🇰🇷 Beginner Korean Lesson Notes: Lesson 3

These notes cover fundamental greetings, basic expressions, and introductory grammar points from your lesson slides.

Greetings (挨拶)

Greetings in Korean change depending on the situation and your relationship with the person you are speaking to.

Korean (한국어)	Japanese (일본어 의미)	English Meaning & Context
안녕하세요	こんにちは / おはようございます (丁寧)	"Hello" (Formal). The standard, polite way to greet anyone in any situation.
안녕	やあ / こんにちは (カジュアル)	"Hi / Hey" (Casual). An informal greeting used with close friends and people younger than you.
안녕히 가세요	(自分が残る場合) さようなら	"Goodbye" (Formal). You say this when you are staying and the other person is leaving.
안녕히 계세요	(自分が離れる場合) さようなら	"Goodbye" (Formal). You say this when you are leaving and the other person is staying.
잘가	じゃあね / バイバイ	"Bye" (Casual). A friendly, informal way to say goodbye to friends.
안녕히 주무세요	おやすみなさい (丁寧)	"Good night" (Formal). Said to elders or in formal situations as a sign of respect.
잘 자요	おやすみなさい	"Good night" (Polite). A common, polite way to say good night that can be used in most situations.
잘자	おやすみ	"Night" (Casual). An informal way to say good night, used with friends, family, and partners.

Here are the essential phrases for meeting someone for the first time.

Korean (한국어)	Japanese (일본어 의미)	English Meaning & Context
처음 뵙겠습니다	初めまして	"Nice to meet you for the first time." A very formal and polite greeting used when first introduced to someone.
만나서 반갑습니다	お会いできて嬉しいです (丁寧)	"It's a pleasure to meet you." (Formal). A standard and respectful way to express pleasure upon meeting someone.
만나서 반가워요	会えて嬉しいです	"Nice to meet you." (Polite). A slightly less formal but still polite version of the above.
만나서 반가워	-	"Nice to meet you." (Casual). Used with peers or those younger than you.
저는 일본인입니다	私は日本人です	"I am Japanese." (Formal). 입니다 is the formal form of the verb "to be."
저는 일본인이에요	私は日本人です	"I am Japanese." (Polite). 이에요 is the standard polite form of the verb "to be."

Note on "I":

저 (jeo) is the humble/formal pronoun for "I," used when speaking to superiors or in formal settings.
나 (na) is the casual pronoun for "I," used with friends and in informal contexts.

Korean (한국어)	Japanese (일본어 의미)	English Meaning & Context
감사합니다	ありがとうございます	"Thank you" (Formal). The most common and standard formal way to express thanks.
고맙습니다	-	"Thank you" (Formal). Interchangeable with 감사합니다, sometimes perceived as slightly "softer."
고마워요	ありがとう (丁寧だがカジュアル)	"Thanks" (Polite). Less formal than the above, but still polite and common in daily conversation.
고마워	ありがとう	"Thanks" (Casual). Used informally with friends and family.
죄송합니다	申し訳ありません (もっと丁寧)	"I am very sorry" (Formal). A very respectful apology used when you are truly at fault.
미안합니다	ごめんなさい (丁寧)	"I'm sorry" (Formal). A standard, formal apology.
미안해요	-	"Sorry" (Polite). A common, polite apology suitable for most everyday situations.
미안해	ごめん	"Sorry" (Casual). An informal apology for friends.
괜찮습니다	大丈夫です	"It's okay / It's alright." (Formal).
괜찮아요	大丈夫です / 気にしないでください	"It's okay / Don't worry about it." (Polite). The standard response to an apology.
괜찮아	大丈夫	"It's fine / No problem." (Casual).

Korean (한국어)	Japanese (일본어 의미)	English Meaning & Context
좋은 하루 보내세요	良い一日をお過ごしください	"Have a good day." (Formal/Polite). A very common and kind expression.
좋은 하루 보내	良い一日をね	"Have a good one." (Casual). For friends.
잘 지내셨어요?	元気でしたか？	"How have you been?" (Formal/Polite). Past tense, asking about the time since you last met.
잘 지냈어?	元気だった?	"How've you been?" (Casual).
잘 지내?	元気?	"How are you?" (Casual). Present tense, a general check-in.
잘 먹겠습니다	いただきます	"I will eat well." (Polite). Said before a meal to thank the person who prepared or paid for it.
잘 먹을게	いただきます(友達に向けて)	"Thanks for the food." (Casual). Said to friends before eating.
잘 먹었습니다	ごちそうさまでした	"I ate well." (Polite). Said after a meal to show appreciation.
잘 먹었어	ごちそうさま(友達に向けて)	"That was good / Thanks for the meal." (Casual). Said to friends after eating.

~의 is attached to a noun to show possession, similar to 's in English or の in Japanese.
Pronunciation: While written as ui, in this possessive case, it's often pronounced as 에 (e).
Examples:
- 나의 (나에): my (casual)
- 너의 (너에): your (casual)
- 저의 (저에): my (formal)
- 우리의 (우리에): our (casual)
- 저희의 (저희에): our (formal/humble)

There are several ways to connect nouns with "and."

~와 / ~과 (to)
- A more formal or written-style connector.
- Use ~과 after a noun ending in a consonant (e.g., 물과 - water and).
- Use ~와 after a noun ending in a vowel (e.g., 바나나와 - banana and).
~랑 / ~이랑 (ya)
- A more common and conversational connector.
- Use ~이랑 after a noun ending in a consonant (e.g., 핸드폰이랑 - phone and).
- Use ~랑 after a noun ending in a vowel (e.g., 치마랑 - skirt and).
~하고
- A very common and neutral connector, usable in both speech and writing. It can be attached to any noun, regardless of whether it ends in a vowel or consonant. (e.g., 선풍기하고 필통 - fan and pencil case).

~씨: The equivalent of Mr./Ms./Mrs. (like 〜さん in Japanese). It's a standard polite title attached after a person's full name or first name.
~님: A more honorific title than ~씨 (like 〜様 in Japanese). It is used for people in respected positions (e.g., 선생님 - teacher) or for customers to show a high level of respect.