How To Say Hello In Korean

Contents

0.1 How do you say hello in Korean casually?

1 How do you say hello in Korean?
2 What does Annyeonghaseyo mean?
- 2.1 Are hi and bye in Korean the same?
  - 2.1.1 How do you greet Korean for the first time?
  - 2.1.2 How do girls say hello in Korean?
3 Is it easy to learn Korean?
- - 3.0.1 Why do Koreans say Ani?
4 What is a pretty Korean word?
- 4.1 What is the most popular Korean word?
  - 4.1.1 How do you say goodbye in Korean?
5 How do you greet Korean for the first time?
- - 5.0.1 How do you address a Korean person?
- 5.1 What is the most formal way to say hello in Korean?

How do you say hello in Korean casually?

#2 안녕 ( annyeong ) – “Hi” in Korean (informal) – To make 안녕하세요 more familiar or informal, you drop the second half of the greeting so that it simply becomes 안녕 ( annyeong ). This version is used with people you are close to or who are younger than you. And using this phrase is a sign of closeness to the person you’re speaking to.

How do you say hello in Korean?

Having your first conversation in Korean starts with a simple “hi”. And that’s why you need to learn “hello” in Korean, as well as some basic Korean greetings! Learning how to say hello in Korean is pretty simple, and you may even have heard it before Long before I had an interest in learning the language, I learned how to say “hello” in Korean while watching Arrested Development. If you’ve seen the show, you might remember they thought “Annyeong” was his name, but it really meant hello (which is why he was always saying it).

“Hello” (polite): 안녕하세요 ( annyeong haseyo ) “Hi” / “Hello” (casual): 안녕 ( annyeong ) “Good day” / “Hello” (formal): 녕하십니까 ( annyeong hasimnikka ) “Hello” when answering the phone: 여보세요 ( yeoboseyo ) “Good morning”: 좋은아침이에요 ( joeun achimieyo ) “Long time no see” (polite): 오랜만이에요 ( oraenmanieyo ) “Nice to meet you” (formal): 만나서 반갑습니다 ( mannaseo bangapseumnida ) “What’s up?”: 무슨 일이야? ( museun ir-iya? ) “How are you?”: 어떻게 지내세요? ( eotteoke jinaeseyo? ) “Did you eat?”: 밥 먹었어? ( bab meogeoss-eo? ) “Yo!”: 야! ( Ya! ) “Please look after me”: 잘부탁드립니다 ( jalbutag deurimnida )

What does Annyeonghaseyo mean?

5 Most Important Korean Phrases to Learn First Whether you are going on a short trip to Korea, or you simply want to learn the Korean language, you will have to start somewhere. It can be daunting to figure out where to start but this list will jumpstart your Korean learning with the 5 most important phrases you need to know as a beginner.1.

Hello – 안녕하세요 When you are greeted by someone, whether it be in the shops or on the street, you will hear this word. 안녕하세요 is the formal, polite way to say hello in Korean and is the most important for you to know when you are just beginning learning Korean or if you are in need of some simple travel Korean.

A fun fact about this word: it has the literal meaning of ‘be in peace’.2. Goodbye – 안녕히 가세요 / 안녕히 계세요 There are actually two phrases for the formal polite way to say goodbye in Korean, and which one you use depends on the situation. You may have noticed they sound very similar to each other, and they also sound similar to the phrase for “hello”.

This is because the two phrases for goodbye also have the literal meaning of ‘go in peace’ and ‘stay in peace’. By looking at their literal meanings you may have a better understanding of what situations they are each used in. 안녕히 가세요 is used when the person(s) you are speaking to are the ones leaving, or when you are going separate ways.

안녕히 계세요 is used when you are leaving, but the person(s) you are speaking to are staying.

Are hi and bye in Korean the same?

When to use it – 안녕하세요 is the formal version of 안녕, and this is what Korean adults will say when they meet each other for the first time, or when adults are saying hello to those they are not familiar with. Also, Korean adults will say 안녕하세요 in settings when they need to be polite, even if they’re greeting people they know quite well.

A prime example of this is at the workplace.
Adults will generally use formal and polite language when they’re at work, where use of informal language may be considered impolite, and often times quite rude.
Also, when adults talk to other adults who are older, or are of higher in rank at workplace, they will say 안녕하세요.

Lastly, when children say ‘hello’ to adults, they have to say ‘안녕하세요’ – this is an absolute must. A child saying just 안녕 to an adult is considered very rude.

How do you greet Korean for the first time?

Download Article Download Article Learning basic greetings is important in any language. However, in a conservative culture such as Korea, it’s more important to learn how to properly greet others to avoid causing offense. The standard way to say “hello” in Korean, used between adults who don’t know each other, is 안녕하세요 (an-nyeong-ha-se-yo).

1 Say 안녕하세요 (an-nyeong-ha-se-yo) when meeting someone for the first time. If you’re an adult and you’re talking to someone you don’t know, 안녕하세요 (an-nyeong-ha-se-yo) is your best choice to say “hello.” This greeting is considered rather formal and shows respect for the person you’re greeting.
- This greeting should also be used in any context where it’s important to maintain a degree of formality, such as in the workplace, even if you’re talking to someone you’re friendly with.
- Children also use this greeting when saying hello to adults.
Tip: The 요 (yo) at the end of the greeting tells you that it’s polite. Any time you see 요 (yo), you know that the word or phrase being used is polite and generally acceptable to use among adults to convey the proper respect.
2 Use 안녕 (an-nyeong) when talking to children. 안녕 (an-nyeong) is a shortened, more informal version of the standard greeting 안녕하세요 (an-nyeong-ha-se-yo). This greeting is most commonly used among children and family members. However, it would rarely be used by adults unless they were greeting a child.
- 안녕 (an-nyeong) is also used among friends. However, for adults over the age of 30, you’ll typically only hear this greeting between women. Men rarely, if ever, use it unless talking to a child. In Korean society, it is generally seen as inappropriate for an adult man to be using an expression that children use.
Tip: 안녕 (an-nyeong) is used to mean both “hello” and “goodbye.” However, 안녕하세요 (an-nyeong-ha-se-yo) is only used to mean “hello.” Advertisement
3 Try other informal greetings if you are an adult man. An adult man in Korea would never greet his friends with 안녕 (an-nyeong) because it is a phrase used by women and children. However, there are a number of other phrases adult men use to greet friends that are a little less formal than 안녕하세요 (an-nyeong-ha-se-yo) but still convey the proper politeness. These greetings include:
- 반갑다! (ban-gap-da): This phrase means “it’s good to see you” and is the most common informal greeting among adult male friends. Also may be used by teenagers and children.
- 잘 지냈어? (jal ji-ne-sseo?): Similar to “how are you,” this phrase asks “have you been well?” Also a common greeting among adult male friends. Teenagers and children also use this greeting.
- 오랜만이야 (o-ren-ma-ni-ya): “Long time no see,” used between adult male friends who haven’t seen each other in a while. Children and teenagers will also say this to each other in the same context.
- 얼굴 보니까 좋다 (ul-gul bo-ni-gga jo-ta): “It’s good to see your face,” a colloquial, informal greeting used exclusively between adult friends.
4 Listen for 안녕하십니까 (an-nyeong-ha-shim-ni-ka) in business contexts. 안녕하십니까 (an-nyeong-ha-shim-ni-ka) is a super formal way of saying “hello” in Korean, and is typically only used by a business owner who wants to show respect to their customers. It’s intended to show a great deal of respect and deference.
- While you won’t be greeted this way in every shop or restaurant you enter in Korea, you’re likely to hear it in fancier places. Airline staff will also greet you this way on a Korean airline.
- You may be greeted this way while in Korea, but you would seldom have any opportunity to use it yourself unless you work in a customer service position in Korea. If you use this phrase in any other context, it will just make the people you greet feel awkward.
5 Accompany polite or formal greetings with a bow. When you greet anyone using a formal greeting, bend your head and waist about 45 degrees while looking down. If you’re using a polite greeting with someone you know, bow 15 to 30 degrees.
- The depth of your bow depends on the person and the context. Someone older than you or in a position of authority would always get a deeper bow.
- Never make eye contact with the other person when you bow. This is considered rude.

1 Answer the phone with 여보세요 (yeo-bo-se-yo). 여보세요 (yeo-bo-se-yo) is a way of saying “hello,” but it’s only ever used when answering the phone. It would be inappropriate and borderline rude to use it in person or in any other context.
- Because the phrase ends in 요 (yo), it is considered polite and is appropriate to use regardless of who’s on the other end of the line.
2 Switch to 좋은 아침 (jo-eun a-chim) first thing in the morning. Unlike English and many other languages, there are no distinct greetings in Korea that depend on the time of the day. However, first thing in the morning you can use 좋은 아침 (jo-eun a-chim), which literally means “good morning.”
- While people will understand you when you say this, it isn’t a commonly used greeting. It’s best used between people you know relatively well, especially if one of them has said it to you first.
3 Say 만나서 반갑습니다 (man-na-se-o ban-gap-seum-ni-da) after being introduced to someone new. 만나서 반갑습니다 (man-na-se-o ban-gap-seum-ni-da) means, roughly, “pleased to meet you.” If you meet someone in a formal or professional setting, this is the phrase to use.
- Don’t forget to bow while saying this unless you’ve already bowed.
- This phrase is also appropriate if you’re meeting someone who appears to be older than you or is in a position of authority.
4 Try 만나서 반가워요(man-na-se-o ban-ga-wo-yo) if meeting someone around your age or younger. 만나서 반가워요(man-na-se-o ban-ga-wo-yo) is the more informal version of 만나서 반갑습니다 (man-na-se-o ban-gap-seum-ni-da) and also means “nice to meet you.” This phrase is appropriate when you’re being introduced to someone your age or younger.
- Remember to pay attention to context as well as the age of the person you’re greeting. If you’re meeting someone your age in a professional or formal setting, you would typically still use 만나서 반갑습니다 (man-na-se-o ban-gap-seum-ni-da). 만나서 반가워요(man-na-se-o ban-ga-wo-yo) is appropriate in a casual social setting, such as when you’re introduced to the friend of a friend.
Culture Tip: If you’re unsure what level of politeness to use, stick with the more polite greeting. No one will fault you for being too polite or formal, but you could cause offense if you are too casual with someone.

Add New Question

Question How do I say “Hello friend” in Korean? 안녕, 친구 (ahn-nyeong, chin-gu). 친구 (chin-gu) means friend and 안녕 (ahn-nyeong) is an informal way to say “hello” that is usually used for friends.
Question How do I say “Hello, Mom” in Korean? “Eomma ahn-nyeong” (안녕 엄마) When Koreans talk, the nouns come before the verbs or action. So in English, it is “Mom, hello.”
Question How do I say goodbye in Korean? For the person who is staying, “Anyoeung eKaseyo” and the person who is leaving says, “Anyeung eKeseyo.”

See more answers Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit Advertisement Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Romanization of Korean words is a tool that can help you pronounce words and phrases more quickly. However, if you’re trying to learn Korean, it’s best to start learning the Korean alphabet and how to pronounce the letters first, rather than relying too much on romanization.

Advertisement Article Summary X To say hello in Korean, say “Annyeong” when greeting your friends or relatives. This is pronounced “ann yeong” and is a common greeting for informal situations, just like saying “hey” in English. In most other situations, use “Anyoung haseyo,” pronounced “ahn-yong hah-say-yoh” instead, which is a common and respectful way to greet someone.

How do girls say hello in Korean?

How to say “Hello” in Korean? – Generally, there are three ways to say Hello in Korean : The formal way 안녕하십니까 (annyeonghasimnikka), the standard way 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo), and the informal way 안녕 (annyeong). When it comes to Korean greetings, it’s best to use the standard way in most situations because you can use it for almost everyone.

Remember that Korean is a hierarchical language,
That means you need to use the proper formality level, or you can come off as offensive for being too casual or too formal to people you know.
This lesson is written using both Hangeul (the Korean Alphabet) and romanized English.
You don’t need to know Hangeul to read the words, but it will help you with your pronunciation if you plan to learn Korean,

Get ready. This lesson will take you through some of the many ways to say “hello” in Korean!

Is it easy to learn Korean?

FSI Estimates For Reaching Korean Fluency – When language learners wonder how long it takes to learn their target language, they often turn to the estimates created by the United States Foreign Service Institute (FSI), This estimate takes into account the difficulty of the language compared to English.

However, it leaves out a lot of important factors, such as your personal motivations, your study methods, or what kind of learner you are.
So, please, take these numbers with a grain of salt.
The FSI puts Korean as a Category V language.
Which means, it’s one of the hardest languages to master.
They estimate 2200 hours of study before you can reach fluency in Korean.

Or 88 weeks of extremely intense study. But if you want a more accurate estimate of how long it will take you to learn Korean, you need to go deeper than the FSI estimate. That’s because there are a TON of variables that can affect how long it takes you to reach fluency. And if you don’t account for them, you might end up getting frustrated or put too much pressure on yourself when trying to learn Korean.

Why do Koreans say Ani?

(7) “Ani” doesn’t always mean no Test your knowledge of Korea with our weekly quiz on the language, culture, history or anything K-related. Answer: 아니 아직 Ani, I have not.”Ani,” which usually means “no” in Korean, may be one of the most versatile expressions in the Korean language.The most common usage of “ani” is as an exclamation you say in order to disagree. You can say “ani” as the response to a question or to correct a statement someone said to you.

But bear in mind, you would say “aniyo” to someone older or senior in rank, as well as strangers to be more polite.
So if someone is using honorifics, make sure to say “aniyo” instead of just “ani.”The word has several other meanings too.
For example, it can be used as an adverb, similar to “even” or “no way” in English, to express surprise or indicate that something is extreme.

Think of encountering an item in a shop with a hefty price tag, for example. You can also say the word when you eat food that tastes amazing, and you want to convey disbelief in a witty way. In this situation, “ani” does not mean “no.” This is not to be confused with the “ani” that comes at the end of a question, which is the informal, interrogative form of the verb “alda,” which means to know. MOST POPULAR : (7) “Ani” doesn’t always mean no

What is a pretty Korean word?

12. 놓다 (Nohta) – Moving on from someone or something you love the most is one of the hardest things. The Korean word for that is 놓다 (Nohta), which means emotionally letting go of something or someone. This might be what Eun-Tak felt when Kim Shin had vanished.

What is the most popular Korean word?

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – What is THE most common Korean Word? The most common Korean word is 것, meaning thing or object, What are the TOP 10 most common Korean words? The top 10 most common Korean words are: 1 – 것 A thing or an object 2 – 하다 To do 3 – 있다 To have 4 – 되다 To become / To be 5 – 수 Number 6 – 나 I, me 7 – 그 He, That 8 – 없다 Do not exist, absent 9 – 않다 To not be 10 – 사람 Person What is the National Institute of Korean Language? The National Institute of Korean Language was created in 1984, and became a subsidiary of the Ministry of Culture in 1991.

As seen on their official website, the Institute was “established for the purpose of developing the Korean language, improving the language-life of the people and administering research activities”.
Where to download the official list of the 6,000 most common Korean words? You can download the official list of the 6,000 most common Korean words created by the National Institute of Korean Language on this website,

Search for 한국어 학습용 어휘 목록(엑셀 파일) in the search bar to download the EXCEL file. How many words do I need to know to pass the TOPIK 1? You need to know around 1,500 to 2,000 words to complete TOPIK 1. To be more precise, the TOPIK 1 exam includes two sub-levels : 1급 you’ll need you to know how to express yourself in simple everyday conversations by making simple sentences from 800 basic words.2급 includes discussion of familiar topics using about 1,500∼2,000 words, making sure you adapt your speech correctly to formal and informal situations.

How do you say goodbye in Korean?

#1 안녕히 가세요 (annyeonghi gaseyo) – “Goodbye” in Korean when someone is leaving – For most goodbyes in Korean, there are two forms-one for when you’re the person leaving and another for when the other person is leaving. 안녕히 가세요 is one of the most common ways to say goodbye and it’s used when you’re staying, but the other person is leaving.

Before we go any further, let’s break this phrase down! 안녕 means “peace” in Korean. And by attaching 히, we turn it into an adverb (as a reminder, an adverb is a word that describes a verb). So, 안녕히 means “peacefully” and 가세요 means “please go”. Together, you’re literally saying 안녕히 가세요 “please go peacefully”.

This phrase is polite and works in most situations. There’s another similar phrase you’ll use when you’re the one leaving, so let’s get to it.

How do you greet Korean for the first time?

1 Say 안녕하세요 (an-nyeong-ha-se-yo) when meeting someone for the first time. If you’re an adult and you’re talking to someone you don’t know, 안녕하세요 (an-nyeong-ha-se-yo) is your best choice to say “hello.” This greeting is considered rather formal and shows respect for the person you’re greeting.
- This greeting should also be used in any context where it’s important to maintain a degree of formality, such as in the workplace, even if you’re talking to someone you’re friendly with.
- Children also use this greeting when saying hello to adults.
Tip: The 요 (yo) at the end of the greeting tells you that it’s polite. Any time you see 요 (yo), you know that the word or phrase being used is polite and generally acceptable to use among adults to convey the proper respect.
2 Use 안녕 (an-nyeong) when talking to children. 안녕 (an-nyeong) is a shortened, more informal version of the standard greeting 안녕하세요 (an-nyeong-ha-se-yo). This greeting is most commonly used among children and family members. However, it would rarely be used by adults unless they were greeting a child.
- 안녕 (an-nyeong) is also used among friends. However, for adults over the age of 30, you’ll typically only hear this greeting between women. Men rarely, if ever, use it unless talking to a child. In Korean society, it is generally seen as inappropriate for an adult man to be using an expression that children use.
Tip: 안녕 (an-nyeong) is used to mean both “hello” and “goodbye.” However, 안녕하세요 (an-nyeong-ha-se-yo) is only used to mean “hello.” Advertisement
3 Try other informal greetings if you are an adult man. An adult man in Korea would never greet his friends with 안녕 (an-nyeong) because it is a phrase used by women and children. However, there are a number of other phrases adult men use to greet friends that are a little less formal than 안녕하세요 (an-nyeong-ha-se-yo) but still convey the proper politeness. These greetings include:
- 반갑다! (ban-gap-da): This phrase means “it’s good to see you” and is the most common informal greeting among adult male friends. Also may be used by teenagers and children.
- 잘 지냈어? (jal ji-ne-sseo?): Similar to “how are you,” this phrase asks “have you been well?” Also a common greeting among adult male friends. Teenagers and children also use this greeting.
- 오랜만이야 (o-ren-ma-ni-ya): “Long time no see,” used between adult male friends who haven’t seen each other in a while. Children and teenagers will also say this to each other in the same context.
- 얼굴 보니까 좋다 (ul-gul bo-ni-gga jo-ta): “It’s good to see your face,” a colloquial, informal greeting used exclusively between adult friends.
4 Listen for 안녕하십니까 (an-nyeong-ha-shim-ni-ka) in business contexts. 안녕하십니까 (an-nyeong-ha-shim-ni-ka) is a super formal way of saying “hello” in Korean, and is typically only used by a business owner who wants to show respect to their customers. It’s intended to show a great deal of respect and deference.
- While you won’t be greeted this way in every shop or restaurant you enter in Korea, you’re likely to hear it in fancier places. Airline staff will also greet you this way on a Korean airline.
- You may be greeted this way while in Korea, but you would seldom have any opportunity to use it yourself unless you work in a customer service position in Korea. If you use this phrase in any other context, it will just make the people you greet feel awkward.
5 Accompany polite or formal greetings with a bow. When you greet anyone using a formal greeting, bend your head and waist about 45 degrees while looking down. If you’re using a polite greeting with someone you know, bow 15 to 30 degrees.
- The depth of your bow depends on the person and the context. Someone older than you or in a position of authority would always get a deeper bow.
- Never make eye contact with the other person when you bow. This is considered rude.

1 Answer the phone with 여보세요 (yeo-bo-se-yo). 여보세요 (yeo-bo-se-yo) is a way of saying “hello,” but it’s only ever used when answering the phone. It would be inappropriate and borderline rude to use it in person or in any other context.
- Because the phrase ends in 요 (yo), it is considered polite and is appropriate to use regardless of who’s on the other end of the line.
2 Switch to 좋은 아침 (jo-eun a-chim) first thing in the morning. Unlike English and many other languages, there are no distinct greetings in Korea that depend on the time of the day. However, first thing in the morning you can use 좋은 아침 (jo-eun a-chim), which literally means “good morning.”
- While people will understand you when you say this, it isn’t a commonly used greeting. It’s best used between people you know relatively well, especially if one of them has said it to you first.
3 Say 만나서 반갑습니다 (man-na-se-o ban-gap-seum-ni-da) after being introduced to someone new. 만나서 반갑습니다 (man-na-se-o ban-gap-seum-ni-da) means, roughly, “pleased to meet you.” If you meet someone in a formal or professional setting, this is the phrase to use.
- Don’t forget to bow while saying this unless you’ve already bowed.
- This phrase is also appropriate if you’re meeting someone who appears to be older than you or is in a position of authority.
4 Try 만나서 반가워요(man-na-se-o ban-ga-wo-yo) if meeting someone around your age or younger. 만나서 반가워요(man-na-se-o ban-ga-wo-yo) is the more informal version of 만나서 반갑습니다 (man-na-se-o ban-gap-seum-ni-da) and also means “nice to meet you.” This phrase is appropriate when you’re being introduced to someone your age or younger.
- Remember to pay attention to context as well as the age of the person you’re greeting. If you’re meeting someone your age in a professional or formal setting, you would typically still use 만나서 반갑습니다 (man-na-se-o ban-gap-seum-ni-da). 만나서 반가워요(man-na-se-o ban-ga-wo-yo) is appropriate in a casual social setting, such as when you’re introduced to the friend of a friend.
Culture Tip: If you’re unsure what level of politeness to use, stick with the more polite greeting. No one will fault you for being too polite or formal, but you could cause offense if you are too casual with someone.

Add New Question

Question How do I say “Hello friend” in Korean? 안녕, 친구 (ahn-nyeong, chin-gu). 친구 (chin-gu) means friend and 안녕 (ahn-nyeong) is an informal way to say “hello” that is usually used for friends.
Question How do I say “Hello, Mom” in Korean? “Eomma ahn-nyeong” (안녕 엄마) When Koreans talk, the nouns come before the verbs or action. So in English, it is “Mom, hello.”
Question How do I say goodbye in Korean? For the person who is staying, “Anyoeung eKaseyo” and the person who is leaving says, “Anyeung eKeseyo.”

See more answers Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit Advertisement Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

How do you address a Korean person?

The People Korea is one of the most homogeneous countries in the world, racially and linguistically. It has its own culture, language, dress and cuisine, separate and distinct from its neighboring countries. Hard work, filial piety and modesty are characteristics esteemed by Koreans.

The bow is the traditional Korean greeting, although it is often accompanied by a handshake among men. To show respect when shaking hands, support your right forearm with your left hand. Korean women usually nod slightly and will not shake hands with Western men. Western women may offer their hand to a Korean man. Bow when departing. Younger people wave (move their arm from side to side).

Names and Titles

It is considered very impolite to address a Korean with his or her given name. Address Koreans using appropriate professional titles until specifically invited by your host or colleagues to use their given names. Americans should address a Korean with Mr., Mrs., Miss + family name; however, never address a high-ranking person or superior in this manner. Korean names are the opposite of Western names with the family name first, followed by the two-part given name. The first of the two given names is shared by everyone of the same generation in the family, and the second is the individual’s given name. Example: Lee (Family) + Dong (Shared Given) + Sung (Given). Dong Sung is the individual’s given name. Address him as Mr. Lee or Lee Sonsaengnim (which means “teacher”).

Body Language

Koreans consider it a personal violation to be touched by someone who is not a relative or close friend. Avoid touching, patting or back slapping a Korean. Direct eye contact between junior and senior businesspeople should be avoided. This is seen as impolite or even as a challenge. Do not cross your legs or stretch your legs out straight in front of you. Keep your feet on the floor, never on a desk or chair. Always pass and receive objects with your right hand (supported by the left hand at the wrist or forearm) or with two hands. To beckon someone, extend your arm, palm down, and move your fingers in a scratching motion. Never point with your index finger.

Corporate Culture

Koreans expect Westerners to be punctual for social occasions and business meetings. Call if you will be delayed. However, you may be kept waiting up to a half hour. This is not a sign of disrespect, but reflects the pressure of time on Korean executives. Professionals meeting for the first time usually exchange business cards. Present your card and receive your colleague’s card with both hands. Building trust and relationships is vital to establishing a successful business relationship. This requires patience. Koreans prefer to do business with people they know. The first meeting is to establish trust, so business should not be discussed. Be formal in meetings until the Korean delegation loosens up. Negotiations are generally long and require several trips. Be prepared for business meetings to go well beyond business hours. Koreans generally start negotiations at an unreasonable position and prepare to compromise. Koreans are tough negotiators and admire a firm, persistent negotiator, but refrain from being too aggressive. A low, deep bow from Koreans at the end of a meeting indicates a successful meeting. A quick, short parting bow could mean dissatisfaction with meetings. Send a meeting review outlining all discussions and agreements to your Korean counterpart after you leave Korea. Make several visits during negotiations and after business is established. “Yes” is not necessarily yes. Koreans avoid saying “no.” Try to phrase questions in a manner that doesn’t require a “yes” or “no” answer. Example: Instead of saying “Could we sign the agreement by next Friday? say “When is the earliest date that we could expect to sign this agreement?”

Dining and Entertainment

Sharing a dinner is vital to building friendships that foster trust. Your business success is directly related to your social relationships. Do not pour your own drink, but do offer to pour others’. It is common to trade and fill each other’s cup. To refuse is an insult. Women pour men’s drinks, but never another woman’s drink. A woman may pour her own drink. Leave some drink in your glass if you don’t want a refill. Wherever you see a “No Tipping” sign, do not tip. Koreans find tipping offensive, although tipping is now becoming expected in Western hotels. Always allow your host to seat you. The seat of honor is the seat looking at the front door. If you are seated in the seat of honor, it is polite to protest slightly. Koreans do not like to talk a lot during dinner. Periods of silence are common and appreciated at a dinner. The meal usually comes before socializing at a dinner party. It is polite to pass or accept food or drink with your right hand while your left hand supports your forearm/wrist. The person who invites pays the bill for everyone. However, it is polite to offer to pay. When two people are dining, usually the younger person pays for the older person. Prepare to sing a solo number after dinner, no matter what kind of voice you have. Any song is acceptable, as long as you sing with spirit. After dinner, the host may invite his guests to go drinking. Don’t refuse this invitation.

Dress

Koreans dress well, and you should dress accordingly to show respect for them. A formal suit and tie is almost always appropriate. Koreans dress up for city activities, especially in Seoul. Women dress modestly. Prepare to sit on the floor; avoid straight, tight skirts.

Gifts

Gift giving is very common in Korea. Offer and receive a gift with both hands. Wrapped gifts are never opened in the presence of the giver. Reciprocate with a gift of similar value when receiving a gift from your Korean colleague. Koreans like regional United States gifts and Indian/Western artifacts. Wrap your gift nicely. Bright colors are preferred for wrapping gifts. Yellow and red or green stripes are a traditional Korean wrapping paper design. Avoid wrapping gifts in dark colors or red. Always bring a small gift for the hostess when invited to someone’s home. Give: small gift, candy, cakes, cookies, flowers, fruit. Do not give liquor to a woman. It is common to exchange gifts at the first business meeting. Allow the host to present his gift first. Give: liquor (good quality scotch), fruit, desk accessories, small mementos, gifts from France or Italy (which often indicate status). Do not give: expensive gifts (Koreans will feel obligated to reciprocate with a gift of equal value), knives or scissors (they signify “cutting off” a relationship), green headwear, gifts with red writing (denotes death) or gifts in a set of four (denotes death).

Helpful Hints

Never use words like “fellow,” “guy,” “this man” or “that man.” This is considered demeaning. Koreans are not Chinese. They are distinct from other Asians in food, language and culture. Expect Koreans to ask personal questions. This is viewed as showing a polite interest in your life. Deny a compliment. Don’t say “thank you.” It is impolite and shows a lack of humility. Never expect Koreans to admit to not knowing an answer when questioned. They may give an incorrect answer or an answer they think you would like to hear to make you feel good or to save face. Don’t talk about Koreans or their customs or culture within earshot of a Korean, even if you are saying good things. Do not talk about politics.

Especially for Women

Foreign women may have difficulty doing business in Korea. Although women are becoming more accepted in the Korean businessplace, Korean men generally prefer to negotiate with men. Korean women seldom shake hands. A Western woman can offer her hand to a Korean man, but should not to a Korean woman. Foreign businesswomen should always act elegant, refined and very “feminine. Laughing and loud talking are frowned upon. Generally, women wait for Korean men to make the first move.

Adapted from material compiled by Window on the World, a cross-cultural training and consulting firm. Originally based on material contained in the “Put Your Best Foot Forward” series of books by Mary Murray Bosrock,

What is the most formal way to say hello in Korean?

How to say Hello in Korean – 안녕하세요 (Annyeonghaseyo) = hello (polite, safe version) Get this one memorised. It’s the most used way of saying hello! 안녕하십니까 (annyeonghasimnikka) = hello (formal) You may see it on the news in Korea; and it’s used to greet someone unfamiliar, or of high social standing or age for the first time. Hello (on the telephone) = 여보세요 (yeoboseyo) Only use this on the telephone! Saying it in real life will only cause confusion.