| Korean | English | Say it to |
|---|---|---|
| 감사합니다. | Thank you. | Teachers, older people, staff, anyone you don't know |
| 감사해요. | Thank you. | People you see often, politely |
| 고마워요. | Thank you. | Friends and close coworkers, politely |
| 고마워. | Thanks. | Close friends |
Two short lines sum it up: 친구에게 고마워. 선생님께 감사합니다. That means "To a friend, you say 고마워. To a teacher, you say 감사합니다."
| Korean | English | Who is talking |
|---|---|---|
| 안녕하세요! 도와주셔서 감사합니다. 정말 감사해요. | Hello! Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it. | Thanking someone who helped you |
| 아니에요. 저와 같이 한국어를 공부해요. | Not at all. Let's study Korean together. | The answer |
| 정말 고마워요. 이 선물은 아주 마음에 들어요. | Thank you so much. I really like this gift. | Thanking someone for a gift |
| 고마워. 이번에는 S 사이즈 말고 M 사이즈로 가져갈게. | Thanks. This time, I'll take a size M instead of a size S. | Two friends shopping |
| 세심하게 지도해 주셔서 정말 감사합니다. | Thank you very much for your detailed guidance. | An employee to a manager |
Add 정말, "really", before either word for a bigger thank you.
A Real Korean Lesson
인사와 감사 표현하기
Hello, Jia! I'm happy to greet you today.
Hello! Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it.
Not at all. Let's study Korean together.
One friend thanks another with 고마워 while shopping in Level 4 of our K-beauty and fashion guide, and an employee thanks a manager in Level 5 of our guide to Korean at work. Our Korean guides have more scenes like these. To see how study time changes from level to level, read the fastest way to learn Korean.
Bubblegum
For serious learners, Bubblegum is the best app to learn Korean. You learn from Korean you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes the lessons.
- Lessons fit your level, interests, and goals.
- Read and listen to news and stories about things you care about.
- Ask Poppy about a sentence while you read, or talk with her aloud.
- Saved words come back in new lessons through Regenerative Review™, and you can send them to Anki too.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- Your favorite webtoon can't become a lesson. Poppy explains a page you screenshot or paste into the chat.
- A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn.
- Regenerative Review™
- Teaches Hangul
Mobile
Do I Need to Read Hangul to Say Thank You?
No, but it helps you spot these words in shops and shows. Bubblegum's Hangul course teaches each letter with a picture, and our Hangul guide shows how.
Which Korean App Should a Beginner Choose?
If you are serious about learning Korean, start with Bubblegum. Poppy writes lessons at your level about things you like. Our Korean app comparison covers more choices and what each one is good for.
Is Bubblegum Free?
Yes. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn. It holds lessons that other learners asked Poppy for. A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons.
Sources
- Bubblegum public lesson: Greetings and Thank You (Level 1, with lesson notes on 감사합니다 and 감사해요)
- Bubblegum public lesson: Ways to Say Thank You (Level 1: 친구에게 고마워. 선생님께 감사합니다.)
- Bubblegum public lesson: Expressing Gratitude (Level 2: 정말 고마워요; 친구에게는 고마워요라고 하고 어른께는 감사합니다라고 해요.)
- Bubblegum guide: Talking About K-Beauty, Skincare, and Fashion in Korean (Level 4)
- Bubblegum guide: Korean at Work: Offices, Interviews, and Job Hunting (Level 5)
- National Institute of Korean Language, Standard Korean Language Dictionary (감사하다, 고맙다)
