How to say “Good morning” in Korean
- 좋은 아침이에요joeun achimieyo
Good morning
"Good morning" in Korean is 좋은 아침이에요 (joeun achimieyo), or 좋은 아침 (joeun achim) with friends. In real life, though, most Koreans simply say 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo) in the morning, and families often ask if you slept well instead.
Ways to say it
| Korean | Level | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 좋은 아침이에요 joeun achimieyo | Polite | A friendly, polite "good morning". Fine with coworkers or acquaintances, though it sounds a bit like a translation of the English. |
| 좋은 아침 joeun achim | Casual | Casual and cheerful. Common between friends, couples, in texts and on social media. |
| 안녕하세요 annyeonghaseyo | Polite | What most people actually say in the morning at work, school or a shop. Korean has no time-specific greeting that everyone uses. |
| 잘 잤어 jal jasseo | Casual | "Did you sleep well?" Said as a question to family, a partner or close friends. The polite form is 잘 잤어요 (jal jasseoyo). |
| 안녕히 주무셨어요 annyeonghi jumusyeosseoyo | Polite | "Did you sleep well?" with extra respect, for parents, grandparents and older people. Said as a question. |
Examples
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Arriving at the office
A morning text to a partner
Greeting grandma at breakfast
Tips
Korean doesn't really split greetings by time of day the way English does. 안녕하세요 works from morning to night, so you will never be wrong using it.
좋은 아침 has become popular among younger people, in texts and on radio or social media. It is warm and casual, but you would rarely say it to a boss or an elderly person.
At home, the usual morning greeting is about sleep: 잘 잤어? to a younger family member or partner, and 안녕히 주무셨어요? to parents or grandparents. 주무시다 is the respectful word for "sleep".
Questions learners ask
Do Koreans actually say good morning?
Sometimes. 좋은 아침 is used casually, but most people just say 안녕하세요 in the morning, or ask if you slept well.
How do you say good morning to your parents in Korean?
The respectful way is 안녕히 주무셨어요? (annyeonghi jumusyeosseoyo), which means "Did you sleep well?"
Is joeun achim polite?
좋은 아침 is casual. Add 이에요 to make 좋은 아침이에요 for a polite version.