Korean Greetings for Beginners: Hello, Thank You & Goodbye

LOING · KOREAN BASICS · 01

Your first Korean greetings

Say hello, thank someone, and choose the right goodbye in one short lesson.

Say hello with Bode and ShuShu. Start with a polite greeting.

Start here
Four polite expressions. One everyday conversation. A quick practice at the end.

01. Hello

안녕하세요

Romanization: annyeonghaseyo

Use this polite greeting when you meet someone, enter a small shop, or start a conversation. It works in the morning, afternoon, and evening.

안녕하세요. 저는 알렉스예요.

Hello. I’m Alex.

02. Thank you

감사합니다

Romanization: gamsahamnida

A polite, widely useful way to thank someone. Try it when someone helps you, brings your order, or gives you directions.

도와주셔서 감사합니다.

Thank you for helping me.

03. Goodbye: who is leaving?

English uses “goodbye” for both situations. In Korean, choose the phrase by looking at what the person you are speaking to is doing.

Left: Bode leaves while ShuShu stays, so Bode says 안녕히 계세요. Right: both friends leave in different directions, so each can say 안녕히 가세요 to the other.

They are staying

안녕히 계세요

annyeonghi gyeseyo

Say this when you leave and the other person stays. For example, you are leaving a café and the barista remains inside.

They are leaving

안녕히 가세요

annyeonghi gaseyo

Say this to someone who is leaving. For example, your guest is heading home. You can also use it when both of you leave and go your separate ways.

Memory cue: 계세요 is connected to staying; 가세요 is connected to going.

A tiny café conversation

You, arriving:
안녕하세요.
Hello.

You, receiving your drink:
감사합니다.
Thank you.

You, leaving:
안녕히 계세요.
Goodbye. (The barista stays.)

Barista, to you:
안녕히 가세요.
Goodbye. (You are leaving.)

Keep it polite and simple

These are useful polite forms for everyday encounters. You may hear close friends say 안녕 for both hello and goodbye, but that casual form is best saved for people you already speak casually with.

Romanization is a reading aid, not an exact pronunciation guide. In “gamsahamnida,” the written ㅂ in 합니다 is pronounced like m before ㄴ. Learning Hangul will help you read Korean more confidently.

Try it yourself

1. You enter a shop. What do you say?
2. Someone helps you. How do you thank them?
3. You leave a café; the barista stays. Which goodbye?
4. You and a classmate leave and head in different directions. Which goodbye can you use?

Check your answers

1. 안녕하세요
2. 감사합니다
3. 안녕히 계세요
4. 안녕히 가세요

Your one-minute practice
Read the café conversation aloud. Then swap roles and say the barista’s goodbye. Remember to check who is leaving.

Visit LOING

Language reference: National Institute of Korean Language: 안녕히. Examples and practice in this lesson are written for beginners.

Turn your first Korean hello into a daily habit

You know how to greet someone, say thanks, and choose a goodbye by checking who is leaving. Keep building from that first conversation with LOING, where practice adapts to your level.

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