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Basic Speaking Check-in: The First Encounter

Keywords
기초 λ§ν•˜κΈ° 점검
Lesson #
S
Done
Section
Basic Speaking
πŸ¦„
TL;DR πŸ¦„
  • πŸ‘‹ μ•ˆλ…•ν•˜μ„Έμš” [an-nyeong-ha-se-yo] β€” "Hello"
  • πŸ™‡ 처음 λ΅™κ² μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€ [cheo-eum bwep-get-sseum-ni-da] β€” "It's a pleasure to meet you (formal, first time)"
  • 🏷️ 이름이 λ­μ˜ˆμš”? [i-reu-mi mwo-ye-yo?] β€” "What's your name?"
  • 🌍 μ–΄λ””μ„œ μ™”μ–΄μš”? [eo-di-seo wa-sseo-yo?] β€” "Where are you from?"
  • 🎨 μ·¨λ―Έκ°€ λ­μ˜ˆμš”? [chwi-mi-ga mwo-ye-yo?] β€” "What's your hobby?"
πŸ”Š
🎧 Iru Helper Note: Use the Iru Helper Widgets to hear any phrase below pronounced aloud.
Β 

🌈 The Big Picture

This check-in looks back at the very first set of tools you picked up: how to greet someone, bow, introduce yourself, and exchange the basic facts that come up the moment you meet someone new β€” your name, age, job, hometown, and hobbies. You also learned how to ask "how have you been?" for people you're meeting again, and how to say goodbye depending on who's staying and who's leaving.
These lessons might feel almost too simple now, but they're the scaffolding for everything else β€” every dialogue in this course starts with some version of a greeting, and ends with some version of a goodbye.

🎭 The Big Idea: First Encounters Follow a Script

A first meeting in Korean almost always follows the same shape:
  1. Greeting β€” μ•ˆλ…•ν•˜μ„Έμš” (with a slight bow)
  1. Name exchange β€” μ €λŠ” [이름]μ΄μ—μš”/μ˜ˆμš”. 이름이 λ­μ˜ˆμš”?
  1. Small talk facts β€” μ–΄λ””μ„œ μ™”μ–΄μš”? / 직업이 λ­μ˜ˆμš”? / μ·¨λ―Έκ°€ λ­μ˜ˆμš”?
  1. Closing β€” λ§Œλ‚˜μ„œ λ°˜κ°€μ› μ–΄μš”. μ•ˆλ…•νžˆ κ°€μ„Έμš”/κ³„μ„Έμš”.
Once this script feels automatic, you can focus your energy on the content of what you're saying rather than the shape of the conversation β€” which is exactly what later lessons (like small talk and connectors) build on.

🧳 Key Phrase Refresher

  • πŸ‘‹ μ•ˆλ…•ν•˜μ„Έμš” [an-nyeong-ha-se-yo] β€” "Hello" (general greeting, with a bow)
  • πŸ™‡ 처음 λ΅™κ² μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€ [cheo-eum bwep-get-sseum-ni-da] β€” "It's a pleasure to meet you" (formal, first meeting)
  • 😊 λ§Œλ‚˜μ„œ λ°˜κ°‘μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€ [man-na-seo ban-gap-sseum-ni-da] β€” "Nice to meet you"
  • 🏷️ 제 이름은 [이름]μ΄μ—μš” [je i-reu-meun [name] i-e-yo] β€” "My name is..."
  • πŸŽ‚ λ‚˜μ΄κ°€ μ–΄λ–»κ²Œ λ˜μ„Έμš”? [na-i-ga eo-tteo-ke dwe-se-yo?] β€” "May I ask your age?" (polite)
  • πŸ’Ό 직업이 λ­μ˜ˆμš”? [ji-geo-bi mwo-ye-yo?] β€” "What's your job?"
  • 🌍 κ³ ν–₯이 μ–΄λ””μ˜ˆμš”? [go-hyang-i eo-di-ye-yo?] β€” "Where's your hometown?"
  • 🎨 μ·¨λ―Έκ°€ λ­μ˜ˆμš”? [chwi-mi-ga mwo-ye-yo?] β€” "What's your hobby?"
  • πŸ”„ 잘 μ§€λƒˆμ–΄μš”? [jal ji-nae-sseo-yo?] β€” "Have you been well?" (for people you've met before)
  • πŸ‘‹ μ•ˆλ…•νžˆ κ°€μ„Έμš” / μ•ˆλ…•νžˆ κ³„μ„Έμš” [an-nyeong-hi ga-se-yo / an-nyeong-hi gye-se-yo] β€” "Goodbye" (to the person leaving / staying)

πŸ› οΈ Putting Together

A. A: μ•ˆλ…•ν•˜μ„Έμš”. 처음 λ΅™κ² μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€.
B: μ•ˆλ…•ν•˜μ„Έμš”. λ§Œλ‚˜μ„œ λ°˜κ°‘μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. μ €λŠ” μ§€μ€μ΄μ—μš”. 이름이 λ­μ˜ˆμš”?
A: μ €λŠ” λ―Όμˆ˜μ˜ˆμš”. λ§Œλ‚˜μ„œ λ°˜κ°€μ›Œμš”.
Translation:
A: "Hello. It's a pleasure to meet you."
B: "Hello. Nice to meet you. I'm Jieun. What's your name?"
A: "I'm Minsu. Nice to meet you too."
πŸ¦„ 처음 λ΅™κ² μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€ is more formal than λ§Œλ‚˜μ„œ λ°˜κ°‘μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€ β€” great for a first impression with someone older or in a professional setting.
A. A: μ–΄λ””μ„œ μ™”μ–΄μš”?
B: μ €λŠ” λΆ€μ‚°μ—μ„œ μ™”μ–΄μš”. κ³ ν–₯이 μ–΄λ””μ˜ˆμš”?
A: μ €λŠ” μ„œμšΈμ΄ κ³ ν–₯μ΄μ—μš”. 그런데 μ§€κΈˆμ€ 뢀산에 μ‚΄μ•„μš”.
Translation:
A: "Where are you from?"
B: "I'm from Busan. Where's your hometown?"
A: "My hometown is Seoul. But I live in Busan now."
πŸ¦„ μ–΄λ””μ„œ μ™”μ–΄μš”? asks where you currently come from/live, while κ³ ν–₯이 μ–΄λ””μ˜ˆμš”? specifically asks about your hometown β€” they can have different answers!
A. A: μ·¨λ―Έκ°€ λ­μ˜ˆμš”?
B: μ €λŠ” 등산을 μ’‹μ•„ν•΄μš”. μ£Όλ§λ§ˆλ‹€ 산에 κ°€μš”. A μ”¨λŠ”μš”?
A: μ €λŠ” κ·Έλ¦Ό κ·Έλ¦¬λŠ” κ±Έ μ’‹μ•„ν•΄μš”. λ§Œλ‚˜μ„œ λ°˜κ°€μ› μ–΄μš”. μ•ˆλ…•νžˆ κ°€μ„Έμš”!
Translation:
A: "What's your hobby?"
B: "I like hiking. I go to the mountains every weekend. What about you, A?"
A: "I like drawing. It was nice meeting you. Goodbye!"
πŸ¦„ -μ”¨λŠ”μš”? ("what about you?") is the natural way to bounce a question back β€” covered in the small talk lessons too.

πŸ—£οΈ Speaking Practice: Mini Dialogue

민수: μ•ˆλ…•ν•˜μ„Έμš”! 처음 λ΅™κ² μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. μ €λŠ” λ―Όμˆ˜μ˜ˆμš”.
[an-nyeong-ha-se-yo! cheo-eum bwep-get-sseum-ni-da. jeo-neun min-su-ye-yo]
"Hello! It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Minsu."
지은: μ•ˆλ…•ν•˜μ„Έμš”. λ§Œλ‚˜μ„œ λ°˜κ°‘μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. μ €λŠ” μ§€μ€μ΄μ—μš”.
[an-nyeong-ha-se-yo. man-na-seo ban-gap-sseum-ni-da. jeo-neun ji-eu-ni-e-yo]
"Hello. Nice to meet you. I'm Jieun."
민수: 지은 μ”¨λŠ” μ–΄λ””μ„œ μ™”μ–΄μš”?
[ji-eun ssi-neun eo-di-seo wa-sseo-yo?]
"Jieun, where are you from?"
지은: μ €λŠ” λŒ€κ΅¬μ—μ„œ μ™”μ–΄μš”. 민수 μ”¨λŠ” κ³ ν–₯이 μ–΄λ””μ˜ˆμš”?
[jeo-neun dae-gu-e-seo wa-sseo-yo. min-su ssi-neun go-hyang-i eo-di-ye-yo?]
"I'm from Daegu. Minsu, where's your hometown?"
민수: 제 κ³ ν–₯은 μΈμ²œμ΄μ—μš”. 그리고 μ·¨λ―Έκ°€ λ­μ˜ˆμš”?
[je go-hyang-eun in-cheo-ni-e-yo. geu-ri-go chwi-mi-ga mwo-ye-yo?]
"My hometown is Incheon. And what's your hobby?"
지은: μ €λŠ” 사진 μ°λŠ” κ±Έ μ’‹μ•„ν•΄μš”. 였늘 λ§Œλ‚˜μ„œ 정말 λ°˜κ°€μ› μ–΄μš”. μ•ˆλ…•νžˆ κ°€μ„Έμš”!
[jeo-neun sa-jin jjik-neun geol jo-a-hae-yo. o-neul man-na-seo jeong-mal ban-ga-wo-sseo-yo. an-nyeong-hi ga-se-yo!]
"I like taking photos. It was really nice meeting you today. Goodbye!"

🧭 Speaking Tip

When you meet someone new, the order rarely changes: greet, exchange names, then pick one or two small-talk topics (hometown, job, or hobby) before closing. You don't need to ask about all of them β€” picking just one and following up naturally (μ–΄, μ§„μ§œμš”? μ €λ„μš”!) will feel much more like a real conversation than rattling through a checklist.

⚠️ Common Mix-ups Review

  • ❌ Using μ•ˆλ…• (casual) with someone you just met in a formal setting β†’ βœ… Use μ•ˆλ…•ν•˜μ„Έμš” or 처음 λ΅™κ² μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€ for first meetings
  • ❌ Asking λͺ‡ μ‚΄μ΄μ—μš”? (blunt) to an elder or new acquaintance β†’ βœ… Use λ‚˜μ΄κ°€ μ–΄λ–»κ²Œ λ˜μ„Έμš”? for politeness
  • ❌ Mixing up μ–΄λ””μ„œ μ™”μ–΄μš”? (where are you from/living now) and κ³ ν–₯이 μ–΄λ””μ˜ˆμš”? (hometown specifically) β†’ βœ… Choose based on what you actually want to know
  • ❌ Saying μ•ˆλ…•νžˆ κ°€μ„Έμš” to someone who is staying (or vice versa) β†’ βœ… κ°€μ„Έμš” = to the person leaving, κ³„μ„Έμš” = to the person staying
Β 
<summary>Try this exercise
Instructions: Read each prompt and think of the correct phrase from this check-in. Click each item to reveal the answer.
  1. Greet someone formally for the first time.
      2. <summary>Answer
      처음 λ΅™κ² μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€
  1. Ask someone's name politely.
      2. <summary>Answer
      이름이 λ­μ˜ˆμš”?
  1. Ask someone's age politely.
      2. <summary>Answer
      λ‚˜μ΄κ°€ μ–΄λ–»κ²Œ λ˜μ„Έμš”?
  1. Ask "Where's your hometown?"
      2. <summary>Answer
      κ³ ν–₯이 μ–΄λ””μ˜ˆμš”?
  1. Ask "What's your hobby?"
      2. <summary>Answer
      μ·¨λ―Έκ°€ λ­μ˜ˆμš”?
  1. Ask "Where are you from?" (current location-based)
      2. <summary>Answer
      μ–΄λ””μ„œ μ™”μ–΄μš”?
  1. Ask someone you've met before how they've been.
      2. <summary>Answer
      잘 μ§€λƒˆμ–΄μš”?
  1. Say goodbye to the person who is leaving.
      2. <summary>Answer
      μ•ˆλ…•νžˆ κ°€μ„Έμš”
  1. Say goodbye to the person who is staying.
      2. <summary>Answer
      μ•ˆλ…•νžˆ κ³„μ„Έμš”
  1. Say "Nice to meet you."
      2. <summary>Answer
      λ§Œλ‚˜μ„œ λ°˜κ°‘μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€
πŸ“š
Vocabulary Box
  • 처음 β€” first time
  • 이름 β€” name
  • λ‚˜μ΄ β€” age
  • 직업 β€” job/occupation
  • κ³ ν–₯ β€” hometown
  • μ·¨λ―Έ β€” hobby
  • λ§Œλ‚˜λ‹€ β€” to meet
  • λ°˜κ°‘λ‹€ β€” to be glad (to meet someone)
  • 지내닀 β€” to get along/spend time
  • κ°€λ‹€/κ³„μ‹œλ‹€ β€” to go / to stay (honorific)
Pitfalls πŸ’‘
  • 처음 λ΅™κ² μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€ > μ•ˆλ…•ν•˜μ„Έμš” for formality on first meeting
  • λ‚˜μ΄κ°€ μ–΄λ–»κ²Œ λ˜μ„Έμš”? is more polite than λͺ‡ μ‚΄μ΄μ—μš”?
  • μ–΄λ””μ„œ μ™”μ–΄μš”? β‰  κ³ ν–₯이 μ–΄λ””μ˜ˆμš”?
  • κ°€μ„Έμš” vs κ³„μ„Έμš” depends on who's leaving
πŸš€
Want more reps? Head to the Practice Hub below for three full rounds of first-encounter practice! 🀝
Β 
πŸ“¦
🎯 Practice Hub β€” Basic Speaking Check-in: The First Encounter
Let's review everything from your very first conversations! Work through these three exercises.
🎧 Remember, you can use the Iru Helper Widgets to hear the correct pronunciation for any phrase below.

Exercise 1 β€” Greetings & Introductions πŸ‘‹

A. Greet someone formally for the first time.
<summary>Answer
처음 λ΅™κ² μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€
B. Say "Nice to meet you."
<summary>Answer
λ§Œλ‚˜μ„œ λ°˜κ°‘μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€
C. Introduce yourself: "I'm [name]."
<summary>Answer
μ €λŠ” [이름]μ΄μ—μš”/μ˜ˆμš”
D. Ask "What's your name?"
<summary>Answer
이름이 λ­μ˜ˆμš”?
E. Say a general "Hello."
<summary>Answer
μ•ˆλ…•ν•˜μ„Έμš”
F. Ask someone's age politely.
<summary>Answer
λ‚˜μ΄κ°€ μ–΄λ–»κ²Œ λ˜μ„Έμš”?
G. Ask "How have you been?" to someone you know.
<summary>Answer
잘 μ§€λƒˆμ–΄μš”?
H. Respond "I've been well."
<summary>Answer
잘 μ§€λƒˆμ–΄μš” (as a statement)
I. Say goodbye to someone who is leaving.
<summary>Answer
μ•ˆλ…•νžˆ κ°€μ„Έμš”
J. Say goodbye to someone who is staying.
<summary>Answer
μ•ˆλ…•νžˆ κ³„μ„Έμš”
πŸ“š
Cheat Sheet
  • 처음 λ΅™κ² μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€ β€” formal first meeting
  • λ§Œλ‚˜μ„œ λ°˜κ°‘μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€/λ°˜κ°€μ›Œμš” β€” nice to meet you
  • μ•ˆλ…•ν•˜μ„Έμš” β€” general hello + bow
  • μ•ˆλ…•νžˆ κ°€μ„Έμš”/κ³„μ„Έμš” β€” goodbye (leaving/staying)

Exercise 2 β€” Personal Info Exchange 🏷️

A. Ask "What's your job?"
<summary>Answer
직업이 λ­μ˜ˆμš”?
B. Ask "Where's your hometown?"
<summary>Answer
κ³ ν–₯이 μ–΄λ””μ˜ˆμš”?
C. Ask "Where are you from?" (current residence)
<summary>Answer
μ–΄λ””μ„œ μ™”μ–΄μš”?
D. Ask "What's your hobby?"
<summary>Answer
μ·¨λ―Έκ°€ λ­μ˜ˆμš”?
E. Say "My hometown is Seoul."
<summary>Answer
제 κ³ ν–₯은 μ„œμšΈμ΄μ—μš”
F. Say "I'm from Busan."
<summary>Answer
μ €λŠ” λΆ€μ‚°μ—μ„œ μ™”μ–΄μš”
G. Say "I like hiking."
<summary>Answer
μ €λŠ” 등산을 μ’‹μ•„ν•΄μš”
H. Ask "And you?" after answering a question.
<summary>Answer
~μ”¨λŠ”μš”?
I. Say "I'm a teacher."
<summary>Answer
μ €λŠ” μ„ μƒλ‹˜μ΄μ—μš”
J. Say "I like taking photos."
<summary>Answer
μ €λŠ” 사진 μ°λŠ” κ±Έ μ’‹μ•„ν•΄μš”
πŸ“š
Cheat Sheet
  • 직업/κ³ ν–₯/μ·¨λ―Έ β€” job/hometown/hobby
  • μ–΄λ””μ„œ μ™”μ–΄μš”? β€” current location-based
  • κ³ ν–₯이 μ–΄λ””μ˜ˆμš”? β€” birthplace-based
  • ~μ”¨λŠ”μš”? β€” bounce the question back

Exercise 3 β€” Full Conversations πŸ’¬

A. Complete: "μ•ˆλ…•ν•˜μ„Έμš”. ___. μ €λŠ” μ§€μ€μ΄μ—μš”." (formal first-meeting phrase)
<summary>Answer
처음 λ΅™κ² μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€
B. Respond to "이름이 λ­μ˜ˆμš”?" with your own name.
<summary>Answer
μ €λŠ” [이름]μ΄μ—μš”
C. Ask a new acquaintance both their hometown and hobby in two short questions.
<summary>Answer
κ³ ν–₯이 μ–΄λ””μ˜ˆμš”? 그리고 μ·¨λ―Έκ°€ λ­μ˜ˆμš”?
D. Respond to "μ–΄λ””μ„œ μ™”μ–΄μš”?" by saying you're from Daegu, then ask the same back.
<summary>Answer
μ €λŠ” λŒ€κ΅¬μ—μ„œ μ™”μ–΄μš”. ~μ”¨λŠ”μš”?
E. Close a first meeting politely (you are leaving).
<summary>Answer
λ§Œλ‚˜μ„œ λ°˜κ°€μ› μ–΄μš”. μ•ˆλ…•νžˆ κ³„μ„Έμš”
F. Close a first meeting politely (the other person is leaving).
<summary>Answer
λ§Œλ‚˜μ„œ λ°˜κ°€μ› μ–΄μš”. μ•ˆλ…•νžˆ κ°€μ„Έμš”
G. Greet someone you haven't seen in a while and ask how they've been.
<summary>Answer
μ•ˆλ…•ν•˜μ„Έμš”! 잘 μ§€λƒˆμ–΄μš”?
H. Respond that you've been well and busy with work.
<summary>Answer
λ„€, 잘 μ§€λƒˆμ–΄μš”. μš”μ¦˜ 일 λ•Œλ¬Έμ— λ°”λΉ΄μ–΄μš”
I. Introduce your job and hobby in one sentence each.
<summary>Answer
μ €λŠ” μ„ μƒλ‹˜μ΄μ—μš”. 그리고 등산을 μ’‹μ•„ν•΄μš”
J. Wrap up a first conversation, thanking the person and saying goodbye.
<summary>Answer
였늘 λ§Œλ‚˜μ„œ λ°˜κ°€μ› μ–΄μš”. μ•ˆλ…•νžˆ κ°€μ„Έμš”!
πŸ“š
Cheat Sheet
  • First meeting = greet β†’ names β†’ small talk β†’ close
  • 처음 λ΅™κ² μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€ sets a formal tone from the start
  • ~μ”¨λŠ”μš”? keeps the conversation balanced
  • Always close with a goodbye that matches who's leaving
πŸŽ‰ μž˜ν–ˆμ–΄μš”! You've reviewed the very first tools you picked up β€” the foundation for every conversation in this course.