How to say “How are you” in Korean
- 잘 지냈어요?jal jinaesseoyo?
How have you been?
"How are you" in Korean is usually 잘 지냈어요? (jal jinaesseoyo), which means "Have you been well?" Koreans don't ask "how are you" every time they say hello, so this is mostly used when you haven't seen someone for a while.
Ways to say it
| Korean | Level | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 잘 지냈어요 jal jinaesseoyo | Polite | "Have you been well?" Said as a question to someone you haven't seen in a while. The most natural polite choice. |
| 잘 지냈어 jal jinaesseo | Casual | The same question for friends and younger people, said with a rising tone. |
| 잘 지내요 jal jinaeyo | Polite | "Are you doing well?" when said as a question. Also the usual answer: "I'm doing well." |
| 어떻게 지내세요 eotteoke jinaeseyo | Polite | "How are you getting along?" Correct and polite, but it sounds a little textbook. Said as a question. |
| 밥 먹었어 bap meogeosseo | Casual | "Have you eaten?" A caring, everyday way to check on a friend or family member. Said as a question. |
Examples
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Meeting a friend after months
Greeting a former teacher
Calling a friend around lunchtime
Tips
In English "How are you?" is part of hello. In Korean, 안녕하세요 already does that job, so adding 잘 지냈어요? to a coworker you saw yesterday would sound odd. Save it for people you haven't seen in a while.
To answer, say 네, 잘 지냈어요 (ne, jal jinaesseoyo), "Yes, I've been well", or 잘 지내요 (jal jinaeyo), "I'm doing well". You can ask back with 잘 지냈어요?
밥 먹었어? is not really about food. It is a warm way of saying "I care about you", and a simple 응, 먹었어 (eung, meogeosseo), "Yeah, I ate", is a fine reply.
Questions learners ask
How do you answer how are you in Korean?
Say 잘 지내요 (jal jinaeyo), "I'm doing well", or 네, 잘 지냈어요 (ne, jal jinaesseoyo), "Yes, I've been well".
Is eotteoke jinaeseyo natural?
It is correct and polite, but Koreans more often say 잘 지냈어요? or 잘 지내세요?
Why do Koreans ask if you've eaten?
밥 먹었어? is a friendly check-in that shows care, a bit like "How's it going?" in English.