How to say how are you in Korean

Koreans do not ask "how are you" every day; 안녕하세요 already does that job. When you have not seen someone for a while, you ask 잘 지냈어요?, "have you been well?". And with people you care about, you ask whether they have eaten.

To a friend you have not seen for a while

Casual🎬 K-Drama Hits

잘jal지ji냈nae어sseo

How have you been?

jal jinaesseo

Meeting again after years

How it sounds

Written잘 지냈어

Said잘 지내써

1냈어 → 내써Linking
A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.
The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).

잘well
지냈어got along (casual, past)

Literally: well got along

3 forms

Who are you meeting again?

Choose the person.

잘 지냈어How have you been?jal jinaesseo · said 잘 지내써To a friend you have not seen for a whileCasual
Meeting again after years
Written잘 지냈어
Said잘 지내써
1. 1냈어 → 내써Linking
  A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.
  The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).
잘 지냈어요How have you been?jal jinaesseoyo · said 잘 지내써요An old colleague, a friend of the familyPolite
Written잘 지냈어요
Said잘 지내써요
1. 1냈어 → 내써Linking
  A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.
  The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).
잘 지내셨어요How have you been?jal jinaesyeosseoyo · said 잘 지내셔써요With extra respect: a teacher, an older relativePolite
Written잘 지내셨어요
Said잘 지내셔써요
1. 1셨어 → 셔써Linking
  A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.
  The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).

Quick check

You meet your university professor at a café, two years after graduating. What do you ask?

What Koreans ask instead

Tap a phrase to see how it really sounds.

밥 먹었어Have you eaten?bam meogeosseo · said 밤 머거써Casual
Everyday way to show care
Written밥 먹었어
Said밤 머거써
1. 1밥 → 밤Nasal
  ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ sound like ㅇ/ㄴ/ㅁ before ㄴ/ㅁ.
  Sounds turn nasal. Before ㄴ or ㅁ, final ㄱ becomes ㅇ, ㄷ becomes ㄴ and ㅂ becomes ㅁ: 감사합니다 is said 감사함니다. ㄹ after these sounds is said like ㄴ: 정류장 → 정뉴장.
2. 2먹었어 → 머거써Linking
  A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.
  The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).
NoteSaid slowly, word by word: [밥 머거써]
괜찮아Are you okay? / I'm okaygwaenchana · said 괜차나Casual
Comforting a friend; question or answer by intonation
Written괜찮아
Said괜차나
1. 1찮아 → 차나Silent ㅎ · Linking
  ㅎ goes silent before a vowel; A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.
  ㅎ goes silent. A final ㅎ before a vowel isn't pronounced. 좋아요 is said 조아요 (jo-a-yo).
  The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).
괜찮아요It's okay / Are you okay?gwaenchanayo · said 괜차나요Polite
Polite version for strangers and elders
Written괜찮아요
Said괜차나요
1. 1찮아 → 차나Silent ㅎ · Linking
  ㅎ goes silent before a vowel; A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.
  ㅎ goes silent. A final ㅎ before a vowel isn't pronounced. 좋아요 is said 조아요 (jo-a-yo).
  The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).
무슨 일이야What's going on?museun iriya · said 무슨 이리야Casual
Something is clearly wrong
Written무슨 일이야
Said무슨 이리야
1. 1일이 → 이리Linking
  A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.
  The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).
NoteIn fast speech often [무슨 니리야] — an extra ㄴ sound slips in
피곤해I'm tiredpigonhaeCasual
End of a long day
Written피곤해
Read exactly as written.

Questions

Why do Koreans ask if you have eaten?

밥 먹었어? ("have you eaten?") is a way of saying "I care about you". A simple 네, 먹었어요 ("yes, I ate") is a fine answer, even if you have not.

How do you answer 잘 지냈어요?

네, 잘 지냈어요 ("yes, I have been well"), then ask back: 잘 지냈어요?

Can I say 어떻게 지내요?

Yes, 어떻게 지내요? ("how are you getting on?") is common too, but it invites a longer answer than 잘 지냈어요?

More phrases

안녕하세요Hello in Korean 감사합니다Thank you in Korean 사랑해I love you in Korean 미안해Sorry in Korean 귀여워Cute in Korean 건배Cheers in Korean 240All phrases with audio

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