TOPIK I Core Vocabulary · Family & Greetings ④

Introducing yourself — 이름, 나이, 만나다, 소개하다, 안녕히 가세요

You use these words when you meet people, introduce yourself, and say goodbye. 이름 and 나이 also have special polite forms. You use those forms for a person you should treat with respect.

01이름ireum

name · what a person or thing is called.

Respectful form 성함 is the polite word for another person's name. Use it for someone you should treat with respect. Do not use it for your own name. For example: 성함이 어떻게 되세요?

Examples 이름이 뭐예요? (what's your name?) · 이름을 쓰다 (to write your name)

이름이 어떻게 되세요? May I ask your name?  |  어떻게 되세요? is a softer way of asking than 뭐예요?, closer to may I ask

02나이nai

age · the number of years a person has lived.

Note You count ages with 살, so twenty is 스무 살. 연세 is the polite word for age. Use it for someone you should treat with respect. Do not use 연세 for your own age.

Examples 나이가 많다 (to be older) · 나이를 묻다 (to ask someone's age)

실례지만 나이가 어떻게 되세요? Sorry to ask, but how old are you?  |  실례지만 = excuse me, but  |  This phrase at the start makes the question softer and more polite

03만나다mannada

to meet · to see someone face to face.

Forms 만나요 · 만납니다 · 만났어요 (past)

Note You can say 친구를 만나다 or 친구와 만나다. -를 만나다 focuses on the person you meet. -와 만나다 focuses on meeting or spending time together.

Examples 친구를 만나다 (to meet a friend) · 친구와 만나다 (to meet with a friend) · 만나서 반갑다 (nice to meet you)

만나서 반갑습니다. Nice to meet you.  |  반갑다 = to be glad  |  Learn this as a complete expression

04소개하다sogaehada

to introduce · to tell someone who a person is, or to help two people get to know each other.

Forms 소개해요 · 소개합니다 · 소개했어요

Note 자기소개 means self-introduction. You often hear it in a first class or at a new job.

Examples 친구를 소개하다 (to introduce a friend) · 자기소개를 하다 (to introduce yourself)

제 친구를 소개할게요. Let me introduce my friend.  |  -(으)ㄹ게요 announces what you're about to do

05안녕히 가세요annyeonghi gaseyo

goodbye · said to the person who is leaving.

Note Korean picks the goodbye by who is leaving. Say 안녕히 가세요 to the person who is leaving. Say 안녕히 계세요 to the person who is staying. With a close friend, say 잘 가 to the person leaving and 잘 있어 to the person staying.

안녕히 가세요. 또 만나요. Goodbye. See you again.  |  또 = again  |  When you leave a shop, you say 안녕히 계세요 to the staff

Quick check3 questions

Fill in each blank in Korean.

1. __________이 어떻게 되세요? (May I ask your ______?)
2. __________ 반갑습니다. (만나다 · with -아/어서)
3. 제 친구를 __________게요. (소개하다)

Show answers

1. 이름   2. 만나서   3. 소개할

Study tip Choose the goodbye by who leaves. If the other person leaves, say 안녕히 가세요. If you leave, say 안녕히 계세요.