🇰🇷 KoreanA1–A2

Korean Introductions: Essential Phrases

This page gives you the Korean phrases you need for a first real conversation: greeting someone, saying your name, asking basic questions, keeping the exchange moving, and ending politely. The language is modern everyday Korean for Korea, with polite forms that are safe with someone you have just met. You’ll also see the replies and follow-up questions you are likely to hear, so you can keep the conversation going instead of stopping after the introduction.

Useful in real conversations

Essential Korean phrases

Greetings and first contact

Open the conversation politely and respond to basic first-meeting greetings.

안녕하세요.
Romanization: Annyeonghaseyo.
Hello.
처음 뵙겠습니다.
Romanization: Cheoeum boepgetseumnida.
It's a pleasure to meet you.
만나서 반갑습니다.
Romanization: Mannaseo bangapseumnida.
Nice to meet you.
오랜만이에요.
Romanization: Oraenmanieyo.
Long time no see.
잘 지내셨어요?
Romanization: jal jinaesyeosseoyo?
How have you been?

Introducing yourself

Say your name and basic background, and ask the other person for theirs.

저는 [name]입니다.
Romanization: Jeoneun [name]imnida.
I’m [name].
제 이름은 [name]이에요.
Romanization: Je ireumeun [name]ieyo.
My name is [name].
이름이 뭐예요?
Romanization: ireumi mwoyeyo?
What is your name?
어디에서 오셨어요?
Romanization: eodieseo osyeosseoyo?
Where are you from?
저는 [place]에서 왔어요.
Romanization: Jeoneun [place]eseo wasseoyo.
I’m from [place].

Keeping the chat going

Ask easy follow-up questions and give short answers that keep the conversation moving.

무슨 일을 하세요?
Romanization: museun ireul haseyo?
What do you do?
저는 [job]이에요.
Romanization: Jeoneun [job]ieyo.
I’m [a job].
취미가 뭐예요?
Romanization: chwimiga mwoyeyo?
What are your hobbies?
한국어 공부하고 있어요.
Romanization: Hangugeo gongbuhago isseoyo.
I’m studying Korean.
저도요.
Romanization: Jeodoyo.
Me too.

Closing politely

End the first conversation in a warm, natural way.

오늘 이야기 즐거웠어요.
Romanization: Oneul iyagi jeulgeowosseoyo.
I enjoyed talking today.
다음에 또 봬요.
Romanization: Daeume tto bwaeyo.
See you next time.
조심히 가세요.
Romanization: Josimhi gaseyo.
Take care.
좋은 하루 보내세요.
Romanization: Joeun haru bonaeseyo.
Have a nice day.
잘 부탁드립니다.
Romanization: Jal butakdeurimnida.
I hope we get along well.

Example conversations

Meeting for the first time in class

A learner meets a classmate before the lesson starts and introduces themself.

You
안녕하세요. 처음 뵙겠습니다.
annyeonghaseyo. cheoeum boepgetseumnida.
Hello. It's a pleasure to meet you.
Other person
안녕하세요. 만나서 반갑습니다.
annyeonghaseyo. mannaseo bangapseumnida.
Hello. Nice to meet you.
You
저는 민지입니다. 이름이 뭐예요?
jeoneun Minjiimnida. ireumi mwoyeyo?
I’m Minji. What is your name?
Other person
저는 존이에요. 어디에서 오셨어요?
jeoneun Jonieyo. eodieseo osyeosseoyo?
I’m Jon. Where are you from?
You
저는 부산에서 왔어요. 무슨 일을 하세요?
jeoneun Busaneseo wasseoyo. museun ireul haseyo?
I’m from Busan. What do you do?
Other person
저는 학생이에요. 취미가 뭐예요?
jeoneun haksaengieyo. chwimiga mwoyeyo?
I’m a student. What are your hobbies?
You
저는 한국어 공부하고 있어요. 잘 부탁드립니다.
jeoneun hangugeo gongbuhago isseoyo. jal butakdeurimnida.
I’m studying Korean. I hope we get along well.

Running into someone again at a meetup

A learner meets someone they have seen before, continues the chat, and closes politely.

You
안녕하세요. 오랜만이에요.
annyeonghaseyo. oraenmanieyo.
Hello. Long time no see.
Other person
안녕하세요. 잘 지내셨어요?
annyeonghaseyo. jal jinaesyeosseoyo?
Hello. How have you been?
You
네, 잘 지냈어요. 취미가 뭐예요?
ne, jal jinaesseoyo. chwimiga mwoyeyo?
Yes, I’ve been well. What are your hobbies?
Other person
저는 사진 찍는 걸 좋아해요. 한국어 공부하고 있어요?
jeoneun sajin jjikneun geol joahaeyo. hangugeo gongbuhago isseoyo?
I like taking photos. Are you studying Korean?
You
네, 한국어 공부하고 있어요. 저는 학생이에요.
ne, hangugeo gongbuhago isseoyo. jeoneun haksaengieyo.
Yes, I’m studying Korean. I’m a student.
Other person
오늘 이야기 즐거웠어요.
oneul iyagi jeulgeowosseoyo.
I enjoyed talking today.
You
저도요. 다음에 또 봬요.
jeodoyo. daeume tto bwaeyo.
Me too. See you next time.

A few things to know

polite by default

Use polite -요 forms by default with people you do not know well, and with most first-time introductions. The slightly more formal -습니다 style is also natural at the start of a meeting, especially in class, at work, or with older people. In this set, '처음 뵙겠습니다' and '잘 부탁드립니다' are especially common first-meeting lines.

grammar

Topic marking in self-introductions

In phrases like '저는 [name]입니다' and '제 이름은 [name]이에요,' the 는/은 particle marks the topic. It tells the listener what the sentence is about, and it makes the introduction sound natural. After the topic is clear, Korean often drops '저는' in the next sentence, so you can continue with just the new information.

usage

어디에서 vs 어디서

'어디에서 오셨어요?' is a slightly fuller, careful form. In everyday speech, people often shorten this to '어디서 오셨어요?' Both mean roughly 'Where are you from?' so it is useful to recognize both forms when you hear them.

culture

What 잘 부탁드립니다. means here

'잘 부탁드립니다' is a standard line after first introductions in Korean. It does not literally mean you are asking for help. In this context it signals that you hope to get along well or work well together from now on.

Try it yourself

Choose the right phrase

Pick what you would say in each situation.

Question 1 of 3

Question 1
Question 2
Question 3

You have just finished a short chat with someone at a meetup and want to say that you enjoyed talking before leaving.

오늘 이야기 즐거웠어요.다음에 또 봬요.조심히 가세요.

Keep building your everyday vocabulary

Korean Restaurant and Café PhrasesModern Korean phrases for a polite restaurant interaction in South Korea: getting a table, ordering, checking ingredients, handling problems, and paying.How to Ask for Directions in KoreanLearn how to get someone’s attention, ask where a place is, follow simple directions, and ask someone to repeat or slow down in Korean.Korean Hotel and Accommodation PhrasesNatural Korean phrases for checking in at a hotel, asking about services, reporting room problems, and checking out.Essential Korean Shopping PhrasesLearn the Korean phrases you need to shop in Korea: ask where something is, check price, size, color, and stock, try clothes on, decide whether they fit, and handle payment, exchange, or refund.Korean Public Transport PhrasesA Korean phrasebook for finding the right bus or train, buying a ticket, checking fares and times, making transfers, and handling delays or missed stops in South Korea.

Put the phrases in context