How To Say "Good Morning" In Korean - Everyday Phrases

In this lesson, we will teach you how to say “good morning” in Korean. This is an important greeting, especially if you're in South Korea. 

It's also equally important even in different languages, as it’s always good to start off the day on a positive note, and one easy way to do that is with a nice, polite, friendly “good morning.”

We also have a FREE PDF guide that you can take with you on the go. Check it out below:

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Contents

• 1 Different ways to say "Good Morning" in Korean
  • 1.1 Formal "Good Morning" in Korean
  • 1.2 Standard "Good Morning" in Korean
  • 1.3 Informal "Good Morning" in Korean
• 2 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• 3 Wrap Up

Onward we go!

Different ways to say "Good Morning" in Korean

You can use "hello" instead of saying "good morning" when speaking Korean in most situations. However, if you want to specifically say "good morning" instead of "hello," then you’ll want to know these phrases.

Formal "Good Morning" in Korean

If you want to know how to say "good morning" in Korean in a formal way or when speaking with somebody older than yourself, then these are the phrases to learn.

1. 잘 주무셨어요? (jal jumusyeosseoyo)

잘 주무셨어요? (jal jumusyeosseoyo) is a formal way of saying "good morning" in the Korean language with a literal translation that means "Did you sleep well?".

잘 (jal) means "well" in Korean. You can use this word in front of a verb, for example, by saying "잘 했어요" (jal haesseoyo), which means well done.

If somebody asks you "잘 주무셨어요" (jal jumusyeosseoyo), then you need to reply using the lower form of the verb. In this case saying, you could reply with "네, 잘 잤어요" (ne, jal jasseoyo), meaning "Yes, I slept well."

2. 안녕히 주무셨어요? (annyeonghi jumusyeosseoyo)

Similarly, "안녕히 주무셨어요?" (annyeonghi jumusyeosseoyo) means "Did you sleep peacefully?"

These phrases should only be used when you first meet somebody after they wake up, i.e., at breakfast time. They can't be used at 11:59 a.m. like "good morning" can in English.

주무셨어요 (jumusyeosseoyo) is the past tense version of the verb 주무세요 (jumuseyo). Certain common verbs in Korean, such as "to exist," "to eat," "to speak," and "to sleep," have two different forms: the regular form and the honorific form. 주무세요 (jumuseyo) is the honorific form of 자다 (jada), meaning "to sleep."

The honorific form should be used when speaking to people older or higher in rank than you. You should never use it when referring to yourself. It is therefore used mainly when asking a question.

You can use the verb 주무세요 (jumuseyo) in its present tense form when saying 안녕히 주무세요 (annyeonghi jumuseyo), meaning "good night" (literally "sleep peacefully").

3. 좋은 아침입니다 (joeun achimimnida)

You can also use this phrase to literally say, “The morning is good.” It’s used as the English phrase "good morning.” Since it uses the –입니다 (imnida) ending, it is more of a formal phrase.

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Standard "Good Morning" in Korean

Here are the standard ways of saying "good morning" in Korean.

1. 잘 잤어요? (jal jasseoyo)

This is the standard form of “Did you sleep well?." You might use this with new roommates while traveling with those older than you or maybe in a text message. Or perhaps with someone who is of the same age but is not exactly close with you.

2. 좋은 아침이에요 (joeun achimieyo)

You’d use this phrase to say “good morning” in standard Korean. It's not as common as saying "good morning" in English. As you learn more about the Korean language, you'll notice that some cultural elements are built into the language. That means that some of the phrases won't translate directly.

How to pronounce "Good Morning" in Korean

From what we have taught so far, there are various ways to say "good morning" in Korean. In the video below, we will teach you how to pronounce it in its standard form, 좋은 아침이에요 (joeun achimieyo).

If you want more videos on how to say different Korean words, you can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel for similar useful videos!

Informal "Good Morning" in Korean

Lastly, here are informal ways of saying "good morning" in Korean, which is typically used with close friends.

1. 잘 잤어? (jal jasseo)

When talking to your Korean friends, you can pronounce good morning in Korean as 잘 잤어 (jal jasseo). This phrase uses the past tense version of 자다 (jada), which means "to sleep."

2. 좋은 아침! (joeun achim)

If you type "good morning" into a translator, then it will often come up with something like 좋은 아침 (joeun achim). This literally means "good morning" as 좋은 (joeun) means "good" and 아침 (achim) means "morning."

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Below are some of the common questions asked on how to say "Good Morning" in Korean

How do you say “Good morning” in Korean?

Here is how to say “Good morning” in Korean in different levels of politeness: 

• Formal: 안녕히 주무셨어요? (annyeonghi jumusyeosseoyo?) – literally “Did you sleep peacefully?”
• Standard/Polite: 좋은 아침이에요 (joeun achimieyo) – “It’s a good morning.”
• Informal: 잘 잤어? (jal jasseo?) – “Did you sleep well?”

What is a polite way to ask if someone slept well?

Use the formal phrase 안녕히 주무셨어요? (annyeonghi jumusyeosseoyo?) when speaking to elders or in respectful contexts.

How do you say “Good morning” casually to friends?

 Say 잘 잤어? (jal jasseo?) or 좋은 아침! (joeun achim!) with close friends or family.

How do Koreans greet each other in the morning before sunrise?

Before sunrise, the standard 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo) still applies. It’s polite and appropriate regardless of the time of day.

Is there a more formal version of “Good morning” than “aneun achim-ieyo”?

Yes, 좋은 아침입니다 (joeun achimimnida) is the most formal version, using the formal verb ending -입니다.

Which speech levels do “jal jumusyeosseoyo” and “joeun achim-ieyo” belong to?

안녕히 주무셨어요? is 하십시오체 (formal polite), used in respectful or formal contexts. 좋은 아침이에요 is 해요체 (standard polite), used in friendly yet polite situations.

 Can I just say “morning” in Korean?

아침 (achim) alone doesn’t sound like a greeting. You can say 좋은 아침 (joeun achim) among close friends or younger family; it’s an informal shorthand.

What’s the difference between “jal jumusyeosseoyo?” and “jal jasseo?”

잘 주무셨어요? is formal/very polite, best for elders or strangers.잘 잤어? is informal, perfect among peers or close friends.

How do you answer “Good morning” in Korean?

 Respond with 네, 잘 잤어요! (ne, jal jasseoyo!) – “Yes, I slept well!” Or simply 네, 안녕하세요 (ne, annyeonghaseyo) in more formal interactions.

Is it necessary to bow when saying “good morning” in Korea?

 Not strictly required, but a slight bow or nod is common in formal settings (such as workplaces or schools) to show respect.

Wrap Up

Hopefully, you now know how to say "good morning" in Korean. If you want to keep it simple, then just use the word "hello" instead of "good morning."

If you want just to learn one way of saying "good morning" in Korean, then learn 안녕히 주무셨어요 (annyeonghi jumusyeosseoyo)? Your polite manners and consideration will definitely make everyone’s morning good!

For a complete guide on how to learn Korean online, go here: https://www.90daykorean.com/learn-korean/

We also have a structured Korean language web program that will teach you how to have a 3-minute conversation in the first 90 days.

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