1 What’s Up?
POLITE GREETINGS
How are you?
annyeonghaseyo?
ahn-nyawng-hah-seyo?
안녕하세요?
I’m fine, thanks. And you?
ne, annyeonghaseyo?
ne, ahn-nyawng-hah-seyo?
네, 안녕하세요?
Annyeonghaseyo? 안녕하세요? is a greeting that asks about the other person’s well-being or good health. This expression can be used at any time of the day as “Good morning,” “Good afternoon,” “Good evening,” “Hi,” “Hello,” or “How’s it going?” The common response is simply ne, annyeonghaseyo? 네, 안녕하세요?.
How do you do?
cheo-eum boep-kketsseumnida.
chuh-um bwep-kke-sseumnee-dah.
처음 뵙겠습니다.
What’s new?
byeollil eop-jjiyo?
byulleel up-jyo?
별일 없지요?
—Nothing much.
geujeo geuraeyo.
geu-juh geu-rayo.
그저 그래요.
—Things are hard.
jom himdeureoyo.
chohm him-deul-uhyo.
좀 힘들어요.
—Things are busy.
jom bappayo.
chohm bah-ppah-yo.
좀 바빠요.
How have you been?
yojeum eotteoke jinaeseyo?
yo-johm uh-ttoh-kay jeenehsay-yo?
요즘 어떻게 지내세요?
—I’ve been fine, thanks.
jal jinaeyo.
chahl jeenayo.
잘 지내요.
CASUAL GREETINGS BETWEEN CLOSE FRIENDS
How are you doing?
jal isseosseo?
chahl iss-uss-oh?
잘 있었어?
Yo, what’s up?
ya, jal isseonnya?
yah, chahl iss-uht-nyah?
야, 잘 있었냐?
Dude, what’s up?
saekki, jal isseonnya?*
sakkee, chahl iss-uht-nyah?
새끼, 잘 있었냐?
jasik, jal isseonnya?*
jah-sheek, chahl iss-uht-nyah?
자식, 잘 있었냐?
*Saekki “baby animal” and jasik “human baby” are used in Korean slang the way “asshole” is used in American English. When said to one’s closest friends, they can be expressions of affection—but handle with care.
How’ve you been?
eotteoke jinaesseo?
uh-toh-kay jiness-uh?
어떻게 지냈어?
—I’m fine.
jal isseosseo.
chahl jinessuh.
잘 있었어.
Have you been doing OK?
jal jinaesseo?
chahl jinessuh?
잘 지냈어?
—Yeah, man!
geurae, i jasiga!
geurae, i jashigah!
그래, 이 자식아!
Handle with care.
Where did you go?
eodi gasseosseo?
uh-dee gahssuss-uh?
어디 갔었어?
It’s been a while.
oraenmaniya.
awren-mahnee-yah.
오랜만이야.
—Yeah!
geurae!
geu-ray!
그래!
—Yeah, it’s been ages.
geurae, oraenmaniya.
geu-rae, awren-mahnee-yah.
그래, 오랜만이야.
How’s Peter/Mary?
Peter/Mary jal isseo?
Peter/Mary chahl isso?
피터/메리 잘 있어?
—Yeah, Peter/Mary is fine.
eung, (Peter/Mary) jal isseo.
eung, (Peter/Mary) chahl isso.
응, (피터/메리) 잘 있어.
The subject is often omitted when it is clearly understood from the context. 응 (eung) is very often used in casual conversation to agree with something the other person has said. It’s said a lot like a grunt.
How are Peter and Mary?
Peter hago Mary jal isseo?
Peter hahgo Mary chahl isso?
피터하고 메리 잘있어?
—Yeah, Peter and Mary are fine.
eung, (Peter hago Mary) jal isseo.
eung, (Peter hah-gaw Mary) chahl isso.
응,(피터하고 메리) 잘 있어.
Anything new with Peter/Mary?
Peter/Mary byeollil eopseo?
Peter/Mary byullil upso?
피터/메리 별일 없어?
—Yeah, he/she’s doing fine.
eung, byeollil eopseo.
eung, byullil upso.
응, 별일 없어.
—Yeah, he/she’s OK.
eung, jal jinae.
eung, chahl jee-nay.
응, 잘 지내.
—Yeah, he/she’s doing so-so.
eung, geujeo geurae.
eung, geu-juh geuray.
응, 그저 그래.
What’s wrong, man?
wae geurae, imma?
wa geu-ray, eem-mah.
왜 그래, 임마?
Handle with care.
Keep in mind as well that 임마 (eem-mah) is a swear word used by men and will sound very coarse and weird coming from a woman.
—Nothing’s wrong with me.
amugeot-do aniya.
ahmoogut-toe ahnee-yah.
아무것도 아니야.
What are you doing here?
eojjeon iliya?
uh-chun illeeya?
어쩐 일이야?
—Nothing special.
geunyang.
geun-yahng.
그냥.
Really?
jeongmal?
chawng-mahl?
정말?
Are you serious?
jinjja?
jeen-jjah?
진짜?
Oh, yeah?
geurae?
geu-ray?
그래?
You’re lying!
geojitmal!
guh-jeen-mahl! *
거짓말!
*The t sound in geojitmal becomes an n here (guh-jeen-mahl) when said in normal speech.
Are you lying?
geojitmaliji?
guh-jeen-mahlee-jee?
거짓말이지?
Don’t lie!
geojitmal hajima!
guh-jeen-mahl hahjeemah!
거짓말 하지마!
Stop lying!
geojitmal geuman hae!
guh-jeen-mahl geumahn hay!
거짓말 하지 마! 그만 해!
What?
mwo?
mwo?
뭐?
Huh?
eoh?
aw? *
어?
*Said nasally, like the French en.
I don’t believe it!
mideul su ga eopseo!
meed-eul soo gah upsaw!
믿을 수 가 없어!
Why?
wae?
way?
왜?
Why not?
wae aniya?
way ah-nee-yah?
왜 아니야?
You’re joking!
nongdamiji!
nohng-dahmee-jee!
농담이지!
You’re not joking?
nongdam aniji?
nohng-dahm ahnee-jee?
농담 아니지?
I’m not joking.
nongdam aniya.
nohng-dahm ahnee-yah.
농담 아니야.
He/She’s joking!
nongdamiget-ji!
nohng-dahm-eeget-jjee!
농담이겠지!
Are you making fun of me?
nollinya?
nohllee-nyah?
놀리냐?
I guess so.
geureoket-ji.
geu-roh-get-jjee.
그렇겠지.
Maybe.
geureol keoya.
geurull ggoyah.
그럴 거야.
Maybe not.
anil keoya.
ah-neel kker-yah.
아닐 거야.
That’s impossible!
maldo an dwae!
mahl-doe ahn dway*!
말도 안 돼!
*Dway or “day”—the w is almost not pronounced at all
You can’t do that.
geureoken motae.
geu-roh-ken moat hay.
그렇겐 못 해.
I don’t care.
sang-gwan eopseo.
sahng-gwahn upso.
상관 없어.
It’s got nothing to do with me.
narang sang-gwan eopseo.
nah-rahng sahng-gwahn upso.
나랑 상관 없어.
I’m not interested.
gwansim eopseo.
gwahn-seem upso.
관심 없어.
I think that’s it.
geugeoya.
geu-goyah.
그거야.
I think this is it.
igeoya.
ee-goyah.
이거야.
You’re crazy!
neo micheo-sseo!
naw mee-chuss-o!
미쳤어!
Damn!
jegiral!
je-gee-rahl!
제기랄!
That’s right.
maja.
mahj-ah.
맞아.
Is this it?
igeoya?
ee-goyah?
이거야?
This is it.
igeoya.
ee-goyah.
이거야.
Sure.
geureom.
geu-rum.
그럼.
It’s true.
jinjjaya.
jeen-jjah-yah.
진짜야.
I understand.
alasseo.
ahlahsso.
알았어.
No problem.
munje eopseo.
moonje upso.
문제 없어.
I like it!
joa!
joe-ah!
좋아!
—Me, too.
nado.
nahdoh.
나도.
OK!
joa!
joe-ah!
좋아!
alasseo!*
ahlahsso!
알았어!
*Literally means “I know.”
Hey!
ya!
yah!
야!
Handle with care.
Great!
joa!
joe-ah!
좋아!
Literally means “I like it.”
I hope so.
geureogil barae.
geuroh-kil bah-ray.
그러길 바래.
It’s risky.
wieomhae.
wee-um hay.
위험해.
Cheer up.
him nae.
heem nay.
힘 내.
Smile.
useo bwa.
ooh-suh ba.
웃어 봐.