid
- 오늘 카페에 가자.Let's go to the café today.
- 선생님, 수업이 끝났어요?Teacher, is the class over?
- 네, 맞아요.Yes, that's correct.
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Dohyun and Subin are talking at a cafe.
- 도현 Do-hyeon수빈 씨, 이 커피 맛있어요?Subin ssi, i keopi masisseoyo?Subin, is this coffee tasty?
- 수빈 Su-bin네, 정말 맛있어요.Ne, jeongmal masisseoyo.Yes, it is really tasty.
- 도현 Do-hyeon여기 자주 오세요?Yeogi jaju oseyo?Do you come here often?
- 수빈 Su-bin네, 집 근처거든요.Ne, jip geuncheogeodeunyo.Yes, it's near my house.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yes” translations and entries 네, 예, 응, 어, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 네, 예, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
