안녕하세요 vs 안녕
Hello (polite) / hi or bye (casual)
Try it freeTake the 1-question 안녕하세요 / 안녕 testChoose the right form, then read the explanation for each answer.Open →Explanation
안녕하세요 is polite and broadly safe. 안녕 belongs to casual 반말 and assumes a close, younger, family, or explicitly casual relationship.
The difference is not emotional warmth alone. A friendly stranger still normally receives 안녕하세요 because the social relationship has not established casual speech.
안녕 can function as both hello and goodbye. 안녕하세요 is primarily a greeting; Korean uses other conventional expressions for polite goodbyes.
When two adults agree to 말 놓다, they may switch from 안녕하세요 to 안녕 along with the rest of their endings. Changing only the greeting while keeping the relationship formal can feel inconsistent.
Examples
안녕하세요. 저는 새로 이사 온 에릭이에요.
annyeonghaseyo. jeoneun saero isa on erigieyo.
Hello. I am Erik, who just moved in.
수진아, 안녕!
sujina, annyeong!
Sujin, hi!
우리 말 놓을까요?
uri mal noeulkkayo?
Shall we speak casually?
Common mistakes
- Do not choose 안녕 only because the English subtitle says “hi.”
- Do not switch to 반말 based solely on someone appearing younger.
How to practice
- Use 안녕하세요 until the relationship clearly supports casual speech.
- Switch the whole conversational register consistently after agreeing to 반말.
- Remember that 안녕 can also close a casual conversation.
Check yourself
Question 1 of 1
You greet a close same-age friend. Which can be natural?
Connected learning paths
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