How to Say Thank You in Korean: 16 Expressions for Every Situation
Quick Answer
The most common way to say thank you in Korean is '감사합니다' (Gamsahamnida). It is polite, universally safe, and appropriate for nearly any situation -- from thanking a coworker to expressing gratitude to a stranger. For casual situations with close friends, Koreans use '고마워' (Gomawo). Choosing the right form depends on the listener's age, your relationship, and the level of formality the situation demands.
The Short Answer
The most common way to say thank you in Korean is 감사합니다 (Gamsahamnida). It is polite, universally understood, and appropriate for roughly 90% of the thank-you situations you will encounter, from receiving change at a convenience store to closing a business meeting.
Korean is spoken by over 80 million people worldwide, with the majority in South Korea and North Korea and significant communities across the United States, China, Japan, and Central Asia, according to Ethnologue's 2024 data. What makes Korean expressions of gratitude especially interesting is that the language has two entirely separate root systems for "thank you" -- one from Sino-Korean (한자어 hanja-eo) and one native Korean (고유어 goyueo) -- each carrying a different emotional weight.
"The Korean language preserves a dual vocabulary for gratitude: the Sino-Korean 감사 carries institutional weight, while the native 고맙다 carries emotional warmth. Choosing between them is not merely a stylistic preference; it signals the nature of the relationship."
(Ho-Min Sohn, The Korean Language, Cambridge University Press, 1999)
This guide covers 16 essential Korean thank-you expressions and responses organized by formality: formal, polite, casual, intensified, and response phrases. Each expression includes Hangul script, romanization, pronunciation, an example sentence, and cultural context.
Quick Reference: Korean Thank You Expressions at a Glance
Understanding the Two Roots of Thank You
Before looking at individual expressions, it helps to understand why Korean has two separate "thank you" systems. This distinction shapes every gratitude expression in the language.
| Root | Origin | Word | Feeling | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 감사 (gamsa) | Sino-Korean (Chinese characters) | 감사합니다 | Formal, respectful, institutional | Business, strangers, public settings |
| 고맙다 (gomapda) | Native Korean | 고마워요 / 고마워 | Warm, personal, heartfelt | Friends, family, personal moments |
According to the National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원), both roots are grammatically interchangeable in most contexts. The difference is emotional tone: 감사 feels more like a formal acknowledgment of gratitude, while 고맙다 feels more like genuine emotional thankfulness.
🌍 A Practical Rule of Thumb
Use 감사합니다 when you would shake someone's hand in English. Use 고마워요 or 고마워 when you would hug them. The Sino-Korean root signals professional respect; the native Korean root signals personal warmth.
Formal and Standard Thank You Expressions
These are the expressions you will use most often. They are safe in professional settings, with strangers, and in any situation where you want to show clear respect.
감사합니다 (Gamsahamnida)
/Gam-sa-ham-ni-da/
Literal meaning: I do gratitude
“도와주셔서 감사합니다. 큰 도움이 되었습니다.”
Thank you for helping me. It was a great help.
The default Korean thank you for 90% of situations. Uses the formal -ㅂ니다 ending and Sino-Korean root. Works with strangers, coworkers, elders, shopkeepers, and anyone you want to show respect to. Usually accompanied by a slight bow.
This is the single most important thank-you expression in Korean. If you learn only one phrase from this entire guide, make it this one. The Sino-Korean root 감사 (gamsa) means "gratitude" or "appreciation," and the -합니다 (-hamnida) ending places it in the formal speech level.
Pronunciation tip: the syllables flow as "gam-sa-ham-ni-da" with relatively even stress. The ㅂ in 합 is pronounced more like an "m" before the ㄴ in 니다, which is why the romanization reads "ham-ni-da" rather than "hap-ni-da." A slight bow of the head as you say it is customary.
감사해요 (Gamsahaeyo)
/Gam-sa-hae-yo/
Literal meaning: I do gratitude (polite)
“선물 감사해요. 정말 예뻐요.”
Thank you for the gift. It's really pretty.
The polite-level version using the same Sino-Korean root. Less common than 감사합니다 in everyday speech because most Koreans default to the formal version for 감사-based expressions. More common among younger speakers in semi-casual situations.
While grammatically correct, 감사해요 occupies an unusual middle ground. As Yeon and Brown explain in Korean: A Comprehensive Grammar (Routledge, 2011), the Sino-Korean 감사 root tends to pair with the formal ending (-합니다) in standard usage. When Koreans want a polite-level thank you, they typically switch to the native root and say 고마워요 instead. Still, you will hear 감사해요 occasionally, particularly among younger Koreans.
고마워요 (Gomawoyo)
/Go-ma-wo-yo/
Literal meaning: I am thankful (polite)
“고마워요, 언니. 덕분에 잘 됐어요.”
Thank you, older sister. It worked out well thanks to you.
The polite-level thank you using the native Korean root. Feels warmer and more personal than 감사합니다. Ideal for acquaintances, colleagues you're friendly with, and situations that call for genuine warmth without full formality.
This is the warm thank you, the one that carries emotional weight. Where 감사합니다 is professional and measured, 고마워요 communicates personal gratitude. Use it when someone does something genuinely kind for you in a context where you know each other at least somewhat.
Casual Thank You (반말 Banmal)
These expressions use the casual speech level and should only be used with close friends, siblings, or people clearly younger than you.
고마워 (Gomawo)
/Go-ma-wo/
Literal meaning: I am thankful
“고마워! 네가 최고야.”
Thanks! You're the best.
The casual-level thank you for close friends and younger people. Dropping the -요 ending signals intimacy and comfort. Very common in texting and KakaoTalk conversations between friends.
Strip the -요 ending from 고마워요 and you get the casual form. This is what close friends say to each other constantly: in person, over KakaoTalk, and in text messages. Using it with someone older or unfamiliar would be a social misstep, just as with any 반말 expression.
정말 고마워 (Jeongmal Gomawo)
/Jeong-mal go-ma-wo/
Literal meaning: I am really thankful
“정말 고마워. 네가 없었으면 어쩔 뻔했어.”
I'm really thankful. I don't know what I would have done without you.
An intensified casual thank you for moments of genuine gratitude between close friends. 정말 (jeongmal) means 'really/truly' and adds emotional weight.
Adding 정말 (really/truly) before 고마워 takes a casual thank you and fills it with genuine feeling. This is what you say when a friend goes out of their way for you: picking you up at the airport at 3 AM, lending you money, or helping you move apartments.
Intensified Thank You Expressions
When a simple "thank you" is not enough, Korean offers several ways to amplify your gratitude.
정말 감사합니다 (Jeongmal Gamsahamnida)
/Jeong-mal gam-sa-ham-ni-da/
Literal meaning: I really do gratitude
“이렇게 도와주셔서 정말 감사합니다.”
Thank you so much for helping me like this.
The standard way to say 'thank you very much' in formal Korean. 정말 (jeongmal) means 'really/truly.' Commonly used in business emails, speeches, and when receiving significant help or gifts.
The go-to intensified thank you for professional and respectful contexts. You will hear this in business meetings, at award ceremonies, in customer service interactions, and whenever someone wants to express gratitude that goes beyond the routine.
대단히 감사합니다 (Daedanhi Gamsahamnida)
/Dae-dan-hi gam-sa-ham-ni-da/
Literal meaning: I greatly do gratitude
“대단히 감사합니다. 여러분의 성원에 깊이 감사드립니다.”
Thank you very much. I am deeply grateful for everyone's support.
The most formal intensified thank you. 대단히 (daedanhi) means 'greatly/enormously.' Reserved for speeches, formal letters, ceremonies, and situations requiring the highest level of gratitude.
This sits at the peak of formal gratitude. The intensifier 대단히 (greatly/enormously) combined with the formal 감사합니다 creates an expression of maximum deference. You will hear this from Korean politicians, CEOs giving speeches, and anyone addressing a large audience with thanks.
너무 고마워요 (Neomu Gomawoyo)
/Neo-mu go-ma-wo-yo/
Literal meaning: I am too/so thankful
“너무 고마워요. 정말 감동받았어요.”
Thank you so much. I was really touched.
A warm, intensified polite thank you. 너무 (neomu) originally meant 'too much' but in modern Korean functions as 'so/very much.' Common in everyday speech when you want to express strong gratitude with a personal touch.
The intensifier 너무 (neomu) technically means "too much" or "excessively," but modern Korean uses it freely as an emphatic "so" or "very." According to the National Institute of Korean Language, this usage has become fully standard in contemporary speech, despite prescriptive resistance from older grammarians.
Situational Thank You Expressions
These expressions are tied to specific cultural contexts that are unique to Korean life.
잘 먹겠습니다 (Jal Meokgesseumnida)
/Jal meok-get-seum-ni-da/
Literal meaning: I will eat well
“와, 맛있겠다! 잘 먹겠습니다.”
Wow, this looks delicious! I will eat well (thank you for the meal).
Said before eating a meal that someone else prepared or is paying for. Expresses gratitude for the food. Deeply embedded in Korean dining culture -- even children say this before family meals. Equivalent to saying grace in function.
This is one of the most distinctively Korean expressions of gratitude. Said before eating, it thanks the person who prepared or provided the food. Korean children are taught to say this from a very young age, and skipping it can be considered impolite, especially in someone else's home.
잘 먹었습니다 (Jal Meogeosseumnida)
/Jal meo-geo-sseum-ni-da/
Literal meaning: I ate well
“잘 먹었습니다. 정말 맛있었어요.”
I ate well (thank you for the meal). It was really delicious.
Said after finishing a meal to thank the host or the person who paid. The before-meal and after-meal pair (잘 먹겠습니다 / 잘 먹었습니다) is considered basic manners in Korean culture.
The after-meal counterpart to 잘 먹겠습니다. Together, these two phrases form a pair that the King Sejong Institute's Korean Language Education Guidelines identify as essential cultural expressions for all Korean learners. Saying both shows you understand Korean dining etiquette at a fundamental level.
🌍 The Meal Gratitude Pair
Korean dining culture treats the before-meal and after-meal thank you as a matched set. 잘 먹겠습니다 (before) and 잘 먹었습니다 (after) function almost like bookends of gratitude around the shared experience of eating. In Korean families, children who forget either one will often be gently corrected by parents or grandparents.
수고하셨습니다 (Sugohasyeosseumnida)
/Su-go-ha-syeo-sseum-ni-da/
Literal meaning: You have worked hard
“오늘도 수고하셨습니다. 좋은 저녁 보내세요.”
Thank you for your hard work today. Have a good evening.
A uniquely Korean way of thanking someone for their effort or labor. Said to coworkers at the end of the workday, to delivery drivers, service workers, and anyone who has exerted effort on your behalf. Has no direct English equivalent.
This expression has no clean English translation. It acknowledges and thanks someone for their hard work or effort. You will hear it constantly in Korean workplaces at the end of the day, directed at delivery drivers, said to anyone who has just completed a task. It reflects the Korean cultural value of recognizing labor and effort explicitly.
How to Respond: "You're Welcome" in Korean
Knowing how to accept thanks gracefully is just as important as knowing how to give it. Korean offers several response phrases, each with a different tone.
천만에요 (Cheonmaneyo)
/Cheon-man-e-yo/
Literal meaning: It is ten million (not at all)
“감사합니다. -- 천만에요, 별거 아니에요.”
Thank you. -- You're welcome, it's nothing.
The textbook 'you're welcome.' 천만 literally means 'ten million,' used idiomatically to mean 'not at all.' More commonly taught than actually spoken in modern Korean -- younger Koreans tend to prefer 아니에요 or 괜찮아요.
This is the phrase Korean textbooks teach as "you're welcome," and while Koreans understand it perfectly, it sounds slightly formal or old-fashioned in everyday conversation. Modern speakers, especially younger Koreans, more commonly deflect thanks with 아니에요 or 괜찮아요.
아니에요 (Anieyo)
/A-ni-e-yo/
Literal meaning: It is not (so) / No
“정말 감사합니다. -- 아니에요, 당연한 건데요.”
Thank you so much. -- It's nothing, it was only natural.
The most commonly used response to thank you in modern Korean. Literally means 'no' or 'it is not,' used to deflect praise or thanks with humility. Reflects the Korean cultural value of modesty -- downplaying your own kindness.
In modern spoken Korean, this is the most natural response to being thanked. The literal meaning ("no" or "it is not so") reflects a deep Korean cultural instinct toward humility: when someone thanks you, you downplay what you did. This is far more common in daily speech than 천만에요.
별말씀을요 (Byeolmalsseumeulyo)
/Byeol-mal-sseu-meul-yo/
Literal meaning: What special words (are these)
“도움 주셔서 정말 감사합니다. -- 별말씀을요.”
Thank you so much for your help. -- Don't mention it.
An elegant, slightly formal way to deflect thanks. Translates roughly to 'don't mention it' or 'what special words are these.' Used in polite and professional settings. Carries a sense of grace and modesty.
An elegant deflection that carries a graceful, polished tone. You will hear this in professional settings and from older Koreans who value refined speech. It is the Korean equivalent of "oh, don't mention it" said with genuine warmth.
괜찮아요 (Gwaenchanayo)
/Gwaen-cha-na-yo/
Literal meaning: It is okay / It is fine
“고마워요! -- 괜찮아요, 언제든지요.”
Thank you! -- It's fine, anytime.
A versatile polite response meaning 'it's okay' or 'no problem.' Very common in everyday Korean. Can also be used to decline offers, reassure someone, or respond to apologies -- truly multipurpose.
One of the most versatile words in Korean. Beyond responding to thanks, 괜찮아요 works as reassurance ("it's okay"), a polite decline ("no thank you"), and a response to apologies ("don't worry about it"). In the context of gratitude, it communicates a casual "no problem" with warmth.
💡 The Korean Humility Response Pattern
Notice a pattern? Almost every Korean response to "thank you" involves some form of denial or minimization: "it's nothing," "no," "don't mention it," "it's okay." This reflects a core Korean cultural value: modesty. Accepting thanks too readily can come across as self-congratulatory. The graceful move is to deflect.
How to Respond to Korean Thank You Expressions
| They Say | You Say | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 감사합니다 | 아니에요 (Anieyo) | Most natural modern response |
| 감사합니다 | 별말씀을요 (Byeolmalsseumeulyo) | More formal and elegant |
| 고마워요 | 아니에요 (Anieyo) or 괜찮아요 (Gwaenchanayo) | Warm, polite deflection |
| 고마워 | 아니야 (Aniya) or 괜찮아 (Gwaenchana) | Casual among friends |
| 잘 먹겠습니다 | 많이 드세요 (Mani deuseyo, "Please eat a lot") | Standard host response before a meal |
| 잘 먹었습니다 | 맛있게 드셨다니 다행이에요 (Mashitge deusyeotdani dahaengieyo, "I'm glad you enjoyed it") | Gracious host response after a meal |
Practice With Real Korean Content
Reading about thank-you expressions builds a foundation, but hearing them in natural conversation is what makes them automatic. Korean dramas and films showcase the full spectrum of gratitude. Watch how characters shift between 감사합니다 and 고마워 depending on who they are speaking to. Crash Landing on You is especially useful for observing formal versus casual gratitude, while Reply 1988 showcases the warm 고마워 between lifelong friends.
Wordy lets you watch Korean movies and shows with interactive subtitles, tapping on any expression to see its meaning, speech level, and cultural context in real time. Instead of memorizing phrases from a list, you absorb them from authentic conversations with natural intonation and body language.
For more Korean content, explore our blog for guides including the best movies to learn Korean. You can also visit our Korean learning page to start practicing today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common way to say thank you in Korean?
What is the difference between 감사합니다 and 고마워요?
How do you respond to thank you in Korean?
Is 감사합니다 formal or polite?
How do you say thank you very much in Korean?
Can I just use 감사합니다 for everything?
Sources & References
- National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원) -- Standard Korean Language Dictionary
- King Sejong Institute Foundation -- Korean Language Education Guidelines (2024)
- Yeon, J. & Brown, L. (2011). 'Korean: A Comprehensive Grammar.' Routledge.
- Sohn, H.-M. (1999). 'The Korean Language.' Cambridge University Press.
- Ethnologue: Languages of the World -- Korean language entry (2024)
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