Goodbye in Korean depends on who leaves: 안녕히 가세요 if they leave, 안녕히 계세요 if you leave. Here's the rule and the variants.
안녕히 가세요 (annyeonghi gaseyo) — Goodbye (to the person leaving) · Formal · Standard
The key rule: who's leaving, who's staying?
Formal Korean doesn't have a single "goodbye" but TWO, depending on who's going.
• If YOU leave and the other person STAYS: they tell you 안녕히 계세요 ("stay well"). • If YOU stay and the other person LEAVES: you tell them 안녕히 가세요 ("go well").
If both of you leave at the same time, modern usage accepts either, but 안녕히 가세요 sounds slightly more natural.
This is the main mistake English speakers make when learning Korean farewells. Once the logic is clear, the rest is easy.
| Hangul | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 안녕히 가세요 | annyeonghi gaseyo | Goodbye (to the one leaving) (you stay, they leave) |
| 안녕히 계세요 | annyeonghi gyeseyo | Goodbye (to the one staying) (you leave, they stay) |
안녕, the all-purpose word among close people
안녕 (annyeong) is used both for hello AND goodbye between close friends and with children. Context tells which one.
It's the casual version, only for people the same age as you or younger, or for close family. With a senior, a neighbor you barely know or a shopkeeper, stick with 안녕히 가세요 / 안녕히 계세요.
| Hangul | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 안녕! | annyeong! | Bye! (when leaving) (between same-age friends) |
| 안녕, 내일 봐 | annyeong, naeil bwa | Bye, see you tomorrow (casual) |
잘 가 and 잘 있어, the casual symmetry
If you want to keep the "leave / stay" distinction in casual speech, use 잘 가 ("go well") and 잘 있어 ("stay well").
These work with close people: friends, siblings, partner. They sound affectionate and natural. Don't use them with someone older or higher in rank, who deserves 안녕히 가세요.
| Hangul | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 잘 가 | jal ga | Go well (to the one leaving) (you stay) |
| 잘 있어 | jal isseo | Stay well (to the one staying) (you leave) |
| 잘 가요 | jal gayo | Go well (polite, not honorific) (polite version with someone close in age) |
들어가세요, the "get home safe" you'll hear everywhere
들어가세요 (literally "go inside [your home] well") is probably the most common way Koreans actually end a conversation in real life, especially on the phone or when getting out of a taxi.
It's warmer than a plain 안녕히 가세요 and works in nearly any polite context: at the office, with a client, with a neighbor, at the end of a work call. Koreans use it as a sign of care, regardless of the time of day.
| Hangul | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 들어가세요 | deureogaseyo | Get home safe (ending a call, leaving a shop) |
| 조심히 들어가세요 | josimhi deureogaseyo | Get home safely (at night, in bad weather) |
See you soon, see you tomorrow, until next time
When you plan on seeing the person again, you say so. Korean simply tweaks the verb 보다 (to see) or 만나다 (to meet) depending on when.
The element 다음 ("next time") shows up in nearly all of these. Very common.
| Hangul | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 또 봐요 | tto bwayo | See you later (neutral, polite) |
| 또 봐 | tto bwa | See ya (casual) |
| 내일 봐요 | naeil bwayo | See you tomorrow (polite) |
| 다음에 또 만나요 | daeume tto mannayo | Until next time (polite, warm) |
| 나중에 봐요 | najunge bwayo | See you later (today or after) (polite) |
On the phone, it's different
Nobody uses 안녕히 가세요 on the phone. The "who leaves / who stays" rule doesn't really apply when both of you are hanging up.
Natural ways to end a call: 들어가세요 (get home safe), 끊을게요 ("I'll hang up") or simply 네, 감사합니다 ("yes, thank you"). If you'll call later, add 다시 통화해요 ("we'll talk later").
| Hangul | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 끊을게요 | kkeuneulgeyo | I'll hang up (ending a work call) |
| 네, 들어가세요 | ne, deureogaseyo | Yes, take care (polite closer) |
| 다시 통화해요 | dasi tonghwahaeyo | We'll talk again (expecting another call) |
Common mistakes to avoid
Three classic traps for English speakers learning Korean farewells:
1. Swapping 안녕히 가세요 and 안녕히 계세요. Anchor the logic: 가다 (to leave) → say to the one going, 계시다 (to stay / honorific "be") → say to the one remaining.
2. Using 안녕히 가세요 on the phone. Too formal for that context, prefer 들어가세요 or 끊을게요.
3. Saying 안녕 to a senior. Casual is for peers and younger only, never for an elder, a boss or a client.
Related words
| Hangul | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 가다 | to go, to leave (root of 안녕히 가세요) | |
| 계시다 | to stay, to be (honorific) (root of 안녕히 계세요) | |
| 들어가다 | to go home, go inside (in 들어가세요) | |
| 만나다 | to meet | |
| 보다 | to see (또 봐요 = see you later) | |
| 다음 | next, following |
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between 안녕히 가세요 and 안녕히 계세요?
안녕히 가세요 ("go well") is what you say to the person leaving. 안녕히 계세요 ("stay well") is what you say to the person staying. If both of you leave, modern usage accepts either, but 안녕히 가세요 sounds slightly more natural.
How do you say goodbye on the phone in Korean?
Not with 안녕히 가세요. The most natural phrase is 들어가세요 ("get home safe"), even if the person isn't actually heading home. You'll also hear 끊을게요 ("I'll hang up") and 네, 감사합니다 ("yes, thank you").
Can you use 안녕 for goodbye?
Yes, 안녕 covers both hello and goodbye among close friends and with children. But it's strictly casual: with a senior or stranger, use 안녕히 가세요. Rule of thumb: when in doubt between formal and casual, pick formal.
What's the difference between 잘 가 and 안녕히 가세요?
잘 가 ("go well") is the casual equivalent of 안녕히 가세요. Same structure, same function (addressing the one leaving), but reserved for close people, friends and younger speakers. With a boss or client, stick to 안녕히 가세요.