How to say “Be careful” in Korean
- 조심하세요josimhaseyo
Be careful
"Be careful" in Korean is 조심하세요 (josimhaseyo), or 조심해 (josimhae) with friends. Put a word in front to say what to watch out for, like 계단 조심하세요 ("watch the stairs").
Ways to say it
| Korean | Level | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 조심하세요 josimhaseyo | Polite | The standard polite "be careful". Fine for strangers, coworkers and elders. |
| 조심해 josimhae | Casual | For friends, partners, family and kids. |
| 조심하십시오 josimhasipsio | Formal | Very formal. You'll mostly see it on signs and hear it in announcements. |
| 조심히 가세요 josimhi gaseyo | Polite | "Get home safely." A caring way to say goodbye. |
| 조심히 들어가세요 josimhi deureogaseyo | Polite | "Get home safely", literally "go in carefully". Very common when parting at night. |
| 운전 조심하세요 unjeon josimhaseyo | Polite | "Drive safely." |
Examples
Tap a word to see what it means and save it to your flashcards.
Warning a guest about steep stairs
Saying goodbye after dinner
A friend reaches toward a hot pan
Tips
조심히 들어가세요 is said all the time when friends or coworkers split up at night. It isn't a warning, just a warm "get home safe".
To warn about something specific, put the thing first: 차 조심해 (cha josimhae, "watch out for cars"), 감기 조심하세요 (gamgi josimhaseyo, "don't catch a cold").
For a sudden "watch out!", Koreans often shout 조심해! or simply 위험해! (wiheomhae!, "it's dangerous!").
Questions learners ask
What does 조심히 들어가세요 mean?
It means "get home safely". People say it when parting, especially at night.
What is the difference between 조심해 and 조심하세요?
조심해 is casual, for friends and family. 조심하세요 is polite, for strangers and people older than you.