What does 여보세요 (yeoboseyo) mean?
- 여보세요yeoboseyo
Hello? (on the phone)
Polite: safe with most people
여보세요 (yeoboseyo) means "hello?" when answering or starting a phone call in Korean. It is only for the phone, not for greeting someone face to face. For a normal hello, use 안녕하세요.
Where it comes from
It is usually traced to 여보, an old way of calling someone's attention, roughly "hey there" or "look here," plus the polite ending 세요.
How to use 여보세요
People say it when picking up, and again if the line goes quiet or breaks up, like "Hello? Are you there?"
In person, it can be used to get a stranger's attention, but it sounds a bit sharp or old-fashioned. 저기요 is the more common choice.
Do not mix it up with 여보 (yeobo), which married couples call each other, like "honey."
Examples
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Answering a call
The connection is bad
Calling mom
Other ways to say it
| Korean | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|
| 여보세요? | Hello? | Answering the phone. |
| 여보세요, 안 들려요 | Hello? I can't hear you | When the connection is bad. |
| 저기요 | Excuse me | Getting someone's attention in person. |
Questions learners ask
Can I say yeoboseyo instead of annyeonghaseyo?
No. 여보세요 is for phone calls. Face to face, say 안녕하세요.
Is yeoboseyo related to yeobo?
They share a root in an old way of calling someone, but today they are different words. 여보 means "honey" between spouses, and 여보세요 is the phone hello.