Picture this: you’re sitting at a fun Korean barbeque joint in Seoul and the server brings over your food. Like any polite person, your first reaction is probably to thank them. You freeze and ask yourself:
Don’t worry! By the end of this article, you’ll have learned several different ways to say thank you in Korean. You will feel confident using the phrases correctly. We’ll also break them down for you in
If you weren’t already aware, the Korean language (one of the oldest languages in the world!) uses honorifics — in many cases, suffixes (word endings) — that denote how formal and polite a word or phrase is.
Ways To Say “thank You” In Korean (and 3 Ways To Respond)
When it comes to saying thank you, this is particularly important. How you choose to say thank you to a friend or younger sibling will be different from how you say thank you to your boss or to your teacher.
If you don’t know someone and are not sure how old they are, it’s best to be formal and respectful rather than run the risk of offending them. You can never go wrong with being polite!
Once you grasp the basics of honorifics in Korean, you’ll start to notice patterns in how they are used. You’ll even notice some patterns in this lesson.
How Would I Say “thank You For Asking” In Korean ?
If you want to start with learning just one way to say thank you, choose this one! It is both formal and polite. When using it, you don’t have to worry about offending anyone by expressing your gratitude using 감사합니다 (pronunciation:
This way is also commonly used to say thank you in Korean. It can be used with a variety of people without causing offense.
Use it when someone has done something particularly helpful and you want to let them know just how nice it was. By using 정말 고마워요(pronunciation: jung-mal go-ma-wo-yo) you are still being formal and polite.
Thank You And?
Instead, try 고마워 (pronunciation: go-ma-wo). It is an alternative that is less formal. Use it with people who are the same age as you and with whom you are familiar with.
If this person is a younger colleague, you can say 고마워요 (go-mah-wo-yo / pronunciation: go-ma-wo-yo). Notice the addition of the polite ending 요 (yo) used to make sure you are being extra polite in the work setting.
Just a reminder: Even if you are really familiar with a work colleague, if they are older than you and/or have a higher position than you, you should still use 감사합니다 (pronunciation: gahm-sahab-needa) unless they tell you otherwise.
Hymn To Kim Jong Un Becomes Official Song At State Events — Radio Free Asia
Remember, if you are in doubt is 고마워 (pronunciation: goh-mah-woh) or 고마워요 (pronunciation: goh-mah-woh-yuoh) are acceptable, use 감사합니다 (pronunciation: gahm-sahab-needa) just to be safe.
Check out ’s free Korean online courses, guaranteed to make you learn how to pronounce words like 감사합니다 / gam-sa-ham-ni-da (thank you) correctly.
) is a combination of 감사 (gratitude or giving thanks) and 하다 (to do). We see these used in the common phrase 감사합니다 (pronunciation: gam-sa-ham-ni-da).
Korean Beef Bulgogi
As mentioned, 요 (yo / pronunciation: yoh) is a suffix used to make a word or phrase more formal and polite. It is commonly used in phrases such as:
Learning the roots and meanings of common words will help you understand how they can be used. It will empower you on your Korean language journey!
It is always important to make sure you are being polite and respectful. Ways to say thank you in Korean show respect and etiquette when it comes to how you speak.
How To Say How Are You In Korean: 14 Proven Ways
Koreans also demonstrate their respect and gratitude using body language. They bow when they say thanks. This is actually very similar to Japanese, where bowing is also used to show thanks. The deepness of the bow demonstrates your level of respect. To learn more, you can read our guide on how to say thank you in Japanese.
When you say thank you to those who are older than you, you should bow your head a little and say 감사합니다 (gam-sa-ham-ni-da). This is a polite and respectful way of proceeding.
In more formal settings, and with people who are higher up in the hierarchy, your bow should be deeper, about a 45-degree angle.
Korean Grammar: 8 Essential Tips
Feeling pretty confident with our first four phrases? Here are some more ways to show your appreciation and express gratitude in Korean:
. Use it for situations where someone has truly gone out of their way for you. Don’t forget to the cultural bow.
Just remember, this should never be used with someone older than you or in a formal setting. Close friends and younger family members only, okay? Take things to the next level By now, we’re sure you’re feeling pretty confident when it comes to saying thanks in Korean. Your next step is to get out there and practice!
Business Korean: Phrases You Need For Workplace Success
Kick your Korean up a notch with ’s online Korean course for beginners. Click below to start learning Korean – or one of the other 14 languages we offer!This article was co-authored by staff writer, Ali Garbacz, B.A.. Ali earned her B.A. in Linguistics and Asian Languages and Cultures with a focus on East Asia from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2022. She has published articles centering around culture and history for non-profits and has also done news writing for an online news site. Ali now writes as an editor at with the hopes of becoming a part in helping to achieve ’s goal of teaching everyone to do anything. She enjoys the process of researching and learning new things to share with readers and creating content that is both informative and fun.
“Thank you” is one of the essential phrases you’ll need if you’re a beginner learning Korean or planning on traveling to Korea sometime soon. The Korean language can be a bit tricky because there are multiple levels of formality and politeness to be conscious of. We’re here to help! In this article, we’ll walk you through how to say “Thank you” in both formal and informal situations, providing you with the Korean written form as well as pronunciation guides. We’ll also explain how to reply in Korean when someone says “Thank you.”
This article was co-authored by staff writer, Ali Garbacz, B.A.. Ali earned her B.A. in Linguistics and Asian Languages and Cultures with a focus on East Asia from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2022. She has published articles centering around culture and history for non-profits and has also done news writing for an online news site. Ali now writes as an editor at with the hopes of becoming a part in helping to achieve ’s goal of teaching everyone to do anything. She enjoys the process of researching and learning new things to share with readers and creating content that is both informative and fun. This article has been viewed 1, 744, 378 times.
Guide To Saying Thank You In Korean In Different Ways
Say “Thank You” in Korean informally with the phrase “Gomawo/고마워” (goh-mah-woh) or formally with the phrase “Gomabseumnida/고맙습니다” (goh-mab-seub-ni-da). For variations and situation-specific “Thank You” phrases, read on...
0 komentar
Posting Komentar