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다녀오세요: go and come back safely

Go and come back safely

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Explanation

다녀오세요 is said to someone leaving temporarily with the expectation that they will return. It combines the idea of going somewhere and coming back.

The departing person can say 다녀오겠습니다, roughly “I will go and come back.” On returning, 다녀왔습니다 means “I went and came back,” functioning like “I am back.”

The exchange is common in households, offices, schools, and other places where people leave a shared base and return later. It is not the same as a final goodbye.

Casual family forms include 다녀와 and 다녀올게. As always, choose the ending that matches the relationship and the surrounding speech level.

Examples

학교 다녀오겠습니다.

hakgyo danyeo-ogetseumnida.

I am leaving for school and will come back.

네, 잘 다녀오세요.

ne, jal danyeo-oseyo.

Okay, go and come back safely.

다녀왔습니다.

danyeowatseumnida.

I am back.

Mini dialogue

저 회의 다녀오겠습니다.

I am going to a meeting and will return.

네, 잘 다녀오세요.

Okay, go and come back safely.

다녀왔습니다.

I am back.

Common mistakes

  • Do not use 다녀오세요 for someone moving away permanently or ending a relationship; return is built into the expression.
  • Do not answer 다녀오겠습니다 with 안녕히 계세요 when the normal shared-base exchange is 다녀오세요.

How to practice

  1. Use it when the person is expected back at the shared place.
  2. Add 잘 for a warmer “go and come back well.”
  3. Use 다녀왔습니다 or 다녀왔어요 on returning.

Check yourself

Question 1 of 1

What assumption is built into 다녀오세요?

Connected learning paths

When to use itAll Korean greeting situationsPlace household and workplace return greetings inside the wider system.GuidePoliteness and relationship contextSee how household and workplace greetings change with speech level.RelatedCompare temporary return with a normal goodbyeUse 안녕히 가세요 when the listener leaves without the shared-base return exchange built into 다녀오세요.

Keep learning

Korean greetings by situation안녕: casual hello and goodbye안녕하십니까: formal-deferential hello처음 뵙겠습니다만나서 반갑습니다여보세요: Korean phone hello안녕히 가세요안녕히 계세요

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