안녕하세요? This is something that I hear very often in Korea. Whether I am entering a building or encountering someone for the first time, I’m often encountered by this phrase that simply expressed to mean “hello.”
안녕하세요 is an amalgamation of two words:
안녕 + 하세요
안녕 means peace and 하세요 is from the verb 하다 which means to do. When you use this greeting, you are literally asking someone, “Are you at peace?”
So now you’ve said hello, you might want to convey how happy you are to make the other person’s acquaintance.
The expression you’d want to use is 만나서 번가워요 ( or 반갑습니다 if you’re speaking to someone elder or has a higher position than you). 만나서 means because we meet and 번가워요 means I am glad. We would use this to say “nice to meet you.” Sometimes, 만나서 is dropped so you all you would have to say is 번가워요.
Now after you’ve exchanged pleasantries, it’s time to part ways and say goodbye. The way you express your parting greeting will depend on if the person you’re speaking to is staying or leaving. If they are staying you would say:
안녕히 계세요
annyeonghi gyeseyo
If you are leaving but the other person isn’t, with this phrase you will be essentially telling them to stay in peace.
안녕히 가세요
annyeonghi gaseyo
If the person you’re speaking to is leaving, you would say 안녕히 가세요. Much like the previous goodbye, you are telling the other person to go in peace.
So that’s all for now, I guess!
나중에 봐요!
