"How are you?" is one of the first phrases learners reach for — but in Korean it works a little differently than in English. There isn't one fixed translation, the politeness level shifts with who you're talking to, and Koreans simply ask it less often, because the all-purpose greeting 안녕하세요 already handles 'hello'. Here's how to ask it at every level, how to reply, and the cultural nuance that keeps you from sounding like a textbook.
잘 지내요? — the everyday version
The workhorse phrase comes from 지내다 (jinaeda, 'to get along / to live') plus 잘 (jal, 'well') — literally 'are you living well?'. The ending carries the politeness, the same 반말 vs 존댓말 logic that runs through all of Korean.
- 잘 지내?jal jinae?
How are you? (casual / 반말)
For friends, a partner, or someone younger. The everyday casual version.
- 잘 지내요?jal jinaeyo?
How are you? (polite)
The -요 ending makes it safe with almost anyone. Your default.
- 어떻게 지내세요?eotteoke jinaeseyo?
How are you? (honorific)
'How are you getting along?' — for elders, a boss, or anyone you respect.
- 잘 지냈어요?jal jinaesseoyo?
How have you been? (polite, past)
The past tense — natural when you haven't seen someone for a while.
Other ways to check in
Beyond 지내다, a few other phrases do the work of 'how are you?' — some literal, some distinctly Korean.
- 어떻게 지내?eotteoke jinae?
How's it going? (casual)
The casual cousin of 어떻게 지내세요? — friendly and common among friends.
- 별일 없어요?byeoril eopseoyo?
Anything new? / All good? (polite)
Literally 'no special matters?' — a relaxed check-in.
- 밥 먹었어요?bap meogeosseoyo?
Have you eaten? (polite)
A caring, very Korean way to ask after someone — not a literal meal invite.
- 요즘 어때요?yojeum eottaeyo?
How are things these days? (polite)
Asks about your life lately — work, study, mood.
How to reply
- 네, 잘 지내요ne, jal jinaeyo
Yes, I'm doing well (polite)
The simple positive answer. Casual: 응, 잘 지내.
- 그냥 그래요geunyang geuraeyo
So-so / nothing special (polite)
When things are just okay. Casual: 그냥 그래.
- 잘 지내요. -님은요?jal jinaeyo. -nim-eunyo?
I'm well. And you? (polite)
Return the question with -은/는요? ('and you?'). Match their politeness level.
Which one should you use?
- To a friend, sibling, or partner: 잘 지내? or 어떻게 지내?
- To someone polite-but-not-close — a coworker your age, a new acquaintance: 잘 지내요?
- To anyone older or higher-status — parents, a boss, a teacher: 어떻게 지내세요?
- Haven't seen them in a while? Use the past tense — 잘 지냈어요? — which is where 'how are you?' feels most natural in Korean.
The deeper skill is the same one behind every Korean greeting: matching the right speech level to the right person. For the full picture of casual versus respectful speech, see our guide to Korean honorifics, and for the greetings that pair with 잘 지내요? — hello, thank you, goodbye — start with our basic Korean greetings guide.
Knowing the words is the easy part — the instinct for which level fits each person only comes from using them. In our AI character chat, characters greet you at different politeness levels, so you can practice replying to 잘 지내? from a friend and 어떻게 지내세요? from an older character until it feels automatic.
Try it in a real conversation
Ask and answer 잘 지내요? with an AI character who replies naturally and matches the right speech level.
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