Every conversation in Korean begins with a greeting, and choosing the right level of politeness is essential. The most common formal hello is 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo). When parting, Koreans use two distinct phrases depending on who is leaving: 안녕히 가세요 (annyeonghi gaseyo) means "go in peace" and is said to the person departing, while 안녕히 계세요 (annyeonghi gyeseyo) means "stay in peace" and is said to the person who is remaining. To express gratitude in a formal setting, 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) is used, and to apologize formally one says 죄송합니다 (joesonghamnida). The informal equivalents exist as well, but using the polite forms is a safe choice for strangers, elders, and superiors.
Basic responses also vary in formality. 네 (ne) is the formal "yes," while 응 (eung) is the casual version used among close friends; 아니요 (aniyo) is the polite "no." When you want to get someone's attention, 저기요 (jeogiyo) works as "excuse me," and 주세요 (juseyo) means "please give me." Introductions are simple: 만나서 반갑습니다 (mannaseo bangapseumnida) means "nice to meet you," and 제 이름은 ___입니다 (je ireumeun ___imnida) means "my name is ___" — note how the verb comes last in this very Korean word order. To express affection, 사랑해요 (saranghaeyo) means "I love you" in the informal polite form.