How to say “Goodbye” in Korean
- 안녕히 가세요annyeonghi gaseyo
Goodbye (to someone who is leaving)
"Goodbye" in Korean is 안녕히 가세요 (annyeonghi gaseyo) when the other person is leaving, or 안녕히 계세요 (annyeonghi gyeseyo) when you are the one leaving. With friends, a simple 안녕 (annyeong) or 잘 가 (jal ga) is enough.
Ways to say it
| Korean | Level | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 안녕히 가세요 annyeonghi gaseyo | Polite | Literally "go in peace". Say it to someone who is leaving while you stay, like a guest leaving your home. |
| 안녕히 계세요 annyeonghi gyeseyo | Polite | Literally "stay in peace". Say it when you are leaving and the other person stays, like when you walk out of a shop. |
| 안녕 annyeong | Casual | Bye to friends and younger people. The same word as casual hi. |
| 잘 가 jal ga | Casual | "Go well". Casual bye to a friend who is leaving. |
| 안녕히 가십시오 annyeonghi gasipsio | Formal | A very formal goodbye, used by staff to customers or in formal announcements. |
Examples
Tap a word to see what it means and save it to your flashcards.
Walking out of a shop
Seeing a guest off at the door
A friend heading home
Tips
The main thing to remember is who is leaving. If they go, say 가세요 (go). If you go, say 계세요 (stay). If you both walk off in different directions, both people say 안녕히 가세요.
Mixing them up is the most common beginner mistake, but people will still understand you. If you forget, a polite bow and 안녕히 가세요 is never strange to the person leaving.
In text messages friends often write ㅂㅂ, short for 바이바이 (bye-bye).
More on 안녕히 가세요, 안녕히 계세요, 안녕 and 잘 가 in our Korean phrase guides.
Questions learners ask
What is the difference between annyeonghi gaseyo and annyeonghi gyeseyo?
안녕히 가세요 is said to the person leaving, and 안녕히 계세요 is said to the person staying. Think of it as "go well" versus "stay well".
How do you say bye casually in Korean?
Say 안녕 (annyeong) or 잘 가 (jal ga) to friends. Many people also just say 바이바이 (bai bai).
What if both people are leaving?
Both people say 안녕히 가세요 (annyeonghi gaseyo), since you are each going somewhere.