First impressions are so important. That first meeting can often shape other people’s perspective of your forever!
Let’s make sure that they have a great impression of you by learning to say ‘nice to meet you’ in Korean. This small phrase will not only show that you have great manners, but also that you enjoyed meeting your new friend, acquaintance, or potential future romantic partner.
Below, we’ll show you the various ways to say ‘nice to meet you’ in Korean.
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Formal ‘Nice to Meet You’ in Korean
1. 만나서 반갑습니다 (man-na-seo ban-gap-seum-ni-da)
This phrase consists of two words: A verb and an adjective:
만나다 = to meet
반갑다 = to be happy or pleased
When you put the together, you have the phrase ‘nice to meet you’. Since this phrase uses the -입니다 ending, it is quite formal. You might use this in a business setting or talking to people that are higher up in the social rank. It is also good if you’re speaking to a large group.
Standard ‘Nice to Meet You’ in Korean
1. 만나서 반가워요 (man-na-seo ban-ga-wo-yo)
This is the standard form of “nice to meet you”. It uses the same verb and adjective, except that the ending is less formal. You can use this with everyone, but it’s not quite as polite as the formal version. You might consider using this version with people similar in age to you, or people who you feel it’s better to be slightly less formal with. It’s a polite expression, so you can feel confident using it.
Informal ‘Nice to Meet You’ in Korean
1. 만나서 반가워 (man-na-seo ban-ga-wo)
This informal version of nice to meet you’ is almost identical to the regular version. The only difference is that there is no 요 at the end.
Taking away the 요 is the way to make standard expressions into informal expressions. Since you’re going to be using ‘nice to meet you’ with people you’re first meeting, then you’ll likely want to use the standard or formal version. This is because you’re not close with the other person yet.
You can use the informal version of this phrase with young children. That is because they are below you in the social rank so it’s not necessary to use formal language with them. In fact, it might seem a bit strange if you used the formal version.
Wrap Up
There you have it! You’re all set to go out and make Korean friends. Of the three phrases, you’ll probably want to start off by learning the standard version first. That’s because you will be able to use it with the widest variety of people.
Once you get that phrase down, you can use the informal phrase by simply dropping the 요. Lastly, add the formal version and you’ll be all set to go.
Now get out there and start mingling! ^^
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Comments
Re: How to Say ‘Nice to Meet You’ in Korean
Good post for starting !! Many Koreans say "nice to meet you" in English quite often.
In English we use good to see you, nice to see you etc. for any meeting after the first time in which case just :
반가워요 or 반갑습니다 would be good.
How about 처음 뵙겠습니다 ?