Introducing yourself

Begin with 안녕하세요. 저는 ○○입니다 (annyeonghaseyo. jeoneun ○○imnida), "Hello, I am ○○." 저는 is the humble "I," and -입니다 is a formal ending. In a more relaxed setting, 저는 ○○예요/이에요 (yeyo/ieyo) works too. Adding 반갑습니다 (bangapseumnida, "nice to meet you") at the end sounds natural.

Use -이에요 (-ieyo) after a syllable with a final consonant and -예요 (-yeyo) after one without. So it's 학생이에요 (haksaengieyo, "I'm a student") but 의사예요 (uisayeyo, "I'm a doctor"). Names follow the same rule: 민준이에요 but 지수예요. In formal speech, simply use -입니다 (-imnida) regardless.

Say 저는 ○○에서 왔어요 (jeoneun ○○eseo wasseoyo), "I came from ○○." For example, 저는 미국에서 왔어요 (migugeseo wasseoyo, "I'm from the US"). To state nationality, add 사람 (saram, person) to the country name: 저는 캐나다 사람이에요 (jeoneun kaenada saramieyo, "I'm Canadian").

Put your job into 저는 ○○이에요/예요. For example: 저는 회사원이에요 (jeoneun hoesawonieyo, "I'm an office worker") or 저는 학생이에요 ("I'm a student"). To describe where you work, use -에서 일해요 (-eseo ilhaeyo): 저는 IT 회사에서 일해요 ("I work at an IT company").

Say 제 취미는 ○○예요/이에요 (je chwimineun ○○yeyo/ieyo), "My hobby is ○○." For example, 제 취미는 여행이에요 ("My hobby is traveling"). To use a verb, add -는 거 (-neun geo): 제 취미는 영화 보는 거예요 (je chwimineun yeonghwa boneun geoyeyo, "My hobby is watching movies").

Say 한국어를 조금 해요 (hangugeoreul jogeum haeyo). If you're still a beginner, try 한국어를 잘 못해요 (hangugeoreul jal motaeyo, "I don't speak Korean well"), and if you're studying, 한국어를 공부하고 있어요 (hangugeoreul gongbuhago isseoyo). Saying this up front often makes people speak more slowly and simply.

Yes, it's very common to end an introduction at school, work or a club with 잘 부탁드립니다 (jal butakdeurimnida). It conveys "I hope we get along well" and "thank you in advance." In a more casual setting, 잘 부탁해요 (jal butakaeyo) is fine too.

In casual situations, ask 이름이 뭐예요? (ireumi mwoyeyo, "What's your name?"). With elders or customers, use the more polite 성함이 어떻게 되세요? (seonghami eotteoke doeseyo). To answer, say 저는 ○○예요 or ○○라고 합니다 (○○rago hamnida, "I'm called ○○"). Match the politeness level of the question.

Say 저는 ○○에 살아요 (jeoneun ○○e sarayo), "I live in ○○." For example, 저는 서울에 살아요 (jeoneun seoure sarayo). To say where you're staying temporarily as a traveler, use 묵다 (mukda): 지금 홍대 근처에 묵고 있어요 (jigeum hongdae geuncheoe mukgo isseoyo, "I'm staying near Hongdae").

For a trip, say 한국에 여행 왔어요 (hanguge yeohaeng wasseoyo, "I came to Korea to travel"). For study, 공부하러 왔어요 (gongbuhareo wasseoyo), and for work, 일 때문에 왔어요 (il ttaemune wasseoyo). The pattern -러 왔어요 (-reo wasseoyo, "came in order to") lets you add any purpose.

Use -아서/어서 ("because") to give a reason: ○○를 좋아해서 한국어를 배워요 (○○reul joahaeseo hangugeoreul baewoyo, "I learn Korean because I like ○○"). For example, K-pop을 좋아해서 한국어를 배워요. A short answer like 한국 드라마를 좋아해서요 ("Because I like Korean dramas") also works, and Koreans are usually delighted to hear it.

은/는 (eun/neun) marks the topic of a sentence, giving the sense of "as for me" in 저는 (jeoneun). Use 은 after a final consonant and 는 after a vowel, as in 이름은 (ireumeun, "as for my name") and 취미는 (chwimineun, "as for my hobby"). Introductions switch from topic to topic, so it appears often.

Use native Korean numbers plus 살 (sal): 저는 스물다섯 살이에요 (jeoneun seumuldaseot sarieyo, "I'm 25"). In writing, ages often use Sino-Korean numbers with 세 (se), as in 25세. Since June 28, 2023, legal and administrative age is counted in full years unless a law says otherwise. If you'd rather not share, 비밀이에요 (bimirieyo, "It's a secret") said with a smile is fine.

Start with the number: 우리 가족은 네 명이에요 (uri gajogeun ne myeongieyo, "There are four in my family"). Then list members: 부모님하고 동생이 있어요 (bumonimhago dongsaengi isseoyo, "I have my parents and a younger sibling"). If you're an only child, say 외동이에요 (oedongieyo). Koreans often say "our" (우리) even for their own family.

Asking about MBTI personality types has become a popular icebreaker in Korea, especially among younger people. You can answer simply, like 저는 ENFP예요 (jeoneun ENFP-yeyo, "I'm an ENFP"). Opinions differ on its scientific basis, so treat it as small talk. If you don't know yours, 잘 몰라요 (jal mollayo, "I'm not sure") is fine. Trends like this can fade over time.

만나서 반가워요 (mannaseo bangawoyo) means "Nice to meet you" and is a friendly polite form. Use 만나서 반갑습니다 (mannaseo bangapseumnida) in formal settings and 만나서 반가워 (mannaseo bangawo) with peers you're on casual terms with. It fits naturally at either the beginning or the end of a self-introduction.

Of course. If a teacher or friend gave you a Korean name, say 제 한국 이름은 ○○예요 (je hanguk ireumeun ○○yeyo, "My Korean name is ○○"). It's a great conversation starter. If you prefer your original name, say 그냥 ○○라고 불러 주세요 (geunyang ○○rago bulleo juseyo, "Just call me ○○").

Keep it short and use -습니다 endings. A typical pattern is greeting, affiliation, name and closing: 안녕하십니까. ○○에서 온 ○○입니다. 앞으로 잘 부탁드립니다 (annyeonghasimnikka. ○○eseo on ○○imnida. apeuro jal butakdeurimnida, "Hello. I'm ○○ from ○○. I look forward to working with you"). A small bow at the end adds politeness.

Foreign names can be written in Hangul in several ways, so for bookings and documents, showing the spelling in your passport is most accurate. Say 영어로 이렇게 써요 (yeongeoro ireoke sseoyo, "It's written like this in English") and write it down. If you've chosen a Hangul spelling, add 한글로는 이렇게 써요 (hangeulloneun ireoke sseoyo).

Here's one: 안녕하세요. 저는 에밀리예요. 영국에서 왔어요. 한국 음식을 좋아해서 여행 왔어요. 한국어는 조금 해요. 만나서 반가워요. (annyeonghaseyo. jeoneun emilliyeyo. yeongugeseo wasseoyo. hanguk eumsigeul joahaeseo yeohaeng wasseoyo. hangugeoneun jogeum haeyo. mannaseo bangawoyo.) It means: "Hi, I'm Emily from the UK. I came because I love Korean food. I speak a little Korean. Nice to meet you."