How to say sorry in Korean

Korean has two words for sorry: 미안 for everyday apologies and 죄송 when you owe more respect. Each comes in casual, polite and formal forms. Pick who you hurt and see what to say.

To a friend or partner

Casual🎬 K-Drama Hits

미mi안an해hae

I'm sorry

mianhae

Apology to a friend or partner

How it sounds

Written미안해

Read exactly as written.

미안sorry
해do (casual)

Literally: sorry do

4 forms

Pick the right sorry

Choose who you are apologizing to.

미안해I'm sorrymianhaeTo a friend or partnerCasual
Apology to a friend or partner
Written미안해
Read exactly as written.
미안해요I'm sorrymianhaeyoA colleague, someone you bumped intoPolite
Written미안해요
Read exactly as written.
죄송해요I'm sorryjoesonghaeyoMore respectful: an older person, a customerPolite
Written죄송해요
Read exactly as written.
죄송합니다I'm sorryjoesonghamnida · said 죄송함니다Your boss, a teacher, a serious mistakeFormal
Written죄송합니다
Said죄송함니다
1. 1합 → 함Nasal
  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.

Quick check

You arrive ten minutes late to a meeting with your manager. What do you say?

Apologies and what comes after

Tap a phrase to see how it really sounds.

실수해서 죄송합니다I'm sorry for the mistakesilssuhaeseo joesonghamnida · said 실쑤해서 죄송함니다Formal
Apologizing to your boss
Written실수해서 죄송합니다
Said실쑤해서 죄송함니다
NoteIn the Sino-Korean word 실수, ㅅ after ㄹ is pronounced tense: [실쑤]
다음부터 조심하겠습니다I'll be more careful from now ondaeumbuteo josimhagetseumnida · said 다음부터 조심하겓씀니다Formal
After a mistake
Written다음부터 조심하겠습니다
Said다음부터 조심하겓씀니다
1. 1겠 → 겓7 final sounds
  At the end of a syllable, consonants collapse into one of just seven sounds.
  Only seven final sounds. At the end of a syllable Korean has only seven sounds: ㄱ ㄴ ㄷ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅇ. ㅅ ㅆ ㅈ ㅊ ㅌ ㅎ sound like ㄷ, ㅋ ㄲ like ㄱ, ㅍ like ㅂ. 옷 is said 옫 (ot).
2. 2습 → 씀Nasal · Tense
  ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ sound like ㅇ/ㄴ/ㅁ before ㄴ/ㅁ; After a ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ ending, the next ㄱㄷㅂㅅㅈ is squeezed into tense ㄲㄸㅃㅆㅉ.
  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.
  Tense, doubled sounds. After a final ㄱ ㄷ ㅂ sound, the next ㄱ ㄷ ㅂ ㅅ ㅈ becomes tense: ㄲ ㄸ ㅃ ㅆ ㅉ. 학교 is said 학꾜 (hak-kkyo).
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).
저기요Excuse me! (calling a server)jeogiyoPolite
Calling staff — the normal way in Korea
Written저기요
Read exactly as written.

Questions

What is the difference between 미안해요 and 죄송해요?

죄송 is humbler. Use 미안해요 with equals and 죄송해요 or 죄송합니다 with anyone older, senior, or a customer.

How do you say excuse me?

To get past someone, 잠시만요 (jamsimanyo). To call a waiter, 저기요 (jeogiyo). 죄송합니다 also works when you bump into someone.

How do you answer an apology?

괜찮아요 (gwaenchanayo), "it is okay", or 괜찮아 to a friend.

More phrases

안녕하세요Hello in Korean 감사합니다Thank you in Korean 사랑해I love you in Korean 잘 지냈어How are you in Korean 귀여워Cute in Korean 건배Cheers in Korean 240All phrases with audio

Apologize at work, in shops and in love: 240 phrases

Korean alphabet, 240 phrases and quiz games with Korean audio. Works offline.