🎬Speaking Class L 1 | Ep 1. Let’s Start with a Greeting – What “안녕하세요?” Really Means!

Ep 1. Let’s Start with a Greeting 
– What “안녕하세요?” Really Means!

 

안녕하세요, 티나쌤이에요.

Hello, everyone! I’m Tina, your Korean teacher. 😊

Welcome to “You Too Can Speak Korean!”

This is your first speaking class—now we start using Korean in real life!

Today’s phrase is one you probably already know…

"안녕하세요?"

It’s the most well-known Korean word around the world.

But do you know what it really means?

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🟡 Everyone knows it… but do they really? 

“안녕하세요?” is like saying “Hi” or “Hello” in English…

But in Korean, it carries a little more meaning.

It’s not just a greeting— it’s filled with respect, kindness, and a way of asking how the other person is doing.

🟡What “안녕하세요?” Really Means 

Let’s break it down. 

“안녕” means:

👉 peace, safety, or well-being.

“-하세요.” 

It’s often used to show respect—like saying “please” or asking gently in English.

So “안녕하세요?” means:

👉 “Are you well?”

👉 “Have you been safe and peaceful?”

A long time ago, this was a real question— “Did you survive the night?” because Korea had many wars and invasions.

Now it’s a normal greeting, but it still holds a warm and caring heart.

🟡Do we say it to everyone? Not really!

Can you say “안녕하세요?” to just anyone?

Not exactly!

In Korean, the way we greet someone depends on

age, relationship, and situation.

• To adults → ✔️ “안녕하세요?”
• To teachers → ✔️ “안녕하세요?”
• To someone you just met → ✔️ “안녕하세요?”
• To friends, kids, or younger people → ✖️ Just say “안녕!”

Let me show you.

With friends, we say: “안녕!”

Even when saying goodbye: “안녕!”

But to your teacher?

You must say “안녕하세요?” with a little bow—lower your head or bend your waist a bit.

The same goes for elders or people you don’t know.

Because this greeting isn’t just a word.

It shows respect and care. 💛

🟡 What about “안녕히 계세요”? 

Now—there are other greetings, too!

You might have heard:

👉 “안녕히 계세요.” 

👉 “안녕히 가세요.” 

They sound similar but are used differently!

• If you are leaving

  → Say to the person staying: “안녕히 계세요!”

• If you are staying

  → Say to the person leaving: “안녕히 가세요!”

Pretty easy, right? 😊

- When meeting someone: "안녕하세요?"

- When you leave: "안녕히 계세요."

- When someone else leaves: "안녕히 가세요."

- To a close friend: "안녕!"

💡 TIP: With family or close friends, you can just say “안녕~” casually!

🟡Korean Greetings and Culture

In Korea, a greeting isn’t just about words.

Bowing your head, bending your waist, or using both hands when greeting—These small actions show respect and politeness.

Even your tone, facial expression, and how much you make eye contact—it all matters!

So saying “안녕하세요?” isn’t just about the words.

It’s about the intention behind them.

A greeting with heart feels much warmer than one without. 😊

🟡Practice

Let’s practice what we learned today! 

🙋‍♀️ Teacher to student 👉 “안녕하세요?”

🙋 Student to teacher 👉 “안녕하세요?”

🙋‍♀️ You’re leaving 👉 “안녕히 계세요. ”

🙋 Someone else is leaving 👉 “안녕히 가세요.”

🙋‍♂️ With a friend 👉 “안녕”

👉 Remember: the right greeting depends on the situation! ✨

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📘 Great job today!

Let’s enjoy learning Korean together. 💛

See you in the next lesson! 안녕~! 👋