Essential Korean Greetings

Learning greetings is the first step in any language. Korean has different levels of formality, so the greeting you use depends on who you're talking to.

Formal Greetings

안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo)

This is the most versatile greeting. It works in almost every situation — meeting someone new, greeting a coworker, or entering a shop.

Tip: Koreans often give a slight bow when saying 안녕하세요.

감사합니다 (gamsahamnida)

"Thank you" in formal Korean. You'll use this dozens of times a day in Seoul.

Casual Greetings

안녕 (annyeong)

The casual version of hello — use it only with close friends or people younger than you.

고마워 (gomawo)

Casual "thanks." Save this for friends!

Quick Reference

Korean	Romanization	Meaning	Formality
안녕하세요	annyeonghaseyo	Hello	Polite
안녕	annyeong	Hi / Bye	Casual
감사합니다	gamsahamnida	Thank you	Formal
고마워	gomawo	Thanks	Casual
잘 가	jal ga	Goodbye (to someone leaving)	Casual
안녕히 가세요	annyeonghi gaseyo	Goodbye (formal)	Polite

Practice

Try using 안녕하세요 next time you walk into a Korean restaurant. Even a small effort goes a long way — Koreans really appreciate it when foreigners try to speak Korean!

다음에 또 봐요! (See you next time!)