How to Say You're Welcome in Korean: 12 Natural Responses to Thank You

The Short Answer

The textbook way to say you're welcome in Korean is 천만에요 (Cheonmaneyo), but the most common real-world response is 아니에요 (Anieyo), literally just "no." Korean speakers overwhelmingly prefer to deflect thanks rather than accept them directly, making humility-based responses far more natural than a straightforward "you're welcome."

Korean is spoken by over 80 million people worldwide, primarily in South Korea and North Korea, with significant diaspora communities across the United States, China, Japan, and Central Asia, according to Ethnologue's 2024 data. What makes Korean responses to gratitude unique is that the language has no single dominant "you're welcome" equivalent. Instead, speakers choose from a range of deflection strategies (saying "no," minimizing what they did, or insisting the action was natural), all rooted in a cultural discomfort with accepting praise directly. Whether you're looking up "youre welcome in korean" for travel, study, or conversation, this guide covers everything you need.

"In many East Asian speech communities, the preferred response to expressions of gratitude is not an acceptance but a denial. The speaker minimizes the favor, rejects the need for thanks, or reframes the act as an obligation, all strategies that preserve face for both parties."

(Brown & Levinson, Politeness: Some Universals in Language Usage, Cambridge University Press, 1987)

This guide covers 12 natural Korean responses to "thank you" organized by category: textbook, polite standard, casual, and formal. Each expression includes Hangul, romanization, pronunciation, an example, and the cultural logic behind it.

Quick Reference: Korean "You're Welcome" Expressions at a Glance

Why Koreans Deflect Thanks Instead of Accepting Them

Before exploring individual phrases, understanding the cultural logic is essential. In English, "you're welcome" directly acknowledges the favor and accepts the gratitude. Korean culture operates differently.

The National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원) identifies Korean responses to thanks as a category of 겸양 표현 (gyemyang pyohyeon), or humility expressions. The underlying principle: acknowledging your own kindness too directly suggests self-importance. The socially graceful response is to minimize what you did, deny it was special, or reframe it as something anyone would do.

This pattern closely mirrors Japanese responses to thanks, where phrases like どういたしまして (douitashimashite, "you're welcome") are similarly being replaced in everyday speech by deflections like いいえ (iie, "no") and 大丈夫 (daijoubu, "it's fine").

The Textbook Response (Rarely Used in Practice)

천만에요

Every Korean textbook lists 천만에요 as the translation of "you're welcome," and it is technically correct. The word 천만 (cheonman) literally means "ten million," the same kind of emphatic exaggeration as English "not in a million years." The full idiomatic meaning is "not at all" or "absolutely don't mention it."

So why do Koreans rarely use it? According to King Sejong Institute teaching materials, 천만에요 has gradually shifted from everyday speech to a more formal, literary register. Modern Korean speakers (especially those under 40) find it stiff and somewhat antiquated. You will still encounter it in formal speeches, written correspondence, and customer service scripts, but in a casual coffee shop conversation, it would sound out of place.

That said, understanding 천만에요 is important because Koreans will certainly understand you if you use it, and it occasionally appears in K-dramas during formal scenes. It simply is not what most people reach for instinctively.

Polite Standard Responses (What Koreans Actually Say)

These are the expressions you will hear most often in real Korean life. They work with acquaintances, colleagues, shopkeepers, and anyone you interact with in daily polite speech.

아니에요

This is the response you need to learn first. When a Korean person thanks you, the most natural reply is simply 아니에요, meaning "no." It is not abrupt or rude; it is the cultural default. The subtext is clear: "No, what I did was not significant enough for you to thank me."

You can extend it naturally: 아니에요, 별거 아니에요 ("No, it was nothing") or 아니에요, 당연한 건데요 ("No, it was only natural"). But 아니에요 alone is perfectly complete. This is the phrase you will hear dozens of times a day in South Korea.

별말씀을요

별말씀을요 carries a graceful, polished quality that 아니에요 does not. The word 별 (byeol) means "special" or "particular," and 말씀 (malsseum) is the honorific form of 말 (mal, "words"). The phrase essentially asks: "What special words are these?", gently suggesting the gratitude was more than the situation required.

You will hear this from older Koreans, in professional settings, and from anyone who takes pride in refined speech. It strikes a balance between warm and formal that makes it ideal for workplace interactions and conversations with acquaintances you respect.

뭘요

뭘요 is a contraction of 뭘요 (mwol-yo), from 무엇을요, meaning "what (for)?" The speaker playfully questions what they are being thanked for, implying the favor was too small to notice. It has a warm, slightly teasing quality that works well between colleagues who are on friendly terms or acquaintances in relaxed settings.

괜찮아요

괜찮아요 is one of those Swiss Army knife Korean words that works in almost any social situation. As a response to thanks, it communicates "it's okay, it was no trouble" with reassuring warmth. It is especially common when someone thanks you and apologizes simultaneously, and 괜찮아요 addresses both at once.

별거 아니에요

This phrase is particularly useful when someone thanks you for something that genuinely required effort, but Korean humility still demands you downplay it. Saying 별거 아니에요 ("it's nothing special") acknowledges the thanks gracefully while maintaining the expected modesty.

Casual Responses (반말 Banmal)

These drop the polite -요 ending and should only be used with close friends your age or younger. Using casual forms with elders or unfamiliar people would be a social misstep.

아니야

The casual mirror of 아니에요. Between close friends, 아니야 ("nah") is the most natural response to being thanked. It carries the same denial logic but in an intimate, comfortable register. You will hear it constantly in K-dramas between friends, siblings, and romantic partners.

괜찮아

The stripped-down version of 괜찮아요. K-drama viewers will recognize 괜찮아 as one of the most frequently spoken words in Korean entertainment, and it appears in virtually every episode of every show, used to reassure, deflect, and comfort. As a response to casual thanks, it means "it's totally fine, don't worry about it."

당연하지

당연하지 takes a different deflection strategy: instead of denying the favor, it reframes the action as something that was obviously necessary. The subtext is: "Of course I helped you. Was there ever any doubt?" This carries a warm, loyal tone that implies deep friendship or care.

K-drama fans will recognize this phrase from countless scenes where a character does something generous and then dismisses the thanks with a casual 당연하지 and a grin. The polite version, 당연하죠 (dangyeonhajyo), works the same way with the politeness marker added.

Formal and Deferential Responses

For professional settings, conversations with elders, and situations requiring maximum respect.

별말씀을 다 하십니다

This is the extended, fully formal version of 별말씀을요. The addition of 다 하십니다 ("you say all of them") turns it into a complete honorific sentence: "You say all these special words," implying the thanking person is being far too generous with their gratitude. You will hear this in corporate settings, from service professionals, and in any context where the speaker wants to show maximum humility.

당연한 걸요

The polite register of the "of course" strategy. 당연한 걸요 communicates "it was only natural" while maintaining respectful speech. It works particularly well in workplace situations: when a colleague thanks you for covering their shift or helping with a project, this response strikes the right balance between warm and professional.

When to Use Which Response

Practice With Real Korean Content

Reading about gratitude responses builds understanding, but hearing them spoken naturally is what makes them instinctive. Korean dramas offer an outstanding window into real usage patterns. Watch how characters in Reply 1988 casually deflect thanks with 아니야 between lifelong friends, while characters in Misaeng navigate formal workplace gratitude with 별말씀을요 and 당연한 걸요. The contrast between speech levels becomes vivid when you see it in context.

Wordy lets you watch Korean movies and shows with interactive subtitles, tapping on any phrase to see its meaning, speech level, and cultural context in real time. Instead of memorizing responses 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.