| Korean | Romanization | English | Usage Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 안녕히 가세요 | annyeonghi gaseyo | Goodbye (to the one leaving) | Formal, when your conversation partner is leaving |
| 안녕히 계세요 | annyeonghi gyeseyo | Goodbye (to the one staying) | Formal, when you leave and leave someone behind |
| 잘 가 | jal ga | See you (to the one leaving) | Casual, between close friends |
| 잘 있어 | jal isseo | See you (to the one staying) | Casual, between friends of the same age |
| 안녕 | annyeong | Hi/Bye | Very casual, versatile |
Saying goodbye in Korean requires a small mental exercise that we don’t have in English: you must first ask yourself who’s doing what. Is your conversation partner going to leave the place where you are, or will they stay there while you leave? This distinction completely changes the expression to use.
Imagine the scene: you’re leaving a café in Seoul after chatting with the owner. She stays behind her counter, you walk through the door. In this precise situation, you’ll say 안녕히 계세요 (annyeonghi gyeseyo) to her because she’s staying in her establishment.
Polite Formulas for Saying Goodbye in Korean
Let’s start with expressions you can use in all situations without risking offending anyone. These formulas work with your colleagues, shopkeepers, your teachers, or anyone you don’t know intimately.
- 안녕히 가세요 (annyeonghi gaseyo): Literally “go in peace”. You use it when the person is leaving and you’re staying in place. At the office, when your colleague leaves early, this expression is perfectly suitable.
- 안녕히 계세요 (annyeonghi gyeseyo): Means “stay in peace”. Conversely, you use it when you’re the one leaving and leaving your conversation partner behind. In a shop, when leaving after paying, you’ll say this to the seller.
The trick to remember the difference? The word 가세요 comes from 가다 (to leave), while 계세요 comes from 계시다 (to stay, respectful form). Once you’ve grasped this logic, everything becomes clearer.
Among Friends: The Casual Versions
With your Korean friends, no need for so much ceremony. Expressions shorten and become more direct, similar to our “see you later” in English.
- 잘 가 (jal ga): Casual version of “annyeonghi gaseyo”. Perfect between friends of the same age or younger than you. “Jal” means “well” and “ga” comes from the verb to leave.
- 잘 있어 (jal isseo): Casual equivalent of “annyeonghi gyeseyo”. Same logic: you leave, your friend stays somewhere.
- 안녕 (annyeong): The simplest and most versatile. Like our “hi”, this expression serves as much for saying hello as goodbye. Handy when you don’t want to think about who’s leaving and who’s staying!
Careful, these casual forms are only used with people younger or your age. With an older friend, even by a few years, it’s better to stick with polite formulas.
Special Cases and Real Situations
Real life sometimes presents us with situations where the “who leaves, who stays” rule becomes blurry. You’re leaving a restaurant together and separating on the sidewalk? In this case, everyone uses 안녕히 가세요 since each person is going their own way.
- On the phone: Traditionally, people used 안녕히 계세요 because it was assumed the person would stay home after hanging up. Today, with cell phones, this distinction is fading.
- In the elevator: If you get off at your floor leaving other people to continue, a little 안녕히 가세요 always makes a good impression.
- End of evening: When you leave a party where other guests are still staying, 안녕히 계세요 naturally fits.
Korean reflects a culture where attention to others manifests even in polite formulas. Wishing someone to “leave in peace” or “stay calm” shows this particular benevolence.
Practical Tips to Get By
At first, this mental gymnastics can seem complicated. Here are some tricks to manage without stress:
- When in doubt, use polite forms. Even with friends, nobody will hold it against you for being too respectful at first.
- Observe Koreans around you. In shops, restaurants, transportation, listen to what they say according to situations.
- Start with 안녕히 가세요 and 안녕히 계세요. These two expressions cover 90% of formal situations.
- With young people, 안녕 works everywhere and saves you from thinking about the leaving/staying logic.
Koreans greatly appreciate foreigners’ efforts to speak their language. Even if you use the wrong formula, your intention of politeness will be understood and respected.
Now you’re equipped to say goodbye in Korean in all situations! Want to go further and discover other subtleties of this fascinating language?