How to say "thank you" in Korean?

There are several ways to say “thank you” in Korean, depending on the context and the level of formality of the situation. In this article, we will see how you can say “thank you very much” in Korean and also how to respond to thanks.

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Gamsahamnida

감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) – This is the most formal way to say “thank you” in Korean, mainly used in formal situations or with older people.

It is composed of the words 감사 (gamsa), which means “gratitude,” and 합니다 (hamnida), which is an auxiliary verb that indicates a polite or respectful action.

정말 감사해 (jeongmal gamsaha) – This expression means “thank you very much” or “I appreciate it a lot” in Korean. It is composed of the words 정말 (jeongmal), which means “really” or “truly,” and 감사해 (gamsaha), which means “thank you.”

감사해요 (gamsahaeyo) – This is a slightly more formal way to say “thank you” in Korean, mainly used in more formal situations or with people you do not know very well.

It is composed of the words 감사해 (gamsaha), which means “thank you,” and 요 (yo), which is an auxiliary verb that indicates a polite or respectful action.

Gomawo

고마워 (gomawo) – This is an informal way to say “thank you” in Korean, mainly used among friends or family.

Gomawo is composed of the words 고마 (goma), which means “gratitude,” and 워 (wo), which is an auxiliary verb that indicates an informal or relaxed action.

고마워요 (gomawoyo) – This is a slightly more formal way to say “thank you” in Korean and is mainly used in more formal situations or with people you do not know very well.

It is composed of the same words as the previous phrase, but the auxiliary verb 요 (yo) has been added, making it a bit more formal.

정말 고마워 (jeongmal gomawo) – This is an expression that means “thank you very much” or “I appreciate it a lot” in Korean. It includes the addition of 정말 (jeongmal), which means “really” or “truly.”

고맙습니다 (gomapseumnida) – This is a formal way to say “thank you” in Korean, mainly used in formal situations or with older people, usually when in public.

It is composed of the words 고맙 (goma), which means “gratitude,” and 습니다 (seumnida), which is an auxiliary verb that indicates a polite or respectful action.

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List of Thanks in Korean

• 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) – Thank you very much
• 정말 고맙습니다 (jeongmal gomapseumnida) – Thank you very much indeed
• 제가 해야 할 일이기 때문입니다 (jega hayahal irigidamyeonimnida) – It is what I must do
• 저도 이만큼 감사합니다 (jeodo imeonkeum gamsahamnida) – I also thank you this much
• 저는 이것만큼 감사합니다 (jeoneun igeotmankeum gamsahamnida) – I thank you as much as this
• 감사의 인사 (gamsaui insa) – Greeting of thanks
• 진심으로 감사드립니다 (jinsimeuro gamsadeurimnida) – I thank you sincerely
• 고맙습니다, 정말 감사합니다 (gomapseumnida, jeongmal gamsahamnida) – Thank you, thank you very much
• 정말 감사합니다, 진심으로 감사드립니다 (jeongmal gamsahamnida, jinsimeuro gamsadeurimnida) – Thank you very much, I thank you sincerely
• 감사합니다, 저도 이만큼 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida, jeodo imeonkeum gamsahamnida) – Thank you, I also thank you this much

While in some countries we are used to using the same word to thank. When we wish to politely refuse something in Korean, we use 아니요 괜찮습니다 (a-ni gwaen-chan-seum-ni-da).

Other Ways to Thank in Korean

In addition to using words to thank, Koreans also have some customs and gestures used to express gratitude. Here are some examples:

• To kneel: In more formal situations or when one wishes to express deep gratitude, Koreans may kneel before the person they wish to thank. This is more common in situations where respect is to be shown to an older person or authority.
• To bow: Bowing is another common way to express gratitude in Korea. This can be done by leaning slightly forward with the head or bending slightly from the waist. This is generally used in more formal situations or with older people or authorities.
• To offer gifts: Offering gifts is another way to thank someone in Korea. The gifts can be symbolic or of value, depending on the relationship with the person and the intensity of the feeling of gratitude.
• To make bows: Making bows is a formal way to express gratitude in Korea. Bows can be made by leaning slightly forward with the head or bending slightly from the waist.

We also recommend reading: Learn about the Korean tradition of gifting someone with money

You’re welcome – How to respond to thanks in Korean?

There are several ways to respond to a thank you in Korean, depending on the context and the level of formality of the situation.

The most traditional way to say “you’re welcome” is 아니에요 (a-ni-ae-yo) in most situations. Its literal meaning is no, it is not. A polite expression, but suitable for practically all situations. The more formal version is 아닙니다 (ah-nip-nee-da).

Other common forms are:

• 별말씀을요 (byeol-mal-sseom-eol-yo) – no need to mention it;
• 괜찮아요 (gwen-chan-ah-yo) – it’s okay;

천만에요 (cheonmaneyo)

This is an informal way to say “you’re welcome” in Korean, but rarely used in everyday life, found more in writing. It is composed of the words 천 (cheon), which means “thousand,” and 만 (man), which means “zero” or “nothing.”

Together, they form the expression 천만 (cheonman), which means “you’re welcome.” The auxiliary verb 에요 (eyo) was added to make the expression a bit more formal. 천만 (cheonman) is a shorter and more informal version than cheonmaneyo.

정말 잘부탁드립니다 (jeongmal jalbutakdeurimnida)

This is an expression that means “thank you very much” or “I appreciate it a lot” in Korean. It can be used as a way to respond to a thank you in a formal situation.

It is composed of the words 정말 (jeongmal), which means “really” or “truly,” 잘 (jal), which means “well,” 부탁 (butak), which means “request” or “solicitation,” and 드립니다 (deurimnida), which is an auxiliary verb that indicates a polite or respectful action.

Other ways to say you’re welcome

아무거나요 (amugeonayo) – This is an informal way to say “you’re welcome” in Korean. Composed of the words 아무 (amu), which means “any” or “none,” 거 (geo), which means “thing” or “object,” and 나요 (nayo), being an auxiliary verb that indicates an informal or relaxed action.

아무렇지 않아요 (amureojianhayo) – This is a slightly more formal way to say “you’re welcome” in Korean. The word 렇지 (reoj) is an auxiliary verb that indicates a negative action, and 않아요 (anhayo) is an auxiliary verb that indicates a polite or respectful action.

We also have:

• 아무거나 (amugeona);
• 아무렇지 않아 (amureojianha);
• 아무거나 생각 없어 (amugeona saenggangeopseo);