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안녕하십니까: formal-deferential hello

Hello (formal-deferential)

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Explanation

안녕하십니까 is a highly polite greeting in the 하십시오체 speech level. It sounds more formal and ceremonious than 안녕하세요.

You may hear it in formal introductions, public announcements, news or military-style speech, some presentations, and service encounters where a deliberately formal tone is expected.

안녕하십니까 is respectful, but it is not the everyday default. In cafés, classrooms, ordinary offices, apartment buildings, and most first meetings, 안녕하세요 usually sounds more natural.

Learners sometimes overuse 안녕하십니까 because beginner textbooks introduce it early. Treat it as a register choice, not as a universally “more correct” hello.

Examples

안녕하십니까. 오늘 발표를 맡은 김민수입니다.

annyeonghasimnikka. oneul balpyoreul mateun gimmins u-imnida.

Hello. I am Kim Minsu, presenting today.

시청자 여러분, 안녕하십니까.

sicheongja yeoreobun, annyeonghasimnikka.

Hello, viewers.

안녕하세요. 처음 뵙겠습니다.

annyeonghaseyo. cheoeum boepgetseumnida.

Hello. It is nice to meet you.

This is usually more natural than forcing 안녕하십니까 into an ordinary meeting.

Mini dialogue

안녕하십니까. 신입 사원 박준호입니다.

Hello. I am Park Junho, a new employee.

반갑습니다. 편하게 안녕하세요라고 하셔도 돼요.

Nice to meet you. You can just say 안녕하세요 comfortably.

Common mistakes

  • Do not equate maximum formality with maximum naturalness. A greeting can be grammatically respectful yet socially too stiff.
  • Do not alternate randomly between 하십시오체 and casual endings in the same formal introduction.

How to practice

  1. Use the setting, role, and expected register—not only age—to choose this form.
  2. For ordinary polite interactions, begin with 안녕하세요.
  3. When a formal event consistently uses 합니다/습니까 endings, 안녕하십니까 fits that register.

Check yourself

Question 1 of 1

Where is 안녕하십니까 most natural?

Connected learning paths

When to use itAll Korean greeting situationsCompare formal 안녕하십니까 with everyday and casual greeting choices.VariantEveryday default: 안녕하세요Use the less formal polite greeting in most ordinary adult interactions.CompareCompare with 안녕하세요See why the formal form is not the default for ordinary situations.PracticePractice formal greeting choicesDistinguish genuinely formal settings from ordinary polite interactions.ToolExplore Korean honorificsConnect the formal greeting to titles, speech levels, and the honorific marker.

Keep learning

Korean greetings by situation안녕: casual hello and goodbye처음 뵙겠습니다만나서 반갑습니다여보세요: Korean phone hello안녕히 가세요안녕히 계세요잘 가요 and 잘 가

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