By Yuliya Geikhman Last updated: August 10, 2023

43 Ways to Say “Goodbye” in Korean and Bid Farewell with Cultural Grace

Saying goodbye in Korean isn’t always as easy as giving a wave and a “bye bye.”

You have to consider who you’re talking to, who’s leaving and who’s staying and even more!

Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, understanding the nuances of fond farewells in Korean is crucial for effective communication.

Read on to level up your Korean language skills and add a touch of flair to your farewells!

Formal Ways to Say Goodbye in Korean
Informal Ways to Say Goodbye in Korean
Korean Farewell Expressions for Specific Situations
Goodbyes in Korean Culture

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Formal Ways to Say Goodbye in Korean

안녕히 가세요 (Annyeonghi gaseyo) — Goodbye

This phrase is used when bidding farewell to someone who’s leaving. Use it to say goodbye to someone who’s going home, traveling or departing from a gathering or event (for example).

안녕히 계세요 (Annyeonghi gyeseyo) — Goodbye

This one’s for the opposite: It’s used to say goodbye to someone who’s staying behind when you’re leaving.

안녕히 계십시오 (Annyeonghi gyesipsio) — Goodbye

This Korean goodbye is appropriate for formal situations and when addressing individuals with higher status or seniority.

잘 가십시오 (Jal gasipsio) — Farewell

This is another formal and polite way of bidding farewell in a respectful manner, often used in formal or official contexts.

잘 가세요 (Jal gaseyo) — Take care

This phrase expresses your wishes for someone’s well-being or safe journey when they’re leaving.

잘 지내세요 (Jal gyeseyo) — Stay well

If you’re the one who’s leaving while someone else is staying behind, use this phrase.

이만 가겠습니다 (Iman gagessumnida) — I’ll be leaving now

This phrase is a formal way to inform others that you’re leaving.

다음에 뵙겠습니다 (Daeume boepgesseumnida) — See you next time

Use this phrase to say goodbye formally while indicating the expectation of meeting the person again in the future.

좋은 하루 되세요 (Joh-eun haru doeseyo) — Have a good day

Use this phrase when parting ways with someone and wishing them to have a good day ahead.

건강하게 지내세요 (Geonganghage jinaeseyo) — Stay healthy

This phrase is used to bid farewell and express the wish for someone to stay healthy and well.

무사히 돌아오세요 (Musahi doraojoseyo) — Return safely

Use this phrase when bidding farewell to someone who is going on a trip or journey, expressing your wish for their safe return.

Informal Ways to Say Goodbye in Korean

안녕 (Annyeong) — Bye

This is another casual and commonly used way of saying goodbye. It can be used in various informal situations with friends, family or close acquaintances.

안녕히 (Annyonghi) — Goodbye

This is another casual and commonly used way of saying goodbye.

안뇽이 (Annyongi) — Bye

This is another informal and playful way of saying bye, which is derived from “안뇽” (Annyong). It’s commonly used among friends, especially younger individuals or in a more relaxed atmosphere.

안뇽 (Annyong) — Bye

This is an informal and abbreviated version of “안녕” (Annyeong).

잘 살아 (Jal sara) — Bye

This is a slang expression used to say bye. It’s more commonly used among younger individuals or in informal settings.

바이 (Bai) — Bye

This phrase is borrowed from English and is used casually as a way to say goodbye.

빠이 (Bbai) — Bye

This is a variation on the borrowed English “bye.”

빠이빠이 (Bbaibbai) — Bye-bye

This one’s just as cute as in English!

다음에 봐 (Daeume bwa) — See you next time

Use this phrase to express that you’ll see the person again in the future, in a casual way.

나갈게 (Nagalge) — I’m outta here

Use this phrase to inform your friends that you’re leaving.

이따가 또 보자 (Ittaga tto boja) — See you again today

If you have plans to see your friends again that day, you can use this phrase.

그럼 가 볼게 (Geureom ga bolge) — Well, I’ll be going then

This phrase is used to indicate that you are leaving.

가야겠어 (Gayagess-eo) — I have to go

Got to go? Use this casual phrase.

갈게 (Galge) — I’ll be going

This is another way to inform your friends that you’re heading out.

다음에 보자 (Daeume boja) — Let’s meet next time

Use this phrase to express the desire to meet the person again in the future.

나중에 (Najung-e) — Later

This phrase is used to say goodbye with the intention of meeting or seeing the person again at a later time.

오늘은 여기까지 (Oneul-eun yeogikkaji) — That’s it for today

Use this phrase when parting ways after completing activities or meetings for the day.

가지 마 (Gaji ma) — Don’t go

This phrase is used playfully or jokingly to express the desire for someone to stay or not leave. It’s commonly used among friends or in casual settings.

Korean Farewell Expressions for Specific Situations

안녕히 주무세요 (Annyeonghi jumuseyo) — Good night

This is a polite phrase to bid someone good night in Korean before they go to sleep.

안녕히 주무십시오 (Annyeonghi jumusipsio) — Sleep well

This phrase is a more formal way of saying “Sleep well.”

맛있게 드세요 (Masitge deuseyo) — Enjoy your meal

If someone’s about to chow down as you walk away, you can say goodbye with this phrase.

조심히 가십시오 (Josimhi gasipsio) — Take care on your way

Use this phrase to bid someone farewell when they’re about to leave on a trip.

안녕히 다녀오세요 (Annyeonghi danyeoseyo) — Have a safe trip

This phrase is a more formal way of saying “Have a safe trip.”

안전하게 돌아가세요 (Anjeonhage doragaseyo) — Have a safe trip back

This is another polite way to say goodbye to someone leaving on a trip.

좋은 여행 되세요 (Joh-eun yeohaeng doeseyo) — Have a great trip

If it’s your friend who’s leaving, you can use this more casual goodbye.

잘 갔다 와 (Jal gatda wa) — Go well

This phrase is a casual way to wish someone a safe journey.

잘 다녀오세요 (Jal danyeoseyo) — Have a safe trip

This is an all-around goodbye that’s usable for any level of formality.

좋은 시간 보내세요 (Joh-eun sigan bonaeseyo) — Have a good time

Use this polite phrase to wish someone to have a good time or enjoy their experience.

항상 건강하시고 행복하세요 (Hangsang geonganghashigo haengbokhaseyo) — Always stay healthy and happy

This phrase is a polite expression used to bid farewell while expressing well wishes for someone’s continued good health and happiness.

행운을 빌어요 (Haengun-eul biloeyo) — I wish you luck

Use this casual phrase to express the wish for someone to have good fortune.

행운을 빕니다 (Haengun-eul bibnimnida) — Wishing you luck

This phrase is a more formal way of saying “I wish you luck.”

모두가 당신을 그리워할 거예요 (Moduga dangsin-eul geuliwohal geoyeyo) — Everyone will miss you

Use this phrase to express that everyone will feel a sense of longing for someone who’s leaving.

Goodbyes in Korean Culture

How do you know which goodbye to use? What other etiquette should you follow when wishing someone a farewell in Korean? Here are some things to keep in mind:

Formality: The level of formality is crucial in Korean interactions, including goodbyes. It’s important to use appropriate honorifics and respectful language when bidding farewell to someone of higher status, older age or in a formal setting.
Contextual factors: The choice of goodbye phrases can also depend on the context and relationship between individuals. Different phrases may be used when parting with friends, family members, colleagues or strangers. Informal phrases like “안녕” (Annyeong) or “잘 가” (Jal ga) are suitable for casual or close relationships, while more formal expressions are used in professional or formal settings.
Cultural considerations: In Korean culture, it’s customary to show politeness and consideration for others when saying goodbye. This includes expressing well wishes, such as “잘 가세요” (Jal gaseyo) meaning “Go well” or “안녕히 계세요” (Annyeonghi gyeseyo) meaning “Stay well.”
Additionally, Koreans may often express concerns for the other person’s health, safety or overall well-being during the farewell.
Non-verbal gestures: Non-verbal gestures such as bowing or shaking hands may accompany goodbyes in more formal or professional settings. Whether you’re saying goodbye or hello in Korean, your body languages says a lot about what you’re really saying!

You can pick up on many of these aspects of the Korean language by consuming Korean media. From K-Pop to K-Dramas and everything in between, the more authentic Korean you hear, the more nuances you’ll be able to pick up.

If the idea of learning with authentic Korean media is intimidating, the FluentU program can make it much more approachable. The program takes authentic videos like movie and TV show clips, music videos, commercials and more and turns them into bite-sized lessons.

Videos on the FluentU program are equipped with English and Korean subtitles that let you click on any word for a contextual definition. You can also add words as flashcards (you could even make a flashcard deck featuring ways to say goodbye in Korean), then study them with adaptive quizzes.

FluentU can be accessed right in your browser, but you can also install the iOS or Android app for mobile learning.

Say hello to saying goodbye in Korean like a native speaker!