When we encounter someone that we know, a nice and friendly good afternoon is a great way to start the conversation. Today we are going to learn how to say good afternoon in Korean.
How to Say Good Afternoon in Korean
안녕하세요[an-neung-ha-se-yo]. Note that this is the same as ‘hello’ in Korean as there is not a direct translation that is used in everyday speech. However, as it would be said in the afternoon, you would essentially be wishing someone a good afternoon by saying this.
The actual direct translation for this would be 좋은 오후입니다 (jo-eun-oh-hu-im-ni-da) but this is not used in common language. You could say this to someone, but you may not get the reaction you are looking for.
Sample Sentences Using ‘Good Afternoon’ in Korean
Here are some sample sentences using your new word:
안녕하세요 이모. Hello, Aunt (mother’s side)
안녕하세요 선생님. Hello, teacher
안녕하세요 삼촌. Hello, Uncle.
안녕하세요 고모. Hello, Aunt (Father’s side)
안녕하세요 아저씨. Hello, Sir)
Keep in mind that when using your new word, you always must consider who you are speaking to.
If you are speaking with your friend, it is fine to use the informal way to speak; however, if you are speaking with someone older than you, you must use the formal or the honorific way of speaking.
Other Ways to Say Good Afternoon in Korean
안녕하세요 is very general and its true meaning is hello.
As stated above, instead of saying 안녕하세요, 좋은 오후입니다 [jo-en-ou-who-im-ni-da] is a direct translation of good afternoon(좋은 means good, 오후 means afternoon).
However, if you say this to a Korean person, you may not get the response you are looking for; instead, they might laugh as this is just not what is said.
좋은 can be used flexibly with another time period, such as 좋은 아침입니다 which means good morning.
Happy Studying!
