Hello in Korean (안녕하세요, annyeonghaseyo) — and why Koreans say "hello" when they leave

You buy a coffee in Seoul. When you walk in, the staff say 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo). You pay, you turn to leave, and you hear "안녕히…" again.

Wait. Did they just say hello as you were leaving?

Almost. The answer is hiding inside one small word, and it makes every Korean greeting easier.

What does 안녕 really mean?

안녕 (annyeong) is an old word that means peace and good health. It comes from two Chinese characters, 安寧, both about calm and safety. The National Institute of Korean Language lists it this way in its learners' dictionary.

So Korean greetings are not really "hello" or "goodbye." They are wishes about peace.

• 안녕하세요 is close to "Are you at peace?" or "Are you well?" The verb 안녕하다 means calm, comfortable and healthy.
• 안녕히 (annyeonghi) means "in peace." It goes in front of the goodbye phrases.

Once you see this, the coffee shop makes sense. Hello and goodbye share the same root because both wish you peace.

Which hello should I use?

Korean has three main levels. Choose by the person in front of you.

If you learn only one, learn 안녕하세요. It is polite, warm and safe nearly everywhere.

The casual 안녕 is special. The dictionary says it is used both when you meet and when you part from a friend or someone younger. So 안녕 can mean "hi" at the start and "bye" at the end. Same word, both directions.

Two goodbyes: who is leaving?

Here is the part that surprises most learners. Korean has two polite goodbyes, and the choice depends on who is moving.

So at the coffee shop, the staff stay, and you go. They say 안녕히 가세요 to you. You can answer 안녕히 계세요 to them. That was the "hello" you heard as you left: a wish for a peaceful trip.

A Korea Times column on greetings puts it simply: Korean separates saying goodbye to someone who leaves from saying goodbye to someone who stays.

Easy memory trick: 가 = go, 계 = stay. Say the action the other person is doing.

What if we both leave?

Then both of you are going, so you can both say 안녕히 가세요. With a friend, a casual 안녕 or 잘 가 (jal ga, "go well") is enough.

Real life is not always this neat, and even experts agree.

So don't worry too much. If you mix them up, people will still smile. The kind tone matters more than the perfect ending.

What about the phone?

On the phone, Koreans use a different word: 여보세요 (yeoboseyo). The learners' dictionary describes it as a word used to call the other person on the phone. You say it when you answer, or when the line goes quiet.

Don't use 여보세요 in person to greet someone. It is mainly a phone word.

Do people bow, too?

Often, yes. A small nod or a short bow often comes with 안녕하세요, especially with older people. Our guide to bowing in Korea shows how deep to go, and when a nod is enough.

How do I ask "How are you?"

안녕하세요 already asks it, so you don't need a separate "How are you?" after it. Among friends and family, you may hear a different check-in: "Did you eat?" Read about it in what 밥 먹었어? really means.

If you want to know when to drop 요 and speak casually, see our guide to polite and casual Korean.

In one line: 안녕 means peace — 안녕하세요 to say hi, 안녕히 가세요 to the one who goes, 안녕히 계세요 to the one who stays.

There is a question just like this in the daily game. Try today's 5 and see if 가세요 or 계세요 comes up.