안녕히 가세요 vs 안녕히 계세요
Goodbye to the leaver / goodbye to the person staying
Try it freeTake the 2-question 안녕히 가세요 / 안녕히 계세요 testChoose the right form, then read the explanation for each answer.Open →Explanation
The two expressions are chosen from the listener’s movement. Say 안녕히 가세요 to the listener who goes. Say 안녕히 계세요 to the listener who remains while you go.
가세요 comes from 가다, “to go,” so it addresses the departing person. 계세요 comes from the honorific 계시다, “to be or stay,” so it addresses the person remaining.
At a shop, staff who remain can say 안녕히 가세요 to a departing customer. The customer can say 안녕히 계세요 to staff who remain in the shop.
Modern interactions often use 감사합니다, 조심히 가세요, or 수고하세요 instead, but the directional rule itself does not change.
Examples
손님, 안녕히 가세요.
sonnim, annyeonghi gaseyo.
Goodbye, customer. (The customer leaves.)
감사합니다. 안녕히 계세요.
gamsahamnida. annyeonghi gyeseyo.
Thank you. Goodbye. (The speaker leaves.)
저 먼저 갈게요. 안녕히 계세요.
jeo meonjeo galgeyo. annyeonghi gyeseyo.
I will leave first. Goodbye.
Common mistakes
- Do not memorize “speaker says X” without tracking who moves; either person can speak first.
- Do not reverse 가세요 and 계세요 based on an English translation that calls both “goodbye.”
How to practice
- Point mentally at the listener.
- If the listener goes, choose 가세요.
- If the listener stays, choose 계세요.
Check yourself
Question 1 of 2
You leave a shop while the owner remains. What do you say?
Connected learning paths
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