Korean Vocabulary #1 – Basic Greetings: Essential Words & Expressions

1️⃣ Introduction

Learn 10 essential Korean greetings you can use every day!

These are the first expressions every Korean learner should know — they’ll help you greet, thank, and apologize politely.

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2️⃣ Vocabulary List

#	Korean	Pronunciation	Meaning
1	안녕하세요	an-nyeong-ha-se-yo	Hello
2	안녕히 가세요	an-nyeong-hi ga-se-yo	Goodbye (when they leave)
3	안녕히 계세요	an-nyeong-hi gye-se-yo	Goodbye (when you leave)
4	감사합니다	gam-sa-ham-ni-da	Thank you
5	고마워요	go-ma-wo-yo	Thanks (casual polite)
6	미안합니다	mi-an-ham-ni-da	I’m sorry (formal)
7	죄송합니다	joe-song-ham-ni-da	I sincerely apologize
8	처음 뵙겠습니다	cheo-eum boep-get-seum-ni-da	Nice to meet you (formal)
9	반가워요	ban-ga-wo-yo	Nice to see you (polite)
10	수고하세요	su-go-ha-se-yo	Take care / Keep up the good work

Example Sentences

1️⃣ 안녕하세요! 오늘 날씨가 정말 좋아요.

(an-nyeong-ha-se-yo! o-neul nal-ssi-ga jeong-mal jo-a-yo.)

→ Hello! The weather is really nice today.

2️⃣ 안녕히 가세요! 다음에 또 만나요.

(an-nyeong-hi ga-se-yo! da-eu-me tto man-na-yo.)

→ Goodbye! See you again next time.

3️⃣ 안녕히 계세요. 저는 먼저 갈게요.

(an-nyeong-hi gye-se-yo. jeo-neun meon-jeo gal-ge-yo.)

→ Goodbye. I’ll go first.

4️⃣ 감사합니다. 덕분에 잘 됐어요.

(gam-sa-ham-ni-da. deok-bu-ne jal dwae-sseo-yo.)

→ Thank you. It worked out well thanks to you.

5️⃣ 고마워요! 덕분에 잘 됐어요.

(go-ma-wo-yo! deok-bu-ne jal dwae-sseo-yo.)

→ Thanks! It worked out well thanks to you.

6️⃣ 미안합니다. 실수했어요.

(mi-an-ham-ni-da. sil-su-hae-sseo-yo.)

→ I’m sorry. I made a mistake.

7️⃣ 죄송합니다. 다시는 늦지 않겠습니다.

(joe-song-ham-ni-da. da-si-neun neut-ji an-get-seum-ni-da.)

→ I apologize. I won’t be late again.

8️⃣ 처음 뵙겠습니다. 저는 수나예요.

(cheo-eum boep-get-seum-ni-da. jeo-neun soo-na-ye-yo.)

→ Nice to meet you. I’m Soona

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9️⃣ 반가워요! 사진에서만 봤어요.

(ban-ga-wo-yo! sa-jin-e-seo-man bwa-sseo-yo.)

→ Nice to see you! I only saw you in photos before.

1️⃣0️⃣ 오늘도 수고하세요!(o-neul-do su-go-ha-se-yo!)

→ Have a good day and keep up the good work!

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3️⃣ Expression Tips & Cultural Notes

• “안녕하세요” comes from 안녕(peace) + 하세요(do) → literally “Are you at peace?”.It’s a wish for someone’s well-being, not just “Hi.”

  
  

• “감사합니다” vs “고마워요”→ Both mean “thank you,”

  but 감사합니다 is formal and polite — use in public or professional settings.고마워요 is softer, used with friends or people around your age.

  
  

• “죄송합니다” vs “미안합니다”→ Both mean “I’m sorry,” but they have different nuance:

  • 죄송합니다 = humble, formal (from Sino-Korean 죄(罪) “sin” + 송(悚) “fear”)

  • 미안합니다 = personal, warm, often used with acquaintances or friends.

    Extra tip: In English, “I’m sorry” can mean “I’m sorry to hear that,” but 죄송합니다 cannot. You don’t use 죄송합니다 when someone tells you bad news

    
    

• “수고하세요” means “Please continue your effort.”Say it to someone still working

• “처음 뵙겠습니다” uses “뵙다,” the honorific form of “보다 (to see),”showing respect when meeting someone for the first time.

  
  

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3️⃣ Mini Practice

Fill in the blanks .

Choose the right greeting for each situation.

1️⃣ Meeting someone for the first time → ________

2️⃣ Saying goodbye when you leave → ________

3️⃣ Expressing thanks politely → ________

4️⃣ Apologizing formally at work → ________

Answers

1️⃣ 처음 뵙겠습니다 → Used at first meetings (formal).

2️⃣ 안녕히 계세요 → Used when you leave.

3️⃣ 감사합니다 → Polite and universal “thank you.”

4️⃣ 죄송합니다 → Most formal “I’m sorry” used in business or public.

• Korean greetings change with social hierarchy. If unsure, always choose the more polite version (안녕하세요 / 감사합니다 / 죄송합니다).

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📂 Download Practice File

📥 Download your “Basic Greetings in Korean” Worksheet

Practice greetings with fill-in-the-blank and pronunciation drills.

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