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Express your thanks in both informal and formal situations
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“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.”
Things You Should Know
- Say gamsahamnida or gomapseumnida in formal situations when you need to be polite, such as when talking to your superiors or elders.
- Use the casual phrase gomawo when thanking close friends who are your age or people who are younger than you.
- Reply to someone’s thanks by saying aniaeyo , which means “No problem.”
Steps
Cheat Sheet
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Say gamsahamnida in most formal settings. This is the most common way to say “Thank you” in Korean. It’s a very polite and formal way of expressing thanks, and you use it when speaking with people who are older than you, have a higher rank than you, or with people you aren’t that close with. This is the best expression to use in formal situations like when you’re speaking with your boss or teacher, or giving a presentation. [1] X Research source- Pronunciation: gahm-sah-hahm-nee-dah
- Hangeul: 감사합니다
- An equally polite but slightly less formal way to say “Thank you” is to say gamsahaeyo (감사해요 / gahm-sah-hae-yoh). This is good to use with people you’re close to who are older than you.
- Say daedanhee gamsahamnida (대단히 감사합니다 / dae-dan-hee gahm-sah-hahm-nee-dah) to say, “Thank you very much.”
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Use gomapseumnida as an alternative to gamsahamnida . The phrase gomapseumnida is interchangeable with gamsahamnida , and you use it in the exact same situations. For example, use gomapseumnida when talking to your teacher, boss, colleagues, or strangers you meet throughout the day. [2] X Research source- Hangeul: 고맙습니다
- Pronunciation: go-mahp-seum-nee-dah
- If you're talking to friends with whom you'd normally speak more informally, the politeness of this phrase can communicate more sincere gratitude. You might use it, for example, when thanking a friend for going out of their way to help you with something serious or important.
- A less formal but equally polite version of this phrase is gomawoyo (고마워요 / go-mah-woh-yoh). This is also perfectly acceptable to use with people who are older than you who you’re close with.
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Say aniyo gwaenchanseumnida to say “No thank you.” If someone offers you something that you don't want, this phrase allows you to turn down their offer but still remain polite. This phrase is best to use in formal situations, such as if you’re in a meeting, talking with someone much older than you, or speaking to someone like your boss or teacher. [3] X Research source- Hangeul: 아니요 괜찮습니다
- Pronunciation: ah-nee-yoh gwaen-chahn-seum-nee-dah
- To refuse an offer from someone familiar to you, but with whom you should still be polite, such as an older relative or another adult you’re close with, you can instead say aniyo gwaenchanayo (아니요 괜찮아요 / ah-nee-yoh gwaen-chahn-ah-yoh).
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Say sugohashyeoseumnida to thank someone for their effort. This is a great phrase to use when thanking someone for a favor they did for you or simply as a way to recognize their hard work and effort. For example, it’s common to say this to colleagues at the end of the work day. However, avoid using this phrase with your superiors or elders since it can sound like you’re talking down to them. [4] X Research source- Hangeul: 수고하셨습니다
- Pronunciation: soo-go-hah-shyeo-seum-nee-dah
- This phrase is also good to use when you finish a task or project with another person or a group of people.
- Use the slightly less formal sugohaesseoyo (수고했어요 / soo-go-hae-sseo-yoh) when talking to people you’re close with in a formal setting, such as older colleagues at work you’re friends with.
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Say gosaengmaneushyeoseumnida to recognize someone’s hard work. This phrase is similar to sugohashyeoseumnida , but it’s more often used when you’re thanking someone for doing something particularly hard. The phrase can be literally translated as, “You’ve had a difficult time.” This is also a good phrase to use in formal situations and is more appropriate to use with superiors than sugohashyeoseumnida . [5] X Research source- Hangeul: 고생많으셨습니다
- Pronunciation: go-saeng-mahn-eu-shyeo-seum-nee-dah
- This phrase is also appropriate to use when thanking someone for doing a task they don’t normally do. For example, if you asked a colleague to run an errand they’ve never done before, you would say gosaengmaneushyeoseumnida to thank them.
- Use the slightly less formal phrase gosaengmanasseoyo (고생많았어요 / go-saeng-mahn-ah-sseo-yoh) to thank people you’re close with who are older than you.
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Say jal meokgetseumnida to thank someone for a meal. When someone prepares you a tasty meal, thank them with this phrase. It literally means “I’ll eat well,” and you use this phrase with friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances alike. Also, this phrase isn’t restricted to only when someone cooks for you. You also use it when someone buys you a meal. [6] X Research source- Hangeul: 잘 먹겠습니다
- Pronunciation: jal meok-gghess-seum-nee-dah
- When you’ve finished eating, say jal meogeosseumnida (잘 먹었습니다 / jal meog-eos-seum-nee-dah) to thank them once again for the meal. This literally translates to, “I ate well.”
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Say gomawo to a close friend or family member. This phrase is very informal and is considered appropriate only if you're talking to close friends or family members around your age or younger than you. Unless they’re small children, avoid using this phrase with anyone you don't know, even if they're considerably younger than you. [7] X Research source- Hangeul: 고마워
- Pronunciation: go-mah-woh
- Casual Korean is never used between adults who are strangers, even if there’s a significant age gap between them.
- If the person is older than you, but the situation is still informal, such as if you’re hanging out a cafe together, say gomawoyo (고마워요 / go-mah-woh-yoh) instead.
- Add jeongmal (정말 / jeong-mahl) or jinjja (진짜 / jeen-jjah) before gomawo to express a deeper thanks. Jeongmal gomawo and jinjja gomawo translate as, “Thank you so much.”
Tip: Notice that 고마워요 only has one extra character than 고마워. That final character sounds like “yoh,” and is what makes your thanks polite rather than simply informal. Anytime in Korean you see a word ending in 요, it indicates politeness towards the person being spoken to.
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Use ani gwaenchana to say “No thanks” to friends. Just like the more formal and polite phrase aniyo gwaenchanseumnida , this phrase is good to use when refusing someone’s suggestion or offer. Only use this phrase in informal situations and with people who are the same age or younger than you. [8] X Research source- Hangeul: 아니 괜찮아
- Pronunciation: ani gwaen-chahn-ah
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Use gosaenghaesseo or sugohaesseo to thank a friend for their hard work. When your friend does you a favor or you just want to compliment them on a job well done, use one of these expressions to show your gratitude and appreciation. Sugahaesseo is best to use when you finish working on something together while gosaenghaesseo is best for thanking them for doing you a favor or finishing a task that was a bit more difficult. [9] X Research source- Hangeul: 고생했어 / 수고했어
- Pronunciation: go-saeng-hae-sseo / soo-go-hae-sseo
- These two phrases are also a way of telling someone “Good job.”
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Use the casual slang ddaengkyu with friends. This is just the English phrase “Thank you” said with Korean pronunciation. Use this with very close friends or even family members you’re really close with, like your siblings or parents. Most of the time, when people say ddaengkyu , they use it jokingly.- Hanegul: 땡큐
- Pronunciation: ddaeng-kyoo
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Say aniaeyo in most informal situations. This phrase literally translates to, “No, it is not,” but it carries the meaning of “Not at all.” Use aniaeyo specifically in informal situations and with people who are older than you or whom you don’t know that well, such as an older colleague or classmate. [10] X Research source- Hangeul: 아니에요
- Pronunciation: ah-nee-ae-yo
- If you need to be more formal, such as if you're in a position of authority or speaking at a business meeting, use animnida (아닙니다 / ah-neem-nee-dah).
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Use gwaenchanayo to say “No problem.” This is an alternative to saying aniaeyo in response to someone thanking you. It translates as “It’s okay” or “It’s alright,” but carries the nuance of meaning “No problem.” This is a polite phrase that you use in more informal situations with people who are older than you. [11] X Research source- Hangeul: 괜찮아요
- Pronunciation: gwaen-chahn-ah-yoh
- If you need to be more formal, such as with an adult you don't know or a person in a position of authority, use gwaenchanseumnida (괜찮습니다 / gwaen-chan-seum-nee-dah).
- An even more casual way to say this is by saying gwaenchana (갠찮아 / gwaen-chahn-ah) to friends your age or people who are younger than you.
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Say yeh or neh to acknowledge their thanks. Both yeh and neh both literally mean “Yes” in Korean. However, when you say either of them after someone has thanked you, it’s like saying “Sure thing.” While they carry the same meanings, yeh is just slightly more formal than neh . However, both are acceptable to use in formal situations and with people older than you. [12] X Research source- Hangeul: 예 / 네
- Pronunciation: yeh / neh
- Eo (어 / uh) or eung (응 / eung) are the extremely casual and informal versions of yeh and neh . Only ever use these with close friends.
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Use byeolmalsseumeulyo to say “Don’t mention it.” This is another polite way to say “You’re welcome” when someone expresses their thanks toward you. It’s best to use this phrase with people you’re not very close with. However, avoid using this phrase with people in positions of authority or someone who’s significantly older than you since it’s not the most formal option. For those situations, you’d instead use animnida . [13] X Research source- Hangeul: 별말씀을요
- Pronunciation: byeol-mal-sseum-eul-yoh
- While this phrase does mean “You’re welcome,” it’s not used as often in conversation as a reply like aniaeyo or yeh probably is.
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Use cheonmanaeyo in extremely formal situations. While cheonmanaeyo does mean “You’re welcome,” it’s only ever used in very specific, formal situations, such as if you were meeting someone in a governmental position. This is an expression you’ll likely see more in written correspondence. [14] X Research source- Hangeul: 천만에요
- Pronunciation: cheon-mahn-ae-yoh
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QuestionHow do I say "What are you doing?" in Korean?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerIn most contexts, 뭐 해요 (muo haeyo) will be your best option. Among friends, you might say 뭐 해(muo hae), which is more casual.
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QuestionHow do I say 'I'm in love with you' in Korean?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerThe most direct translation for "I'm in love with you" in Korean would be 나는 너와 사랑에 빠졌어 (naneun neowa salang-e ppajyeoss-eo), which literally means "I have fallen in love with you."
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QuestionHow do I say "sorry" formally and informally?Community AnswerFormal way : 죄송합니다(Jae song hap ni da). Informal way : 미안해(Me an he). Usually, use the formal way to elder person even you are close with them.
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References
- ↑ https://youtu.be/WgViDd2nBbA?si=cVZBBJy3D3X9c8M7&t=78
- ↑ https://domandhyo.com/2018/08/how-to-say-thank-you-in-korean.html
- ↑ https://domandhyo.com/2018/08/how-to-say-thank-you-in-korean.html
- ↑ https://youtu.be/QwVCFKedimc?si=wXg0GuTVuoNCQ3do&t=53
- ↑ https://youtu.be/QwVCFKedimc?si=Hom7RgZOvFFeOU2e&t=79
- ↑ https://youtu.be/prqzBeYa45Y?si=bcGrtolfD8lI-2Gh&t=25
- ↑ https://youtu.be/nDmUBOg0aMQ?si=od_n9JprHj6kA-Vn&t=9
- ↑ https://domandhyo.com/2018/08/how-to-say-thank-you-in-korean.html
- ↑ https://youtu.be/xfMq6BWSj1M?si=4q4lvBLJZBC9WQsc&t=73
- ↑ https://youtu.be/GFS3StqDg8g?si=hcUasdZjpuG7KS77&t=130
- ↑ https://blogs.transparent.com/korean/you-are-welcome-in-korean/
- ↑ https://www.fluentu.com/blog/korean/youre-welcome-in-korean/
- ↑ https://www.fluentu.com/blog/korean/youre-welcome-in-korean/
- ↑ https://www.fluentu.com/blog/korean/youre-welcome-in-korean/
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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...
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