Learn How To Say Goodnight In Korean

What’s the last thing you say to your friends or family members before you go to sleep? Goodnight? Sweet dreams? Sleep well? Well, just like in English, there are several ways to say “Goodnight” in Korean! In this lesson, you will learn how to say “Goodnight” in Korean, including the informal, polite, and formal expressions. You’ll also learn some related expressions so that you know what to say to people before they dose off.

Goodnight in Korean

The most common way to say “goodnight” in Korean is 잘 자세요 [jal ja-se-yo]. This is made up of the words 잘 [jal], which means ‘well’, the verb 자다 [ja-da], which means ‘to sleep’, and the polite imperative ending (으)세요. So, 잘 자세요 literally says “Please sleep well“, and is the most common way to say “Goodnight” in Korean.

As this is a polite expression, you can use this in most situations to say goodnight and you will sound polite and respectful. So, if you are short of time, just remember that 잘 자세요 [jal ja-se-yo] is goodnight in Korean. Keep reading if you want to learn informal and formal expressions.

Goodnight In Korean – Informal

The informal way to say “Goodnight” in Korean is 잘 자 [jal ja]. This is made up of the word 잘 (well) and the verb 자다 (to sleep) conjugated into the present tense without any polite or formal endings. As this is an informal expression, you should only use it with those close to you, such as close friends, family, boyfriend/girlfriend, etc.

Goodnight In Korean – Formal

The formal way to say “goodnight” in Korean is 안녕히 주무세요 [an-nyeong-hi ju-mu-se-yo]. 안녕히 means ‘peacefully’, and 주무세요 is a formal way to say ‘sleep’. So, 안녕히 주무세요 literally means ‘sleep peacefully‘, and is the formal way to say “goodnight” in Korean.

As this is a formal expression, this can be used when saying goodnight to people much older than you or those in a ‘higher’ position, such as your boss at work.

Sweet Dreams in Korean

Another common phrase to say when someone is going to sleep is “Sweet Dreams”. Here’s how to say “Sweet Dreams” in Korean:

좋은 꿈 꾸세요 [jo-eun ggum ggu-se-yo]

좋은 꿈 꾸세요 [jo-eun ggum ggu-se-yo] is the expression used to say “Sweet Dreams” in Korean. Like many other Korean phrases, this is not a direct translation but rather an equivalent expression that is used when you want to say “Sweet Dreams“.

좋은 꿈 꾸세요 [jo-eun ggum ggu-se-yo] is made up of 좋은 (good), the verb 꿈을 꾸다 (to dream dreams), and the imperative ending (으)세요. So, 좋은 꿈 꾸세요 literally means ‘Please dream good dreams‘, and is the equivalent of “Sweet dreams” in Korean.

Related Lessons

Thanks for reading! If you’re about to go to sleep, then 잘 자 (goodnight)! ㅋㅋ. But, if you want to learn more useful lessons, then check the related lessons below.

Goodbye In Korean
How Are You In Korean
Good Morning In Korean
Useful Korean Greetings And Introductions