How to say “Sorry” in Korean
- 죄송합니다joesonghamnida
I'm sorry
"Sorry" in Korean is 죄송합니다 (joesonghamnida), a formal, respectful apology you can use with strangers, customers and anyone older. With friends you would say 미안해 (mianhae), which is casual.
Ways to say it
| Korean | Level | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 죄송합니다 joesonghamnida | Formal | The most respectful apology. Use it with elders, bosses, teachers, customers and strangers. |
| 죄송해요 joesonghaeyo | Polite | Still respectful but a little softer. Common in everyday situations like bumping into someone. |
| 미안합니다 mianhamnida | Formal | Formal, but less humble than 죄송합니다. You hear it from older people to younger people, or in announcements. |
| 미안해요 mianhaeyo | Polite | Polite and gentle. Good for people you know who are about your age or younger. |
| 미안해 mianhae | Casual | For close friends, partners and younger siblings. |
| 미안 mian | Casual | A quick "sorry" or "my bad" between close friends. |
Examples
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Arriving late to a meeting with your boss
Apologizing to a friend after an argument
Stepping on someone's foot on the bus
Tips
죄송 is humbler than 미안. If the person is older than you or you are not sure, choose 죄송합니다 or 죄송해요.
죄송한데요 (joesonghandeyo), "sorry, but...", is a polite way to start a request or interrupt someone, a bit like "excuse me" in English.
Korean "sorry" is an apology. To show sympathy for someone's bad news, Koreans use different words, so do not use 미안해 to mean "I'm sorry to hear that".
Questions learners ask
What is the difference between mianhae and joesonghamnida?
Mianhae (미안해) is casual and used with close friends or younger people. Joesonghamnida (죄송합니다) is formal and humble, used with elders, bosses and strangers.
How do you answer when someone says sorry in Korean?
Say 괜찮아요 (gwaenchanayo), "it's okay". With friends, 괜찮아 (gwaenchana) is enough.