How to Say “Hello” in Korean: A Complete Guide
Saying ‘hello’ in Korean should be quite simple as there is one expression that directly translates to the English word ‘hello’. However, as with any expression in Korean, we have to be careful of whether we use the formal or informal language depending on the person we’re speaking to. Moreover, Korean adults often don’t use the word ‘hello’ to greet each other, and they choose to say ‘hello’ using other expressions… Confused? Well, by the end of this article, you definitely won’t be.
In this article, we’ll first explain the most common way of saying ‘hello’ – both the formal and the informal version – and then we’ll guide you through some other expressions Koreans use to greet each other.
‘Hello’ in Korean – the informal form
- ?? (an-nyeong)
What does it mean
?? literally means ‘to be comfortable’, though this meaning of ?? is very formal and Korean language also has other words to describe something as being ‘comfortable’. However, when ?? is used as a phrase ‘????’ to mean ‘hello’, it is used to wish someone to ‘feel comfortable’. In modern Korean, people don’t think of its meaning as wishing someone to feel comfortable and most Koreans just know ?? (περισσότερα…)