안녕히 가세요
How to say goodbye in Korean A1
Who stays and who leaves decides the word: 안녕히 가세요 vs 안녕히 계세요, plus 잘 가, 잘 있어, 다음에 봐요.
Every form, from formal to casual
Korean goodbyes encode who is leaving. 가세요 (“go well”) is said to the person walking away; 계세요 (“stay well”) to the one staying.
| Korean | Romanization | Level | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 안녕히 가세요 | annyeonghi gaseyo | Polite | To someone leaving |
| 안녕히 계세요 | annyeonghi gyeseyo | Polite | To someone staying (you leave) |
| 잘 가 | jal ga | Casual | Friend is leaving |
| 잘 있어 | jal isseo | Casual | Friend is staying |
| 다음에 봐요 | daeume bwayo | Polite | See you next time |
| 수고하세요 | sugohaseyo | Polite | Leaving a shop / office |
Which one do I actually use?
Leaving a restaurant? The staff stays, so you say 안녕히 계세요 or the very common 수고하세요; they answer 안녕히 가세요. Both leaving at once (a station platform)? Both say 안녕히 가세요. Texting ends with 다음에 봐요 or casual 잘 자 at night.
Pronunciation notes
- 안녕히 가세요
안녕히 → [안녕이]; the ㅎ weakens almost to nothing between voiced sounds.
- 수고하세요
su-go-ha-se-yo. Flat intonation; it is a farewell, not praise.
Vocabulary set
Cards are saved in this browser and scheduled with spaced repetition.
Quick drill
Common mistakes
- ✗ 안녕히 가세요 when you are the one leaving the shop✓ 안녕히 계세요 / 수고하세요The clerk stays; “go well” is for the person moving away.
- ✗ 바이바이 in a formal setting✓ 안녕히 가세요바이바이 is cute/casual, fine with friends only.
Example sentences
FAQ
What is the difference between 안녕히 가세요 and 안녕히 계세요?
가세요 (“go well”) is said to the person leaving; 계세요 (“stay well”) is said to the person staying behind.
How do you say bye casually in Korean?
잘 가 (to the one leaving), 잘 있어 (to the one staying), or simply 안녕.
What does 수고하세요 mean?
Literally “work hard / take care of your labor”; in practice, a polite goodbye to people who are still working.
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