How to say “Good night” in Korean
- 잘 자요jal jayo
Good night (sleep well)
"Good night" in Korean is 잘 자요 (jal jayo), which literally means "sleep well". With friends or a partner say 잘 자 (jal ja), and to parents, grandparents or anyone older use 안녕히 주무세요 (annyeonghi jumuseyo).
Ways to say it
| Korean | Level | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 잘 자 jal ja | Casual | To a partner, close friend, younger sibling or child. The most common good night in texts. |
| 잘 자요 jal jayo | Polite | Polite good night to someone around your age who isn't a close friend. |
| 안녕히 주무세요 annyeonghi jumuseyo | Polite | Respectful good night for parents, grandparents, teachers and older people. 주무시다 is the honorific word for sleep. |
| 좋은 꿈 꿔 joeun kkum kkwo | Casual | "Have good dreams." A sweet add-on after 잘 자. Polite form: 좋은 꿈 꿔요 (joeun kkum kkwoyo). |
| 굿나잇 gunnait | Casual | The English "good night" written in Korean. Common in texts between friends and couples. |
Examples
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Saying good night to a partner
Before bed at your parents' home
Ending a late phone call
Tips
Never say 잘 자 to an older relative or your boss. Use 안녕히 주무세요. Using the honorific 주무시다 instead of plain 자다 is what makes it respectful.
잘 자 is short, so friends often stretch it in texts as 잘 자~ or add 좋은 꿈 꿔 (sweet dreams).
Pronunciation: 잘 자 sounds like "jal ja" with a soft j, and the ㄹ in 잘 is a light l sound.
More on 잘 자 in our Korean phrase guides.
Questions learners ask
How do you say good night to your parents in Korean?
Say 안녕히 주무세요 (annyeonghi jumuseyo). It is the respectful way to wish someone older a good night.
What does jal ja mean?
잘 자 means "sleep well". It is the casual way to say good night to friends, a partner or someone younger.
How do you say sweet dreams in Korean?
Say 좋은 꿈 꿔 (joeun kkum kkwo) casually, or 좋은 꿈 꿔요 (joeun kkum kkwoyo) politely.