Korean · Greetings & Essentials
"What's up?" in Korean: 잘 지내?
잘 지내?jal jinae?
What's up? in Korean is 잘 지내? (jal jinae?). 잘 지내? is familiar speech for someone close; 잘 지내세요? is a polite alternative.
What's up?: starting the exchange
잘 지내? 오랜만이야.jal jinae? oraenmaniya.
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How to pronounce 잘 지내?
Say it
jal jinae?
/tɕal tɕinɛ/
잘 지내? is read jal jinae?. In 요즘 어때?, read the full phrase as yojeum eottae?.
"What's up?" in Korean: quick reference
| Korean | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| 잘 지내?jal jinae? | What's up? The inventory form for what's up?. | The inventory form for what's up?. |
| 요즘 어때?yojeum eottae? | how are things these days? 잘 지내? is familiar speech for someone close; 잘 지내세요? is a polite alternative. | 잘 지내? is familiar speech for someone close; 잘 지내세요? is a polite alternative. |
How to use 잘 지내? in real life
- 1What's up?: starting the exchange
잘 지내? 오랜만이야.
jal jinae? oraenmaniya.
What’s up? It has been a while.
잘 지내? is familiar speech for someone close; 잘 지내세요? is a polite alternative.
- 2What's up?: adding useful context
요즘 잘 지내?
yojeum jal jinae?
Are you doing well these days?
This sentence places 잘 지내? in a complete exchange.
- 3What's up?: a different conversation
학교에서는 잘 지내?
hakgyoeseoneun jal jinae?
Are things going well at school?
This sentence places 잘 지내? in a complete exchange.
Mistakes English speakers make with 잘 지내?
Incorrect: 잘 지내? 오랜만이야이에요.
Correct: 잘 지내? 오랜만이야.
When practicing what's up, a conjugated predicate already finishes this sentence; do not append the noun copula 이에요. Keep the complete form 잘 지내? 오랜만이야.
Incorrect: 잘 지내? 오랜만이야습니다.
Correct: 잘 지내? 오랜만이야.
When practicing what's up, do not append a formal sentence ending to a predicate that already has its polite ending. Keep the complete form 잘 지내? 오랜만이야.
Good to know
잘 지내? is familiar speech for someone close; 잘 지내세요? is a polite alternative.
Read this practice conversation aloud
Tutor-led greetings and essentials study exercise: two sentences with 잘 지내?
Partner
이 표현을 사용해서 한 문장 말해 볼까요?
i pyohyeoneul sayonghaeseo han munjang malhae bolkkayo?
Shall we say a sentence using this expression?
You
잘 지내? 오랜만이야.
jal jinae? oraenmaniya.
What’s up? It has been a while.
Partner
좋아요. 다른 문장으로도 연습해 볼까요?
joayo. dareun munjangeurodo yeonseupae bolkkayo?
Good. Shall we practice with another sentence too?
You
요즘 잘 지내?
yojeum jal jinae?
Are you doing well these days?
This is a sample dialogue for reading aloud. Try both parts, then replace a detail with one from your own life.
Explore ChatPal"What's up?" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "What's up?" in Korean
What does 잘 지내? mean?
What's up? in Korean is 잘 지내? (jal jinae?). 잘 지내? is familiar speech for someone close; 잘 지내세요? is a polite alternative.
When should I say 요즘 어때??
잘 지내? is familiar speech for someone close; 잘 지내세요? is a polite alternative.
How does 요즘 어때? differ from the basic expression?
요즘 어때? means “how are things these days?”. 잘 지내? is familiar speech for someone close; 잘 지내세요? is a polite alternative.
Can I use 잘 지내? in a full sentence?
잘 지내? 오랜만이야. means “What’s up? It has been a while.” 잘 지내? is familiar speech for someone close; 잘 지내세요? is a polite alternative.
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