네 / 아니요
How to say yes and no in Korean A1
네, 예, 응, 아니요, 아니 — and why Korean “yes” to a negative question means the opposite of English.
Every form, from formal to casual
Yes/no in Korean agrees with the statement, not with the fact. To “You didn’t eat?”, 네 means “right, I didn’t.”
| Korean | Romanization | Level | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 예 | ye | Formal | Yes (very polite) |
| 네 | ne | Polite | Yes / I see / uh-huh |
| 응 | eung | Casual | Yeah |
| 아니요 | aniyo | Polite | No |
| 아니 | ani | Casual | Nope |
| 맞아요 | majayo | Polite | That’s right |
| 괜찮아요 | gwaenchanayo | Polite | No thanks / it’s fine |
Which one do I actually use?
네 doubles as “I’m listening” — Koreans say it constantly on the phone. Declining a bag at the convenience store is 괜찮아요, not 아니요. When a waiter asks 더 필요한 거 없으세요? (“Nothing else you need?”), answer 네, 없어요 — “yes (correct), nothing.”
Pronunciation notes
- 네
Often heard as [데] or [녜] in fast speech; both are normal.
- 아니요
a-ni-yo, with slight fall on 요. 아뇨 is the contracted spoken form.
Vocabulary set
Cards are saved in this browser and scheduled with spaced repetition.
Quick drill
Common mistakes
- ✗ 아니요 to “You don’t have a card?” when you don’t✓ 네, 없어요Korean agrees with the negative statement: yes = “correct, I don’t.”
- ✗ 응 to an elder✓ 네응 is casual; with elders and strangers use 네.
Example sentences
FAQ
How do you say yes in Korean?
네 (ne) politely, 예 (ye) formally, 응 (eung) casually among friends.
How do you say no in Korean?
아니요 (aniyo) politely, 아니 (ani) casually. To decline an offer, 괜찮아요 (“I’m fine”) is softer.
Why did they say 네 when they meant no?
Korean yes/no agrees with the question. To “Don’t you like it?”, 네 means “correct, I don’t.”
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