어서 오세요: welcome
Welcome; please come in
Try it freePractice this Korean dialogueShadow each line, then continue with the related scenario practice.Open →Explanation
어서 오세요 welcomes someone who is arriving or entering. You hear it frequently from shop and restaurant staff and from hosts receiving guests.
It is not merely a synonym for 안녕하세요. 안녕하세요 greets the person; 어서 오세요 highlights their arrival and welcomes them into the place or event.
A customer does not normally answer by repeating 어서 오세요. A smile, 안녕하세요, or no verbal response can be natural depending on the interaction.
At home, a host may say 어서 와요 or casual 어서 와 to someone familiar. The speech level changes while the welcoming function stays the same.
Examples
어서 오세요! 몇 분이세요?
eoseo oseyo! myeot buniseyo?
Welcome! How many people are in your party?
우리 집에 어서 와요.
uri jibe eoseo wayo.
Welcome to our home.
어서 와! 기다리고 있었어.
eoseo wa! gidarigo isseosseo.
Come in! I was waiting for you.
Mini dialogue
어서 오세요.
Welcome.
안녕하세요. 두 명이에요.
Hello. There are two of us.
Common mistakes
- Do not use 어서 오세요 to say goodbye to someone leaving.
- Do not treat it as the universal first phrase for every encounter; it requires an arrival or welcoming role.
How to practice
- Use 오세요 for polite public or adult interactions.
- Use 와요 or 와 only with an appropriately familiar relationship.
- Combine it with practical service language after welcoming a customer.
Check yourself
Question 1 of 1
Who most naturally says 어서 오세요?
Connected learning paths
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