Key Facts
- Hangul: 아내; Revised Romanization: anae
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native
- Register: Neutral. 부인 is more formal/honorific; 와이프 is a casual loanword.
Wife in Korean: What Does 아내 Mean?
아내 is the neutral native word a husband uses for his own wife. Two other words sit around it. 부인 is more formal and honorific, used mainly for someone else's wife, and 와이프 is a casual loanword you hear a lot in everyday speech. So 아내 sits in the middle of the range.
How Do You Pronounce 아내?
The romanization is anae, two syllables, a-nae. The second syllable has the vowel ㅐ, like the "e" in "bed".
Example Sentences with 아내
제 아내는 선생님이에요.
je anaeneun seonsaengnimieyo.
My wife is a teacher.
An introduction with 제, the humble "my". The wife is described by job, and the topic particle marks 아내 as what the sentence is about.
아내와 같이 저녁을 먹어요.
anaewa gachi jeonyeogeul meogeoyo.
I eat dinner with my wife.
The particle 와 followed by 같이 means "together with", so the sentence pairs 아내 with a shared dinner. It is a simple family routine sentence.
아내가 요리를 잘해요.
anaega yorireul jalhaeyo.
My wife cooks well.
A compliment about a skill. 잘해요 praises how well she does it, and the subject particle 가 attaches to 아내.
Common Phrases with 아내
These pairings show 아내 inside romantic and marital phrases. Note that 아내가 생기다 literally means getting a wife, so it describes marriage.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 아내와 남편 | wife and husband |
| 아내를 사랑하다 | to love one's wife |
| 아내가 생기다 | to get a wife (marry) |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: assuming plain 아내 is a respectful title when asking a colleague about his wife.
Correct: choose 부인, 사모님, or 아내분 when the situation calls for respect. 아내 is a neutral relationship word, so it can also describe someone else's wife in a story; it does not itself add honorific respect.
아내 Compared with Its Neighbours
The choice between these words is about whose wife it is and how casual you want to sound.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 부인 | wife (honorific) | 부인 is used for someone else's wife or formally. |
| 와이프 | wife (loanword) | 와이프 is casual and common in speech. |
Where Does 아내 Come From?
아내 is a native Korean word with no hanja form.
At a Gathering: Introducing Your Wife
A guest is introducing his wife to a colleague. The colleague asks about her work, and the guest answers.
Guest
제 아내예요.
Je anaeyeyo.
This is my wife.
Colleague
아내분도 선생님이세요?
Anaebundo seonsaengnimiseyo?
Is your wife a teacher too?
Guest
네, 한국어를 가르쳐요.
Ne, hangugeoreul gareuchyeoyo.
Yes, she teaches Korean.
Colleague
다음에 같이 식사해요.
Daeume gachi siksahaeyo.
Let us have a meal together sometime.
제 아내예요 introduces a relationship without using “this person” or “she”. The setting makes the person clear. The colleague adds 분 to 아내 and uses the respectful ending in 선생님이세요. Both choices show consideration for the person being discussed, even though she is not the listener being questioned.
Talking about Your Wife Versus Calling Her
아내 describes a family relationship. A husband can use it when introducing his spouse, explaining a plan, or telling a story about home. It is usually a reference word rather than a way to call across the room. The English sentence “My wife is here” and the direct address “Honey!” need different Korean expressions.
여보 is a familiar term spouses use to address each other. It can be used by either partner; it does not specifically mean “wife”. A name or a couple's usual nickname may also be used. Hearing 여보 in a drama helps you identify an intimate relationship, but it is not a respectful label for a stranger's spouse.
Which Possessive Goes before 아내?
제 아내 means “my wife” in a polite introduction. 내 아내 uses the ordinary “my”, often with people you are close to. You may also hear 우리 아내. Although 우리 literally means “our”, Korean uses it with close family members where English normally uses “my”. It does not imply that several people share the same spouse.
Once the relationship is clear, a speaker may leave out the possessive entirely. The existing dinner example, 아내와 같이 저녁을 먹어요, naturally describes eating with the speaker's wife. Repeating 제 in every sentence is unnecessary when the conversation already establishes whose family is being discussed.
Common Combinations in Family Conversations
| Korean | Meaning | What the phrase adds |
|---|---|---|
| 제 아내 | my wife | Fits a polite introduction. |
| 우리 아내 | my wife | Uses the family sense of 우리, literally “our”. |
| 아내와 함께 | together with my wife | Describes a shared activity. |
| 아내의 생일 | my wife's birthday | 의 marks the relationship to the birthday. |
아내와 함께 and 아내와 같이 both mean “together with my wife”. The 와 attaches directly to 아내, while 함께 or 같이 is written separately. 아내의 생일 shifts the focus to something associated with the wife, so 의 has a different job from 와: possession or relationship rather than company.
Where Will You See 아내 and Its Alternatives?
Personal essays, interviews, and everyday introductions use 아내 to describe a spouse. 와이프 is common in relaxed conversation, while 부인 can sound more formal or respectful. 아내분 is another respectful choice when asking about someone else's wife. These choices concern how you refer to the person, rather than the legal status of the marriage.
배우자 means “spouse” and can refer to a husband or a wife. It is useful on forms and in administrative writing where the relationship matters more than the person's gender. A form asking about a 배우자 is not asking specifically for a wife. 사모님, by contrast, carries social respect and needs an appropriate relationship and setting.
Family Words to Learn Next
| Korean | Meaning | One useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 남편 | husband | The corresponding everyday relationship word. |
| 배우자 | spouse | Covers either partner in a marriage. |
| 부부 | married couple | Refers to the two partners together. |
| 결혼 | marriage | Names the marriage rather than either person. |
The family vocabulary lesson places these words alongside parents, siblings, and children. 부부 is especially useful when describing a couple as a unit: it is not another word for the wife alone.
Quick Self-Test
- Is 아내 normally a reference word or a direct call like “Honey”?
- Does 우리 아내 imply several spouses share one wife?
- Which word includes either a husband or a wife: 배우자 or 아내?
Show answers
- A reference word. 여보 is a familiar direct address between spouses.
- No. 우리 is often used for one's own close family.
- 배우자 means “spouse”.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "wife" in Korean?
Say 아내 (anae) for your own wife in neutral speech.
What is the polite word for someone else's wife?
Use 부인 or 사모님. Both show respect, and 사모님 is the more deferential choice, for example for your teacher's or boss's wife.
Is 와이프 acceptable?
Yes, it is a casual loanword that is common in speech, but it is less neutral than 아내.
How do I say "wife and husband"?
The collocation is 아내와 남편, with the wife named first.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Family vocabulary groups 아내 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add the word to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Related page: Younger brother in Korean.