7 different ways to say good morning in Korean

Korean greetings play an important role in the vast world of Korean etiquette. It is significant to understand which greetings are appropriate for the situation and the people involved. Learn to say good morning in Korean to start your morning in a perfect way.

Waking up with the right attitude decides the quality of your entire day. Learning good morning greetings in Korean will help you kick start your day with the right and productive attitude.

In this guide, we will provide you with a list of some common Korean morning greetings that you should know to get your day started right. These greetings are based on different scenarios and you are required to use the right greeting for the right situation.

안녕하세요 (Hello – formal)

Exact pronunciation: ahn-nyung-ha-se-yo

You may already be familiar with this one. It’s the standard Korean greeting, but it’s also the most common way to greet someone during the day. In fact, it is more commonly used than the majority of morning greetings.

Because of the inclusion of 하세요, which is imperative that orders someone to do something, this phrase is formal.  요 is a Korean honorific word that, when added to the end of a phrase or sentence, elevates its tone.

The word itself means “peace.” When translated more literally, essentially means that you want someone to “be at peace.” Use 안녕하세요 for your elders, those with whom you are less acquainted, your social superiors such as your boss, and other people who deserve to be respected.

안녕하십니까 (ahn-nyung-ha-shim-ni-kka) is a more formal version of this phrase. However, because this version is rather limited in its application, you are unlikely to need it frequently. It can also be used sarcastically and humorously among friends.

안녕 (Hello – informal)

Exact pronunciation: ahn-nyung

Simply removing 하세요 from 안녕하세요results in a more casual and informal version of the greeting.

안녕 is a common greeting among friends and when addressing those who are close to or younger in age than you. It is short and easy to say. 안녕 can also be translated as “Goodbye.”

잘 잤어요? (Did you sleep well? – formal)

Exact pronunciation: jal jat-ssuh-yo

This greeting is in the form of a question. It is appropriate for your social superiors, elders, and acquaintances. It works for anyone you want to treat with dignity, even if you consider them a friend.

You can answer this question with 네 (ne, “Yes”) or 네, 잘 잤어요 (ne, jal jat-ssuh-yo, “Yes, I slept well”). Learning these common Korean phrases will help you hold Korean conversations easily. In fact, it gives you a chance to build positive relationships with the people around you.

A bit more formal version of this phrase is 안녕히 주무셨어요 (ahn-nyung-hi ju-mu-shyut-ssuh-yo)? The main difference between these two phrases is in the verb conjugation. The 주무셨 that substitutes the 잤 is a conjugation of the verb 주무시다 (ju-mu-shi-da, “to sleep”). 주무시다 is a much more formal version of the verb 자다 (ja-da, “to sleep”).

잘 잤어? (Did you sleep well? – informal)

Exact pronunciation: jal jat-ssuh

Removing the ending 요 yields the more informal equivalent. Use this question for your friends and family members, basically, the people you don’t have to be so formal and respectful around.

Instead of asking this question directly to someone first thing in the morning, you can ask it after a more neutral greeting, such as 안녕.

It’s not required, but if you prefer to begin conversations with a “Hello” rather than a question, go ahead!

좋은 아침이에요 (It’s a good morning – formal)

Exact pronunciation: joh-eun ah-chi-mee-eh-yo         

This is most likely the closest equivalent to the English phrase “Good morning.” However, it is not used as frequently as one might expect. 안녕하세요 and 안녕 are more commonly used Korean morning greetings.

좋은 아침이에요 is still a pleasant and cheerful-sounding formal greeting, so you can certainly use it. It can also be used to comment on the current state of the day, such as saying that the morning is quite pleasant.

You can learn Korean easily by analyzing the use of the right phrases for the right situation. Try looking at the phrases from this perspective and you will end up learning these phrases within no time.

좋은 아침 (It’s a good morning – informal)

Exact pronunciation: joh-eun ah-chim

The less formal version of 좋은 아침이에요 that you can use to greet your friends in the early hours.

It is considered to be equivalent to the simple English greeting “Morning.” It can also be used to comment on the morning itself. If you want to have longer conversations with ease, you can formally learn Korean online with italki. Here, Korean teachers will help you build Korean vocabulary as well as structure formation.

굿모닝 (Good morning – slang)

Exact pronunciation: guun-mo-neeng

This is a greeting in Konglish (Korean-English). It is a phonetic Korean spelling of the English phrase “Good morning.” As a result, none of the words have a standard Korean meaning.

You probably wouldn’t say this to someone in real life (especially not to anyone who deserves a bit more respect). It is thought to fall under the category of slang. This phrase, however, can be found in online forums and text messaging. Etiquette isn’t as important in these areas, so if you want to fit in better online or understand “hip” Internet slang, this greeting is a good one to know.

Morning greetings may appear to be unimportant parts of your day, but they are polite necessities in everyday life.

Conclusion

A large number of people get confused about which language to learn Korean or Japanese. Well, it totally depends on your plans and goals. If you are going to Korea for higher studies, you need to learn Korean at an advanced level.  

And, because Korean culture places a high value on respect, knowing which greetings to use for whom is always a good idea. You don’t want to ruin someone’s morning simply because you used the wrong phrase! Keep practicing them until you get them right. While learning new greetings and phrases, it is important for you to understand the particular culture and basic etiquette. The phrases of saying good morning in Korean need to be learned by understanding Korean culture. Give people the appropriate level of respect and build long-lasting relationships.