How to Say “Thanks” in Korean: 고마워요 (gomawoyo)

고마워요

gomawoyo

Situation: Greetings & basicsLevel: Starter (just learning Hangul)

Meaning

Thanks.

A softer, friendlier way to say thanks. Good for friends, younger people, and people you know well.

Romanization follows the Revised Romanization system and is a guide to pronunciation.

A polite but friendly “thanks”. It suits coworkers, neighbors, shop staff and people you know a little.

In formal situations (a boss, business, customers) 감사합니다 is the safer choice. 고마워요 is not rude to older people, but it is a little less formal.

Syllables: 4 · Words: 1

It is pronounced just as it is written.

Syllable	Letters (consonant + vowel + final)	Romanization
고	ㄱ+ㅗ	go
마	ㅁ+ㅏ	ma
워	ㅇ+ㅝ	wo
요	ㅇ+ㅛ	yo

A ㅇ at the start of a syllable is silent; at the end of a syllable it sounds like “ng”.

Style: Polite (해요체)Sentence type: Statement or set phrase

Ends in -요. The everyday polite style, and a safe choice with shop staff, colleagues, strangers and anyone older than you.

Test yourself before you move on. Tap an answer.

Question 1 What does “고마워요” mean?

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Answer: Thanks

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