Q: What is the most common way to say Hello in Korean?

In Korean, 안녕하세요 [annyeonghaseyo] is the default way of greeting someone for the first time.

Q: How can I say Hello to friends and family in Korean?

The basic way to say "hello" in Korean is 안녕 [annyeong]. This is the informal hello. But just because it's the most basic form doesn't mean it's always appropriate to use. 안녕 [annyeong] indicates a certain level of closeness between the speakers. It's most commonly used among friends and family members. If you use 안녕 [annyeong] with someone you just met, or someone you only have a casual relationship with, it can be considered rude.

Question 1

What is the most common way to say Hello in Korean?

Accepted Answer

In Korean, 안녕하세요 [annyeonghaseyo] is the default way of greeting someone for the first time.

Question 2

What is the most formal way to say Hello in Korean?

Accepted Answer

The very formal way of saying "hello" in Korean is 안녕하십니까 [annyeonghashimnikka].

You won't be using this one as much, but it's still good to know.

안녕하십니까 [annyeonghashimnikka] is also a modification of the informal hello listed above.

It starts with the base word 안녕 [annyeong] and then adds on 하십니까 [hashimnikka] at the end.

Adding 하십니까 [hashimnikka] to the end of certain words adds a very heightened level of formality.

This makes 안녕하십니까 [annyeonghashimnikka] the most formal version of "hello" that is used nowadays in Korea.

Question 3

How can I say Hello to friends and family in Korean?

Accepted Answer

The basic way to say "hello" in Korean is 안녕 [annyeong].

This is the informal hello.

But just because it's the most basic form doesn't mean it's always appropriate to use.

안녕 [annyeong] indicates a certain level of closeness between the speakers. It's most commonly used among friends and family members.

If you use 안녕 [annyeong] with someone you just met, or someone you only have a casual relationship with, it can be considered rude.

Question 4

Is there more than one way to say Hello in Korean?

Accepted Answer

Yes there is! In fact there are four common ways to say Hello in Korean you should know.

But why?

Korean is an intricate language with different levels of formal speech, so the type of "hello" you use differs based on who you're speaking to.

You wouldn't greet your boss or co–workers the same you would greet a friend or family member.

Age, social status, and level of closeness all factor into it. For new Korean language learners, it can be a challenge, but don't worry, we are here to explain in this article!

Question 5

How should I say Hello on the phone in Korean?

Accepted Answer

There's a particular word in Korean for saying "hello” on the phone. That word is 여보세요 [yeoboseyo].

However, there's a big caveat. You don't always use it.

In Korean, you use 여보세요 [yeoboseyo] to greet someone on the phone if you don't know who they are.

It’s offering your greetings, but it also indicates you’re not sure of who’s on the line.

That lets the other person know that they should introduce themselves, to make it clear who they are.

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