For how to say hello in Korean, use 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo). It is the standard polite greeting and suits people you do not know well, coworkers and most adults. Save the short 안녕 (annyeong) for close friends, family and younger people.
Picking between those two is a small version of a bigger skill, and it is a good place to start with how to learn slang in a new language, because every casual word depends on first knowing who you are talking to.
How Korean greetings signal formality
The right Korean greeting depends on who you are speaking to. iTranslate separates formal speech, used with elders, people in authority and professional settings, from informal speech, used among friends, peers and people of equal status. Berlitz draws the same line for greetings: the formal version is for someone older, someone in a position of authority, or a professional setting.
The word 안녕 (annyeong) sits at the core of the common greetings. 90 Day Korean explains that 안녕 means “well-being” or “peace”, and that the 하세요 in 안녕하세요 comes from 하다, “to do”. The short form, the standard form and the formal 안녕하십니까 therefore share one root. What changes from one to the next is how much respect the speaker signals, which is the same job honorifics do across Korean speech.
That gives three practical levels, formal, standard and informal, plus one special case for answering the phone. The table below sets them side by side.
Greetings by formality
| Greeting | Romanization and pronunciation | Level | Planning use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 안녕하십니까 | annyeonghasimnikka; the final consonant of the 4th syllable sounds closer to “m” than “b” | Very formal | Speeches, announcements, presentations, or strangers in very formal situations |
| 안녕하세요 | annyeonghaseyo, ahn-nyeong-ha-se-yo | Standard polite | Default for people you do not know well, coworkers and most adults |
| 안녕 | annyeong, ahn-nyeong | Very casual | Close friends, family members or people younger than you |
| 여보세요 | yeoboseyo | Phone greeting | Answering calls only, never face to face |
Usage ranges come from 90 Day Korean’s greeting guide, and the syllable-by-syllable pronunciations of the two everyday greetings come from iTranslate.
Standard polite: 안녕하세요
If you learn only one Korean greeting, make it 안녕하세요. 90 Day Korean calls it the most common and polite way to say hello, and MosaLingua describes it the same way, noting that it works in formal situations and with elders or strangers. Its range is wide enough that you rarely need to think about it: it covers people you do not know well, coworkers and most adults.
Its one weak spot is the opposite end of the scale. With close friends it can sound stiff, awkward or overly formal, so it stops being the right choice once a relationship is relaxed.
Very formal: 안녕하십니까
안녕하십니까 is a ceremonial register. It is described as very respectful and suited to speeches, announcements, presentations, or addressing strangers in very formal situations. In ordinary contact with coworkers or adults you do not know well, the standard 안녕하세요 is the better fit, and reaching for the heavier form there would be a step beyond what the setting calls for.
Casual: 안녕
안녕 is the short, informal greeting. 90 Day Korean says to use it only with close friends, family members or people younger than you, and MosaLingua lists close friends, family members and peers. Treat the shared items as the safe core: friends and family. Hold back everywhere else, because the cost of getting it wrong falls on you.
Annyeong versus annyeonghaseyo: how to choose
The difference between annyeong and annyeonghaseyo is level of respect, not meaning. 안녕 is the bare, very casual form; 안녕하세요 adds the polite 하세요 ending and becomes the standard greeting for most adults. The two mistakes you can make are not equal. Using 안녕하세요 with a close friend is merely stiff. Using an informal greeting with a boss or an elder is, according to Berlitz, considered disrespectful, and it is crucial to avoid informal greetings with elders or in formal situations.
That asymmetry gives a simple rule: when you are unsure, choose the more polite option and relax later. These cases show how it plays out:
- An older person or someone in authority: use 안녕하세요, or 안녕하십니까 if the occasion is a speech, announcement or presentation.
- A coworker or an adult you have just met: use 안녕하세요, which is explicitly safe for both.
- A close friend or family member: use 안녕. The standard form works but can sound awkward between people who are close.
- A phone call you are answering: use 여보세요, and keep it for calls.
Whichever you choose, say the greeting before anything else, because everything that follows in the conversation is read through the level you set.
Pronunciation and reading the Hangul
Each greeting is written in Hangul, so it helps to see the script as well as hear the sounds. Build the pronunciation in stages rather than trying to say the long forms at full speed.
- Start with the core. Say “ahn-nyeong” (안녕), the sound iTranslate says conveys warmth and familiarity. This alone is your casual greeting.
- Add the polite ending. Extend it to “ahn-nyeong-ha-se-yo” (안녕하세요), keeping the syllables even.
- Adjust for the formal version. In 안녕하십니까, the final consonant of the 4th syllable sounds similar to “m” instead of “b”, a detail 90 Day Korean flags for learners reading the spelling literally.
- Compare with a recording. Speechling offers audio examples of 안녕하세요 from both a male and a female professional voice actor, which lets you hear the same phrase in two voices.
Bowing with a greeting
Yes, bowing is part of Korean greetings. 90 Day Korean notes that in Korean culture greetings often come with a respectful bow, and that you may also bow as a sign of respect. The bow accompanies the words rather than replacing them, so you still say the greeting.
Match the gesture to the level of the greeting. A bow fits naturally with 안녕하세요 and the more formal 안녕하십니까, which are the greetings used with elders, coworkers and strangers. With 안녕 among close friends, the relationship is relaxed and a bow is not what the greeting is built around. When the situation is a first meeting, the bow is the gesture most associated with showing respect.
Where to go next
Once the greetings feel automatic, the next step is reading and speaking more broadly. The study plan in Learn Korean Fast: A Practical 6-Week Plan To Speak And Read Hangul Confidently – Slanguagestudio shows how to build Hangul reading and spoken practice around phrases like these. If you are deciding how much time another language will take, How Long Does It Take To Learn Spanish? Real Timelines, Practical Plans, And What To Expect In 2026 – Slanguagestudio gives a useful comparison point.
Frequently asked questions
How do I show extra respect when greeting someone by name?
Add the honorific suffix -님 (-nim) to the name or title. iTranslate calls it the most common honorific in Korean.
Can I answer the phone with 여보세요 in person too?
No. 여보세요 (yeoboseyo) is for answering calls only, and 90 Day Korean warns against using it face to face.
Where can I hear 안녕하세요 spoken?
Speechling provides audio examples from a male and a female professional voice actor, so you can hear the phrase in two voices before you try it yourself.
Should I shake hands as well as bow?
For first meetings, a handshake is advised, using the right hand or both hands, and the bow can still accompany it as a sign of respect.
