What Are the Most Useful Phrases to Introduce Yourself in Korean?
Learn the five steps of a standard Korean self-introduction first, in this order: greeting, name, origin, job or study, and the closing 잘 부탁드립니다. Together they cover a first meeting at school, work or a language exchange.
| Order | Step | Korean | Revised Romanization | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greeting | 안녕하세요 | annyeonghaseyo | hello in Korean |
| 2 | Name | 제 이름은 민지입니다 | je ireumeun minjiimnida | my name is in Korean |
| 3 | Origin | 미국에서 왔어요 | migugeseo wasseoyo | where are you from in Korean |
| 4 | Job or study | 저는 학생이에요 | jeoneun haksaengieyo | I'm a student in Korean |
| 5 | Closing | 잘 부탁드립니다 | jal butakdeurimnida | this hub |
After the name, many speakers add 만나서 반갑습니다 (mannaseo bangapseumnida, "nice to meet you"), which has its own guide: nice to meet you in Korean. You will also hear questions back, and the guides cover them: 이름이 뭐예요? (ireumi mwoyeyo, "what's your name"), 몇 살이에요? (myeot sarieyo, "how old are you"), 무슨 일 하세요? (museun il haseyo, "what do you do") and 어디에 사세요? (eodie saseyo, "where do you live").
Revised Romanization (the South Korean government standard of 2000) is shown only as a reading aid. Learn the Hangul first. The next section explains how to match the form to the person you are meeting.
How Do You Choose between Formal, Polite and Casual Introductions?
Use the polite style (해요체) for almost every introduction, the formal style (합쇼체) for speeches and interviews, and the casual style (반말) only with people who have agreed to it. The page on Korean speech levels explains the three styles in depth. The table shows one introduction in each style.
| Step | Formal (speeches) | Polite (safe default) | Casual (friends) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | 저는 민지입니다 | 저는 민지예요 | 나는 민지야 |
| Origin | 미국에서 왔습니다 | 미국에서 왔어요 | 미국에서 왔어 |
| Study | 저는 학생입니다 | 저는 학생이에요 | 나는 학생이야 |
| Closing | 잘 부탁드립니다 | 잘 부탁드려요 | 잘 부탁해 |
Using 저 or 나 for "I"
Use 저 (jeo) with anyone you do not know well, and use 나 (na) only with close friends. Both mean "I." 저 is the humble form, so 저는 민지예요 is polite to teachers, coworkers and strangers, while 나는 민지야 sounds like talk between friends.
Why Koreans Ask Your Age Early
Koreans ask your age early because it decides which speech style each person uses. A person who learns you are older switches to polite endings, and a person who learns you are younger may relax. The question is practical, not rude. For an elder, replace 나이 with the honorific 연세, as in how old are you in Korean. Your own answer uses native Korean numbers before 살, and the page on how to say age in Korean covers them.
Which Ending Goes after My Name: 이에요 or 예요?
After a name that ends in a vowel, add 예요, as in 민지예요 (minjiyeyo). After a name that ends in a consonant, add 이에요, as in 민준이에요 (minjunieyo). The same rule applies to jobs and schools, so 학생 gives 학생이에요 and 의사 (uisa, "doctor") gives 의사예요.
With the styles clear, the cards below list every guide in the cluster.
All Introduce Yourself in Korean Guides
The list below has all 10 guides, each with its lead phrase and a short audio clip. Start with the four main pages, then use the alphabetical list for the rest. Every guide follows the same layout: a quick answer, a register table, pronunciation with audio, usage scenes, short dialogues and common mistakes. The Korean phrases hub holds the other situation clusters.
Start Here
My Name Is
The lead phrase is 제 이름은 ...입니다 (je ireumeun ... imnida), which means "my name is ...". It is the formal way to give your name, and 저는 ...예요 is the polite alternative for daily life. The page shows how the ending changes after a vowel or a consonant.
Nice to Meet You
The lead phrase is 만나서 반갑습니다 (mannaseo bangapseumnida), which means "nice to meet you." It is the line that follows your name in a first meeting. The page compares its formal, polite and casual versions, the very formal 처음 뵙겠습니다 (cheoeum boepgetseumnida, "how do you do") and the reply you give.
How Old Are You
The lead phrase is 몇 살이에요? (myeot sarieyo), which means "how old are you?" It is the polite question for peers; 나이가 어떻게 되세요? suits strangers and 연세가 어떻게 되세요? suits elders. The page explains why age matters for speech style and how native numbers answer it.
I'm a Student
The lead phrase is 저는 학생이에요 (jeoneun haksaengieyo), which means "I'm a student." It is the standard polite answer, and the page adds formal and casual forms and exact words such as 대학생 (college student). The page also teaches how to build a four-sentence student introduction.
More Phrases
The remaining six guides are listed in alphabetical order.
Can You Speak English
The lead phrase is 영어 할 수 있어요? (yeongeo hal su isseoyo), which means "can you speak English?" It is a polite question for hotel staff, clerks and strangers, often softened with 죄송한데요 ("sorry, but"). The page covers four forms and the tense sound in 할 수.
I'm Learning Korean
The lead phrase is 한국어를 배우고 있어요 (hangugeoreul baeugo isseoyo), which means "I'm learning Korean." Saying it early tells listeners that they may need to speak more slowly. The page separates 배우다 (learn) from 공부하다 (study) and adds a formal and a casual form.
What Do You Do
The lead phrase is 무슨 일 하세요? (museun il haseyo), which means "what do you do?" It is the usual polite way to ask about someone's job. The page shows how to answer with your work or study and how to keep the exchange short.
What's Your Name
The lead phrase is 이름이 뭐예요? (ireumi mwoyeyo), which means "what's your name?" It is the polite question that 제 이름은 ...입니다 answers. The page covers the respectful form for elders and the casual form for friends.
Where Are You From
The lead phrase is 어디에서 오셨어요? (eodieseo osyeosseoyo), which means "where are you from?" It is a respectful question that literally asks where someone has come from. The page gives the answer pattern 미국에서 왔어요 and the casual form.
Where Do You Live
The lead phrase is 어디에 사세요? (eodie saseyo), which means "where do you live?" It is a polite question about someone's home or city. The page compares it with the casual form and shows how to answer with a city name.
How Do You Practise Introducing Yourself in Korean?
A self-introduction improves fastest when you say it aloud in full, three times a day, and change one detail each time. Use this routine for ten minutes:
- Play the audio for the five-step introduction above and repeat it twice.
- Replace the name, country and job with your own.
- Say it once in the polite style and once in the formal style.
- Cover the Romanization and read the Hangul alone.
- Drill the cluster with the phrase flashcards, which pair each phrase with audio.
A short introduction you can say without thinking is worth more than a long one you read. After practice, watch for the mistakes below.
What Mistakes Do Learners Make When They Introduce Themselves?
Learners most often use 나 instead of 저 with someone they have just met. Four more mistakes appear often:
- Skipping the closing. An introduction without 잘 부탁드립니다 feels unfinished in a class or a workplace. Fix: end with it.
- Writing 학생예요. A noun that ends in a consonant takes 이에요. Fix: write 학생이에요.
- Using Sino-Korean numbers for age. 이십 살 is wrong. Fix: say 스무 살.
- Treating the age question as rude. Fix: answer plainly, and use 연세 when you ask an elder.
Each fix comes from choosing the listener first and the words second, which makes it easier to introduce yourself in Korean with confidence. The questions below cover details that the cards do not.
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers below add details about how to introduce yourself in Korean beyond the guides above.
How do I introduce myself in Korean?
Say 안녕하세요, then your name with 저는 민지예요, then where you are from with 미국에서 왔어요, then your job or school with 저는 학생이에요. Close with 잘 부탁드립니다. This five-step order works in classes, offices and language exchanges, and each step has its own guide with audio and sound notes.
Why do Koreans ask my age so soon?
Age decides which speech style each person uses, so the question is practical, not rude. Once both people know who is older, they choose polite or casual endings. For an elder, ask with the honorific 연세. Answer with a native Korean number plus 살, such as 스물다섯 살이에요, and ask back if it feels natural.
Should I use 저 or 나 when introducing myself?
Use 저. It is the humble form of "I" and fits teachers, coworkers, hosts and strangers. Use 나 only with close friends or younger people after you both agreed to speak casually. Saying 나는 민지야 to a teacher on the first day sounds too direct, even if the grammar is correct.
What do I say after my name?
Say 만나서 반갑습니다 (mannaseo bangapseumnida), which means "nice to meet you." Then give where you are from, such as 미국에서 왔어요, or your job or school, such as 저는 학생이에요. At the end, add 잘 부탁드립니다. The order is a guide, and you can skip a step when the situation is short.
How do I tell people I am learning Korean?
Say 한국어를 배우고 있어요 (hangugeoreul baeugo isseoyo), which means "I am learning Korean." For a modest answer about ability, say 한국어를 조금 해요. Add 천천히 말해 주세요 to ask the listener to speak slowly. Koreans usually respond warmly and slow down once they know you are a learner.