Korean Unlocked #29
여보세요
Hello (on the phone)
The one word every Korean phone call begins with
[ Yeo · bo · se · yo ]
📞
Quick Answer
여보세요 (Yeoboseyo) is the standard Korean greeting used when answering or making a phone call — think of it as the Korean equivalent of saying “Hello?” when you pick up the phone.
Beyond “Hello” — What 여보세요 Actually Is
If you looked up 여보세요 in the dictionary, you’d simply see “hello (on the phone).” But there’s a lot more going on with this little phrase than that simple definition suggests.
First, let’s clear something up: 여보세요 is not a general greeting. You wouldn’t walk into a café and say 여보세요 to the barista. It’s specifically a telephone greeting. Koreans use 안녕하세요 (Annyeonghaseyo) for face-to-face “hello,” but the moment someone picks up a call, the go-to word switches to 여보세요.
However, 여보세요 can also pop up in one other context: when you’re trying to get a stranger’s attention in person — sort of like saying “Excuse me?” or “Hey, over here!” in English. Imagine someone walking past who dropped something, or someone who seems to not have heard you. You’d call out 여보세요! to get their attention.
The word itself comes from the verb 보다 (boda), meaning “to see/look,” combined with the honorific address 여보 — which, fun fact, is also the word Korean couples use to call each other (“honey” or “dear”). Over time, 여보세요 evolved into the polished phone greeting it is today — equal parts “look over here” and “are you there?”
It’s also worth noting that 여보세요 can be used as a question — “Hello? Are you still there?” — when a call cuts out or someone goes silent. The rising intonation makes it sound almost like “Hello? Can you hear me?”
🔬 How Is 여보세요 Built?
여보
Address term
(“hey / dear”)
+
세요
Honorific ending
(polite imperative)
→
여보세요
“Hello?” / “Excuse me?”
💡 Deeper dive: 세요 is a contraction of -(으)시어요, an honorific polite ending. The verb root here is related to 보다 (boda) — “to see” — so the original meaning is something like “Please look over here” or “Look this way, dear.” As the word became fossilized as a set phrase, it lost its literal feel and became the phone greeting Koreans use millions of times every day.
📌 여보 on its own is used between married couples (similar to “honey” or “darling” in English). Don’t confuse it with 여보세요 — context is everything!
📖 4 Key Ways to Use 여보세요
1
Answering a Phone Call
The most common use. When your phone rings and you pick up, the first word out of your mouth is 여보세요.
여보세요?
Yeoboseyo?
“Hello?”
2
Starting a Phone Call
When you dial someone and they pick up, you can also open with 여보세요 before identifying yourself.
여보세요, 민준 씨예요?
Yeoboseyo, Minjun ssiyeyo?
“Hello, is this Minjun?”
3
Checking If Someone’s There
When the call drops or goes quiet, you say 여보세요? with a rising tone to check if the other person is still on the line.
여보세요? 들려요?
Yeoboseyo? Deullyeoyo?
“Hello? Can you hear me?”
4
Getting a Stranger’s Attention
In real life (not on the phone!), 여보세요 can be used to call out to someone — like “Excuse me!” to a stranger passing by.
여보세요! 지갑 떨어졌어요!
Yeoboseyo! Jigap tteoreojyeosseoyo!
“Excuse me! You dropped your wallet!”
🎙️ How to Say It Right
Let’s break it down syllable by syllable: 여 (yeo) · 보 (bo) · 세 (se) · 요 (yo)
✅ 여 (yeo): This vowel is tricky for English speakers. It’s not like the English “yo” or “yaw.” Try starting with “yuh” and rounding your lips slightly. Think of it as the beginning of “yeoman” but shorter and more open.
✅ 보 (bo): Easy! Just like the English name “Bo” or the “bo” in “bold.” Short and crisp.
✅ 세요 (seyo): Say “say” then quickly add “-yo.” It flows as one smooth unit: “say-yo” → “seyo.” No pause between the two syllables.
⚠️ Common mistake #1: Many learners stress the wrong syllable. In Korean, stress is relatively flat — don’t punch “YEO” or “SE” too hard. All four syllables are fairly even in length.
⚠️ Common mistake #2: Don’t add an extra sound to 여 and say “yeo-oh-boseyo.” Keep 여 as one smooth syllable.
⚠️ Common mistake #3: The 요 at the end isn’t stressed like a big English “YO!” Keep it light and gentle — it’s a polite ending, after all.
When used as a phone greeting, the word often has a gentle rising intonation at the end — almost like a question, signaling “I’m here, are you there?” When calling out to a stranger, you might say it with a slightly falling tone, more assertively.
📣 Natural speed tip: In fast, natural Korean speech, 여보세요 often sounds closer to “yuh-bo-sey-yo” — all blended together without sharp breaks between syllables.
Person A (Calling)
여보세요? 지수 씨예요?
Yeoboseyo? Jisu ssiyeyo?
Hello? Is this Jisu?
Person B (Answering)
네, 여보세요! 준호 씨군요!
Ne, yeoboseyo! Junho ssigunnyo!
Yes, hello! It’s Junho, right!
Person A
맞아요! 오늘 시간 있어요?
Majayo! Oneul sigan isseoyo?
That’s right! Do you have time today?
Person B
잠깐요… 여보세요? 잘 들려요?
Jamkkanyo… Yeoboseyo? Jal deullyeoyo?
One moment… Hello? Can you hear me well?
Person A
네, 잘 들려요! 오늘 만날까요?
Ne, jal deullyeoyo! Oneul mannalkkayo?
Yes, I can hear you well! Shall we meet today?
Spelling & Confusion Trap
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
Wrong여보서요
Right여보세요
💬 The vowel in the third syllable is 세 (se), not 서 (seo). These vowels look similar but sound very different — 세 is “say” while 서 is “suh.” Double-check that middle vowel!
WrongUsing 여보세요 as a face-to-face hello
Right안녕하세요 (Annyeonghaseyo) for in-person greetings
💬 New learners often mix these up. Save 여보세요 for phone calls (and the occasional “excuse me” to a stranger). For everyday face-to-face greetings, always use 안녕하세요.
Wrong여봐요 (Yeobwayo)
Right여보세요 (Yeoboseyo)
💬 Some learners try to construct this word themselves from 보다 and accidentally say 여봐요. While this is a real Korean form, it’s not used as a phone greeting. Stick to the set phrase 여보세요.
WrongConfusing 여보 (spouse address) with 여보세요
Right여보 = “honey/dear” | 여보세요 = “hello (phone)”
💬 Don’t accidentally call your Korean boss “honey” by dropping the 세요! 여보 alone is exclusively used between romantic partners. Always keep the full form 여보세요 in professional or general contexts.
Related Forms & Expressions
📋 여보세요 and Related Phone/Greeting Expressions
| Context |
Korean |
Romanization |
English |
| Phone greeting (standard) |
여보세요 |
Yeoboseyo |
Hello (on the phone) |
| Checking connection |
여보세요? 들려요? |
Yeoboseyo? Deullyeoyo? |
Hello? Can you hear me? |
| Face-to-face hello (polite) |
안녕하세요 |
Annyeonghaseyo |
Hello / Good day |
| Getting attention (casual) |
저기요 |
Jeogiyo |
Excuse me (to a stranger/server) |
| Spouse address (informal) |
여보 |
Yeobo |
Honey / Dear (between couples) |
| Calling out (informal) |
야! / 이봐! |
Ya! / Ibwa! |
Hey! (very casual, to friends) |
| Phone goodbye |
끊을게요 |
Kkeunheulgeyo |
I’ll hang up now |
| Phone goodbye (casual) |
나중에 전화해 |
Najunge jeonhwahae |
Call me later |
1
여보세요? 거기 한국 식당이에요?
Yeoboseyo? Geogi hanguk sikdangieyo?
Hello? Is this the Korean restaurant?
2
여보세요, 저 이민지인데요. 사장님 계세요?
Yeoboseyo, jeo Minji-indeyo. Sajangnim gyeseyo?
Hello, this is Minji. Is the manager there?
3
여보세요? 잘 안 들려요. 다시 말해줄 수 있어요?
Yeoboseyo? Jal an deullyeoyo. Dasi malhaejul su isseoyo?
Hello? I can’t hear you well. Can you say that again?
4
여보세요! 가방 두고 가셨어요!
Yeoboseyo! Gabang dugo gasyeosseoyo!
Excuse me! You left your bag behind!
5
전화를 받으면 먼저 여보세요라고 해야 해요.
Jeonhwareul badeumyeon meonjeo yeoboseyorago haeya haeyo.
When you answer a phone call, you should first say “yeoboseyo.”
6
여보세요? 지금 통화 가능해요?
Yeoboseyo? Jigeum tonghwa ganeunghaeyo?
Hello? Are you able to talk right now?
⚡ Quick Summary: 여보세요 (Yeoboseyo)
- 여보세요 is the standard Korean phone greeting — always use it when picking up or making a call, never for face-to-face hellos.
- It literally comes from an address term 여보 + the polite honorific ending 세요, originally meaning something like “Please look this way.”
- You can also use 여보세요 to get a stranger’s attention in public — similar to “Excuse me!” in English.
- When the call drops or goes silent, repeating 여보세요? with a rising tone means “Hello? Are you still there?”
- Don’t confuse 여보세요 (phone hello) with 여보 (what married couples call each other), or with 안녕하세요 (everyday in-person greeting).
📞 Happy Studying! 화이팅! 🎉
