How to Say Goodbye in Korean: 7 Essential Farewell Phrases You Need to Know

You've probably figured out how to say 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo - hello) by now. But here's where things get weird: Korean has multiple different ways to say goodbye, and choosing the wrong one can actually offend people.

I'm not exaggerating. Use the wrong Korean goodbye phrase with your friend's parents? Awkward. Say the casual goodbye to your boss? You might as well have walked into the office in your pajamas.

The thing is, saying goodbye in Korean isn't just about being polite. Korean farewell phrases are about showing you understand who's leaving, who's staying, and where everyone ranks in the social hierarchy. It's like a linguistic chess game, except the rules actually make sense once you know them.

Let's fix this so you can say goodbye in Korean without accidentally disrespecting anyone.

The Core Problem: English Broke Your Brain

In English, we just say "goodbye." Maybe "bye" if we're casual, or "farewell" if we're feeling fancy. That's it. Same word whether you're leaving, they're leaving, whether it's your best friend or the CEO.

Korean doesn't work like that. At all.

Every way to say goodbye in Korean depends on three things:

Get any of these wrong and the phrase lands weird. Not "haha oops" weird, but "why is this foreigner being rude" weird.

The Two Korean Phrases You Actually Need to Know First

Forget memorizing a dozen variations. Start with these first expressions in Korean.

안녕히 가세요 (Annyeonghi Gaseyo)

Use this when: The other person is leaving and you're staying.

Literally means: "Go peacefully"

This polite way to say goodbye in Korean is what you'd use when your Korean friend leaves your apartment, when customers exit a shop, or when your coworker heads home for the day. You're essentially wishing them a safe trip to wherever they're going.

Breaking down the phrase: 안녕히 (annyeonghi) means "peacefully" and 가세요 (gaseyo) means "please go." Together, 안녕히 가세요 tells someone to go peacefully.

Example: Your friend says they need to head out. You say "안녕히 가세요" as they walk to the door. Done.

안녕히 계세요 (Annyeonghi Gyeseyo)

Use this when: You're leaving and the person is staying.

Literally means: "Stay peacefully"

This polite way to say "goodbye" in Korean is what you say when you're the one walking out. You're at someone's house and you need to leave? 안녕히 계세요. You're leaving a restaurant and the staff is still there? Same phrase.

The phrase breaks down as: 안녕히 (annyeonghi) means "peacefully" and 계세요 (gyeseyo) means "please stay." So 안녕히 계세요 means "stay peacefully."

Example: You finish dinner at your Korean teacher's place. As you grab your coat to leave, you say "안녕히 계세요."

The difference between these two Korean phrases is just one syllable - 가 (ga, "go") vs. 계 (gye, "stay"). New learners mix them up constantly because they sound similar. Here's the trick: GA for GO. If someone's going, use the one with 가 in it.

These two ways to say goodbye in Korean work in pretty much any situation where you need to be polite. Meeting someone new? Use these. Talking to a store employee? These farewell phrases. Not sure about the hierarchy? These are your safety net.

The Casual Way to Say Bye in Korean (For Friends Only)

Once you're actually close with someone - and I mean actually close, not "we've met twice" close - you can use the casual goodbye.

안녕 (Annyeong)

This is the casual way to say goodbye. It's also the casual way to say "hello." Same word 안녕, totally different from the polite expressions above.

Use with: Close friends your age, younger siblings, kids

Do NOT use with: Anyone older than you, coworkers, people you just met, your friend's parents, literally anyone you need to show respect to

I'm serious about this. Using 안녕 (annyeong) with the wrong person is like showing up to a job interview in a tank top. Technically you're saying goodbye, but you're also broadcasting that you don't understand basic social rules.

Your Korean friends will probably laugh it off because you're a foreigner and they'll assume you don't know better. But if you're trying to actually get good at the Korean language? Learn when NOT to say 안녕.

Whether you're coming or going, 안녕 works for casual goodbyes. But the polite way requires knowing who's leaving.

Different Ways to Say "Bye" - The Informal Versions

잘 가 (Jal Ga)

This casual way to say goodbye literally means "go well." The word 잘 (jal) means "well" and 가 means "go."

Use when: You're the one staying and the other person is leaving

This is one of the most common ways to say bye in Korean with close friends. It's informal and friendly - perfect when your buddy heads home after hanging out.

잘 있어 (Jal Isseo)

This means "stay well" or "be well."

Use when: You're the one leaving and the person is staying

Notice the pattern? Even with casual Korean phrases, you still need to know who's leaving and who's staying.

The "I'm Leaving First" Phrase That's All Over K-Dramas

If you've watched any K-dramas, you've heard this one a million times:

나 먼저 갈게 (Na Meonjeo Galge)

Means: "I'll go first" or "I'm heading out"

Use when: You're leaving but other people in your group are staying

This is super common in Korean culture. Instead of just waving and walking out, you announce that you're leaving ahead of everyone else. It's kind of like asking permission to leave, but not really - more like acknowledging that you're breaking up the group.

The polite form is 저 먼저 갈게요 (jeo meonjeo galgeyo), which you'd use with people you're not super close with.

Ways to Say "See You Later" in Korean

Yeah, Korean has multiple ways to say this too.

다음에 봐요 (Daeume Bwayo)

Means: "See you next time"

The phrase breaks down as 다음에 (daeume) meaning "next time" and 봐요 (bwayo) meaning "see." You can tack this onto any of the other goodbye phrases, or use it on its own in casual situations. Drop the 요 (yo) at the end and you get 다음에 봐 (daeume bwa), which is the casual version used with friends.

또 봐요 (Tto Bwayo)

This means "see you again" - 또 (tto) means "again" and 봐요 (bwayo) means "see." This common expression works the same way as 다음에 봐요.

내일 봐요 (Naeil Bwayo)

Want to say "see you tomorrow"? Use 내일 봐요. The word 내일 (naeil) means "tomorrow," so this literally means "see you tomorrow." The casual version for friends is 내일 봐 (naeil bwa).

When You Actually Need the Super Formal Korean Phrases

There are ultra-formal versions of the main phrases: 안녕히 가십시오 (annyeonghi gasipsio) and 안녕히 계십시오 (annyeonghi gyesipsio). You'll hear these on the news, on trains, or from staff at fancy restaurants.

Do you need to know how to say these? Probably not for everyday use. The standard polite way (가세요/계세요) works fine in almost every situation. These super formal farewell phrases can actually sound stiff and distant if you use them with regular people.

Learn to recognize them so you're not confused when you hear them. But for actual speaking? Stick with the standard polite forms unless you're giving a formal speech or something.

More Korean Goodbye Phrases for Specific Situations

잘 가요 (Jal Gayo)

This polite form means "go well." It's less formal than 안녕히 가세요 but more polite than 잘 가. Good for acquaintances or semi-formal situations when the other person is leaving.

조심히 가세요 (Josimhi Gaseyo)

This means "go carefully" or "have a safe journey." It's a thoughtful way to say goodbye when you want to wish someone safety as they depart.

잘 들어가세요 (Jal Deureogaseyo)

This literally means "enter well" - it's what you say to wish someone a safe arrival at their destination, usually when they're heading home.

The Cultural Context That Actually Matters

Here's what language learning apps don't tell you: Korean goodbye expressions are wrapped up in a whole social hierarchy system that goes way deeper than just language.

Age matters. A lot. Even if someone's just one year older than you, you're expected to use polite Korean. This is why Koreans ask each other's age immediately after meeting - they need to know which level of formality to use.

When Koreans find out they're the same age? They get visibly excited. Because it means they can drop the formal speech and just talk normally. It's like unlocking a more relaxed friendship setting.

This hierarchy thing comes from Confucian values that are baked into Korean culture. Respect for elders, clearly defined social roles, harmony through knowing your place in the social order. The language reflects all of that.

Does this mean you need to become an expert in Korean social structures before you can say bye in Korean? No. But it does mean you should pay attention to context. Watch how Koreans around you use these phrases. Notice who uses what with whom. The patterns become obvious pretty quickly.

Common Ways to Say Goodbye Wrong (And How to Avoid It)

Mistake #1: Using 안녕 with everyone

New learners learn the word 안녕 first because it's short and appears in learning materials. Then they use it with their language exchange partner's mom. Don't be that person. This casual goodbye is only for close friends and younger people.

Mistake #2: Mixing up 가세요 and 계세요

They sound similar. You'll mess this up at first. Everyone does. The fix is just exposure - listen to them used in context enough times and your brain starts differentiating automatically.

Mistake #3: Overthinking different ways to say farewell

Yeah, there are technically like seven different speech levels in Korean. But for practical everyday use? Learn the standard polite way (the 요 endings) and the casual forms. That covers 90% of situations you'll actually encounter when learning Korean.

The rest you'll pick up naturally as you get more advanced. Don't paralyze yourself trying to master every nuance before you start speaking.

How to Actually Practice Korean Farewell Phrases

Reading about these phrases is one thing. Using them naturally is different.

The best way to learn Korean goodbyes? Watch how they're actually used in real conversations. Korean dramas are honestly great for this - you'll see people navigating the hierarchy, choosing the right phrase for the situation, and occasionally using the wrong one and dealing with the consequences.

Pay attention to age differences in the shows. Notice when characters switch between formal and casual ways to say goodbye. Watch how younger characters talk to older ones, and how that changes when they're with friends their own age.

But here's the thing about just watching: you're still passive. You're observing patterns, sure, but you're not actually practicing producing the Korean language yourself.

This is where learning from immersion with immediate feedback gets powerful. When you're actively looking up words and Korean phrases as you encounter them in real content - not from a textbook list, but from actual shows and conversations - your brain connects the language to real situations. You see 안녕히 가세요 used by a character leaving their friend's house, and your brain logs "okay, this is the phrase for when I'm staying and they're leaving."

The problem with traditional study methods is they give you lists of Korean phrases without context. You memorize "안녕히 가세요 means goodbye" but you don't know WHEN to use it or what makes it different from 안녕히 계세요. You end up with a bunch of disconnected facts instead of actual language intuition.

By the way, if you're curious about how Japanese handles farewells, they have a similarly complex system based on hierarchy. Both Korean and Japanese share these detailed polite expressions and social rules around saying goodbye.

Why Korean Honorifics Actually Make Sense

At first glance, this whole system seems unnecessarily complicated. Why can't goodbye just be goodbye?

But think about it: English actually does this too, we're just more subtle about it. You wouldn't say "what's up dude" to your grandma. You probably talk differently to your boss than to your roommate. We adjust our language based on social context all the time.

Korean just makes those adjustments explicit and consistent. Once you understand the patterns for different ways to say goodbye in Korean, it's actually less ambiguous than English. You know exactly which phrase to use in which situation. There's no guessing about whether you should be formal or casual - the context tells you.

And honestly? It feels good to use these Korean phrases correctly. You're not just speaking Korean - you're showing that you understand and respect Korean culture. That matters to people.

Let's Talk About Migaku for a Second

Look, you can absolutely learn these farewell phrases from blog posts and textbooks. Memorize the different ways to say goodbye, drill them with flashcards, practice with language partners. It works, it's just slow.

The faster way is to see these Korean goodbye phrases used hundreds of times in actual Korean content - dramas, YouTube videos, whatever you're interested in - and have the tools to understand them instantly without breaking the flow.

That's the idea behind Migaku's browser extension. You're watching a Korean show, someone says 안녕히 가세요 as they leave a scene, you hover over it and instantly see the definition and can save it to your flashcard deck if you want. No pausing, no switching to a dictionary, no losing track of what's happening in the show.

The extension works with Netflix, YouTube, and pretty much any Korean content you can find online. You see the phrases in context - you know who's saying it, to whom, in what situation. That contextual learning is what makes phrases stick instead of just floating around as abstract vocabulary.

Plus, Migaku's spaced repetition system makes sure you actually remember this stuff. The app tracks what you've learned from your immersion and schedules reviews so the phrases move from short-term memory into long-term memory. You can learn about how Hangul works and other Korean basics the same way - from real content instead of manufactured textbook examples.

The mobile app syncs everything, so you can review your cards while you're waiting for coffee or riding the subway. The whole system is designed around the idea that you learn Korean by engaging with it, not by studying about it.

If you're serious about getting conversational in Korean - not just knowing some phrases but actually understanding and using the language naturally - give Migaku a shot. There's a 10-day free trial, so you can test it out with whatever Korean content you're already watching.