How to say “I'm fine” in Korean
- 괜찮아요gwaenchanayo
I'm fine
"I'm fine" in Korean is 괜찮아 (gwaenchana), or 괜찮아요 (gwaenchanayo) to be polite. If someone asks how you have been, answer 잘 지내요 (jal jinaeyo), "I'm doing well."
Ways to say it
| Korean | Level | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 괜찮아 gwaenchana | Casual | "I'm okay" or "I'm fine." To friends and family. |
| 괜찮아요 gwaenchanayo | Polite | Polite. Also means "It's okay" or "No, thank you." |
| 괜찮습니다 gwaenchanseumnida | Formal | Formal. Good with a boss, a customer or in a formal setting. |
| 잘 지내요 jal jinaeyo | Polite | "I'm doing well." The answer to 잘 지냈어요? (jal jinaesseoyo?), "How have you been?" |
| 잘 지내 jal jinae | Casual | Casual version of "I'm doing well," to friends. |
Examples
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A friend asks after you trip
Someone asks how you have been
Politely declining more food
Tips
괜찮아요 is very flexible: "I'm fine," "It's okay," "Are you okay?" with a rising tone, and "No, thank you."
Koreans do not say "How are you?" every day the way English speakers do. 잘 지냈어요? is for when you have not seen someone in a while, and 잘 지내요 is the usual answer.
Pronunciation: the ㅎ in 괜찮아 is silent, so it sounds like "gwaen-cha-na."
More on 괜찮아 in our Korean phrase guides.
Questions learners ask
How do you ask "Are you okay?" in Korean?
Say 괜찮아? (gwaenchana?) casually or 괜찮아요? (gwaenchanayo?) politely, with a rising tone.
How do you say "I'm fine, and you?" in Korean?
Say 잘 지내요 (jal jinaeyo), then add the person's name with 씨는요? (ssineunyo?), as in "Minji 씨는요?" Among friends, 너는? (neoneun?) works.