How to Say "Yes" and "No" in Korean

Yes and no in Korean: polite 네/예 and 아니요, casual 응/아니 — plus the trap that confuses every learner, where 네 to a negative question means 'yes, that's right', not 'yes, I will'.

Updated

Yes and no are the first words everyone learns — and in Korean they're almost as simple as they look, with one famous trap around negative questions. Here are the polite and casual versions, the surprising other uses of 네, and the rule that keeps you from accidentally agreeing to the opposite of what you mean.

Saying yes

  • 네ne

    Yes (polite)

    Your everyday 'yes'. Also means 'okay / I see / uh-huh'.

  • 예ye

    Yes (formal)

    A touch more formal/deferential than 네. Common in service and to elders.

  • 응eung

    Yeah (casual)

    Between friends. Even shorter: 어 (eo).

  • 맞아요majayo

    That's right.

    When you mean 'correct', not just 'yes'. Casual: 맞아.

Saying no

  • 아니요aniyo

    No (polite)

    Also written/said 아니오. Your everyday polite 'no'.

  • 아니ani

    No (casual)

    Between friends. 'No / nope'.

  • 아니에요anieyo

    It's not / no, it isn't.

    Also means 'you're welcome' or 'no worries' in reply to thanks or an apology.

The negative-question trap

Here's the one thing that trips up every learner. In Korean, 네 and 아니요 confirm whether the question itself is TRUE, not whether you 'will' or 'won't'. So your answer to a negative question flips compared to English.

  • 안 가요? — 네, 안 가요.an gayo? — ne, an gayo.

    'You're not going?' — 'Right, I'm not going.'

    네 = 'yes, that's correct (I'm not going)'. The opposite of English 'no'.

  • 안 가요? — 아니요, 가요.an gayo? — aniyo, gayo.

    'You're not going?' — 'No (you're wrong), I am going.'

    아니요 = 'that's not right — I AM going'.

The fix is simple: don't translate 네/아니요 as 'yes/no' word-for-word — hear them as 'that's correct / that's not correct', then add the verb to be clear. When in doubt, just state the action: 가요 ('I'm going') or 안 가요 ('I'm not going').

These tiny words carry a lot of conversation, so the best practice is live back-and-forth. In our AI character chat, you'll answer real questions — including negative ones — and build the instinct for 네 vs 아니요 without overthinking. For the wider set of everyday replies, see our basic Korean greetings guide.

Practice yes and no live

Answer real questions from an AI character and get the feel for 네 and 아니요 in natural conversation.

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Frequently asked questions

How do you say yes and no in Korean?

Yes is 네 (ne) or the slightly more formal 예 (ye); casually, 응 (eung) or 어 (eo). No is 아니요 (aniyo) politely, or 아니 (ani) casually. 네 and 아니요 are your safe defaults with almost anyone.

What does 네 mean besides 'yes'?

네 is also a general acknowledgment — 'okay', 'I see', 'uh-huh', or 'pardon?' with rising intonation. Koreans use it constantly as a backchannel to show they're listening, so it doesn't always mean a firm 'yes'.

Why is answering a negative question confusing in Korean?

Korean 'yes/no' agrees with the question's truth, not with English logic. To 'You're not going?' (안 가요?), saying 네 means 'yes, that's right — I'm not going', and 아니요 means 'no, that's wrong — I am going'. It's the opposite of English, so listen for what the person is confirming.

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