Want to learn how to introduce yourself in Korean? Whether you’re visiting South Korea, meeting Korean friends, or starting your first Korean language class, a natural self-introduction is one of the most useful speaking skills you can learn.
The good news is that you don’t need complicated grammar or hundreds of vocabulary words. With a few simple sentence patterns, you can introduce your name, country, occupation, and hobbies in Korean.
In this beginner-friendly guide, you’ll learn practical Korean expressions, understand how to use polite sentence endings, and practice conversations you can actually use.
By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to introduce yourself in Korean using five or six simple sentences.
Level: Beginner (A1–A2)
Study time: Approximately 15–20 minutes
What you’ll learn: Greetings, names, countries, occupations, polite endings, real-life conversations, and speaking practice.
Table of Contents
- 1. Start with a Greeting in Korean
- 2. How to Say Your Name in Korean
- 3. How to Say Where You Are From in Korean
- 4. How to Talk About Your Job or Studies in Korean
- 5. How to Talk About Your Hobbies in Korean
- 6. How to End Your Korean Self-Introduction Politely
- 7. Real-Life Korean Self-Introduction Examples
- 8. Common Mistakes When Introducing Yourself in Korean
- 9. Practice: Create Your Own Korean Self-Introduction
- 10. Frequently Asked Questions About Korean Self-Introductions
- Final Review: How to Introduce Yourself in Korean
1. Start with a Greeting in Korean
Before telling someone your name, start with a friendly greeting.
The most useful Korean greeting for beginners is 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo).
Say Hello: 안녕하세요
Korean: 안녕하세요
Romanization: annyeonghaseyo
Meaning: Hello
🔊 Listen: 안녕하세요
안녕하세요 is a polite greeting that works in many everyday situations.
You can use it when:
- Meeting someone for the first time
- Greeting a Korean teacher
- Introducing yourself to a coworker
- Talking to someone older
- Meeting a new friend before you’ve agreed to speak casually
Example
A: 안녕하세요! — Hello!
B: 안녕하세요! — Hello!
For most beginners, 안녕하세요 is a safe and natural way to begin a conversation.
Formal and Casual Greetings
Korean has different speech styles depending on the situation and relationship between speakers.
안녕하십니까 — Hello (formal)
🔊 Listen: 안녕하십니까
This is used in formal situations, such as official introductions, speeches, or ceremonies.
안녕 — Hi (casual)
🔊 Listen: 안녕
This is suitable for close friends or people with whom you have established an informal relationship.
Beginner tip: When in doubt, use 안녕하세요 instead of 안녕.
Learn More Korean Greetings
Want to learn the difference between 안녕하세요, 안녕, and other useful greetings?
Our next beginner lesson explains 15 natural Korean greetings, polite and casual expressions, and the correct way to say goodbye.
Learn How to Say Hello in Korean – 15 Essential Greetings
2. How to Say Your Name in Korean
After greeting someone, the next step is telling them your name.
One of the easiest Korean sentence patterns is:
저는 + 이름 + 이에요/예요.
This means “I am + name.”
Basic Name Introduction
Let’s look at a few examples.
저는 마리아예요. — I’m Maria.
🔊 Listen: 저는 마리아예요
저는 데이비드예요. — I’m David.
🔊 Listen: 저는 데이비드예요
저는 제임스예요. — I’m James.
🔊 Listen: 저는 제임스예요
저는 지민이에요. — I’m Jimin.
🔊 Listen: 저는 지민이에요
You can replace the name in each example with your own name.
The Difference Between 이에요 and 예요
This is one of the most important grammar rules for beginners.
Use 이에요 after a noun that ends in a consonant sound (받침).
Use 예요 after a noun that ends in a vowel sound.
| Word | Ending | Correct form |
|---|---|---|
| 지민 | Consonant ㄴ | 지민이에요 |
| 학생 | Consonant ㅇ | 학생이에요 |
| 마리아 | Vowel ㅏ | 마리아예요 |
| 제임스 | Vowel ㅡ | 제임스예요 |
Important: 제임스 ends in the vowel ㅡ, so the correct expression is 제임스예요, not 제임스이에요.
Listen to the difference:
🔊 Listen: 지민이에요
🔊 Listen: 마리아예요
Another Natural Pattern: 제 이름은…
You can also say:
제 이름은 마리아예요. — My name is Maria.
🔊 Listen: 제 이름은 마리아예요
제 이름은 데이비드예요. — My name is David.
🔊 Listen: 제 이름은 데이비드예요
Here:
- 제 means “my” (humble/polite).
- 이름 means “name.”
- 은 is a topic particle.
Both 저는 마리아예요 and 제 이름은 마리아예요 are correct.
The first is shorter, while the second explicitly introduces your name.
How to Ask Someone’s Name
To ask someone’s name politely, say:
이름이 뭐예요? — What’s your name?
🔊 Listen: 이름이 뭐예요?
For a more respectful expression, especially when asking an older adult or someone in a formal setting, you can use:
성함이 어떻게 되세요? — May I ask your name?
🔊 Listen: 성함이 어떻게 되세요?
Conversation
A: 이름이 뭐예요? — What’s your name?
B: 저는 엠마예요. — I’m Emma.
🔊 Listen: 저는 엠마예요
3. How to Say Where You Are From in Korean
When meeting new people, one of the most common questions is:
Where are you from?
In Korean, you can answer using a very simple sentence pattern.
The Pattern: Country + 에서 왔어요
저는 + 나라 + 에서 왔어요.
This means “I’m from + country.”
Examples:
저는 미국에서 왔어요. — I’m from the United States.
🔊 Listen: 저는 미국에서 왔어요
저는 영국에서 왔어요. — I’m from the United Kingdom.
🔊 Listen: 저는 영국에서 왔어요
저는 필리핀에서 왔어요. — I’m from the Philippines.
🔊 Listen: 저는 필리핀에서 왔어요
저는 인도에서 왔어요. — I’m from India.
🔊 Listen: 저는 인도에서 왔어요
저는 한국에서 왔어요. — I’m from Korea.
🔊 Listen: 저는 한국에서 왔어요
Grammar tip: 왔어요 is the polite past-tense form of 오다, meaning “to come.” In self-introductions, 에서 왔어요 is commonly used to describe where someone comes from.
Country Names in Korean
Here are useful country names for introducing yourself.
| English | Korean |
|---|---|
| United States | 미국 |
| United Kingdom | 영국 |
| Canada | 캐나다 |
| Australia | 호주 |
| Germany | 독일 |
| France | 프랑스 |
| Italy | 이탈리아 |
| Spain | 스페인 |
| Philippines | 필리핀 |
| India | 인도 |
| Japan | 일본 |
| China | 중국 |
| South Korea | 한국 |
| Brazil | 브라질 |
| Turkey | 튀르키예 |
Practice the pronunciation of these country names.
🔊 Listen: 미국
🔊 Listen: 영국
🔊 Listen: 캐나다
🔊 Listen: 호주
🔊 Listen: 독일
🔊 Listen: 프랑스
🔊 Listen: 이탈리아
🔊 Listen: 스페인
🔊 Listen: 필리핀
🔊 Listen: 인도
🔊 Listen: 일본
🔊 Listen: 중국
🔊 Listen: 한국
🔊 Listen: 브라질
🔊 Listen: 튀르키예
Another Way: Saying Your Nationality
Instead of saying where you’re from, you can identify yourself by nationality.
저는 미국 사람이에요. — I’m American.
🔊 Listen: 저는 미국 사람이에요
저는 한국 사람이에요. — I’m Korean.
🔊 Listen: 저는 한국 사람이에요
저는 프랑스 사람이에요. — I’m French.
🔊 Listen: 저는 프랑스 사람이에요
The pattern is:
저는 + 나라 + 사람이에요.
The word 사람 means “person.”
For example, 미국 사람 literally means “American person.”
Asking Someone Where They’re From
어느 나라에서 왔어요? — Which country are you from?
🔊 Listen: 어느 나라에서 왔어요?
Another common question is:
어느 나라 사람이에요? — What nationality are you?
🔊 Listen: 어느 나라 사람이에요?
Both are useful when getting to know someone, but remember that questions about nationality may feel personal in some situations. Use them naturally and respectfully.
4. How to Talk About Your Job or Studies in Korean
After saying your name and country, you can introduce your occupation or what you’re studying.
Saying “I’m a Student”
저는 학생이에요. — I’m a student.
🔊 Listen: 저는 학생이에요
저는 대학생이에요. — I’m a university student.
🔊 Listen: 저는 대학생이에요
저는 한국어를 공부해요. — I study Korean.
🔊 Listen: 저는 한국어를 공부해요
These expressions are useful for students studying in Korea or learning Korean abroad.
Introducing Your Occupation
Use the same basic sentence pattern:
저는 + 직업 + 이에요/예요.
Examples:
저는 선생님이에요. — I’m a teacher.
🔊 Listen: 저는 선생님이에요
저는 의사예요. — I’m a doctor.
🔊 Listen: 저는 의사예요
저는 회사원이에요. — I’m an office worker.
🔊 Listen: 저는 회사원이에요
저는 요리사예요. — I’m a chef.
🔊 Listen: 저는 요리사예요
저는 유튜버예요. — I’m a YouTuber.
🔊 Listen: 저는 유튜버예요
Useful Occupation Vocabulary
| English | Korean |
|---|---|
| Student | 학생 |
| University student | 대학생 |
| Teacher | 선생님 |
| Doctor | 의사 |
| Office worker | 회사원 |
| Chef | 요리사 |
| YouTuber | 유튜버 |
| Photographer | 사진작가 |
| Designer | 디자이너 |
| Engineer | 엔지니어 |
How to Ask About Someone’s Job
무슨 일 하세요? — What do you do for work?
🔊 Listen: 무슨 일 하세요?
직업이 뭐예요? — What’s your occupation?
🔊 Listen: 직업이 뭐예요?
The first expression is often more conversational in everyday situations.
5. How to Talk About Your Hobbies in Korean
Talking about hobbies makes your self-introduction more personal and memorable.
You don’t need advanced Korean grammar to describe activities you enjoy.
The Pattern: 저는 + Activity + 좋아해요
좋아해요 means “like” in polite Korean.
Examples:
저는 음악을 좋아해요. — I like music.
🔊 Listen: 저는 음악을 좋아해요
저는 운동을 좋아해요. — I like exercise.
🔊 Listen: 저는 운동을 좋아해요
저는 여행을 좋아해요. — I like traveling.
🔊 Listen: 저는 여행을 좋아해요
저는 영화를 좋아해요. — I like movies.
🔊 Listen: 저는 영화를 좋아해요
저는 한국 음식을 좋아해요. — I like Korean food.
🔊 Listen: 저는 한국 음식을 좋아해요
Notice the particle 을/를, which marks the object of the verb.
- Use 을 after a noun ending in a consonant.
- Use 를 after a noun ending in a vowel.
Examples:
음악 + 을 → 음악을
영화 + 를 → 영화를
Hobby Vocabulary
| English | Korean |
|---|---|
| Music | 음악 |
| Exercise | 운동 |
| Traveling | 여행 |
| Movies | 영화 |
| Reading | 독서 |
| Cooking | 요리 |
| Photography | 사진 촬영 |
| Gaming | 게임 |
| Dancing | 춤 |
| Swimming | 수영 |
Practice the vocabulary:
🔊 Listen: 음악
🔊 Listen: 운동
🔊 Listen: 여행
🔊 Listen: 영화
🔊 Listen: 독서
🔊 Listen: 요리
🔊 Listen: 사진 촬영
🔊 Listen: 게임
🔊 Listen: 춤
🔊 Listen: 수영
Saying Your Hobby More Directly
You can also use:
제 취미는 + 활동 + 이에요/예요.
Examples:
제 취미는 독서예요. — My hobby is reading.
🔊 Listen: 제 취미는 독서예요
제 취미는 요리예요. — My hobby is cooking.
🔊 Listen: 제 취미는 요리예요
제 취미는 사진 촬영이에요. — My hobby is photography.
🔊 Listen: 제 취미는 사진 촬영이에요
Asking About Someone’s Hobbies
취미가 뭐예요? — What’s your hobby?
🔊 Listen: 취미가 뭐예요?
뭐 하는 거 좋아해요? — What do you like doing?
🔊 Listen: 뭐 하는 거 좋아해요?
These are useful questions for continuing a friendly conversation.
6. How to End Your Korean Self-Introduction Politely
A good introduction should have a natural ending.
In Korean, two useful closing expressions are 만나서 반가워요 and 잘 부탁드립니다.
Nice to Meet You: 만나서 반가워요
만나서 반가워요. — Nice to meet you.
🔊 Listen: 만나서 반가워요
This is an excellent expression when meeting someone new.
For a more formal situation, use:
만나서 반갑습니다. — Nice to meet you (formal).
🔊 Listen: 만나서 반갑습니다
잘 부탁드립니다 — A Common Korean Closing Expression
잘 부탁드립니다.
🔊 Listen: 잘 부탁드립니다
This expression is very common in Korean introductions, especially at work, in school, or when joining a new group.
It doesn’t have one perfect English translation.
Depending on the situation, it can express something like:
“I look forward to working with you.”
“Please take good care of me.”
“I hope we get along well.”
It is especially useful when you’re introducing yourself to classmates, colleagues, or a team.
A Natural Introduction Ending
만나서 반가워요. 잘 부탁드립니다.
🔊 Listen: 만나서 반가워요. 잘 부탁드립니다.
“Nice to meet you. I look forward to getting along with you.”
Cultural tip: 잘 부탁드립니다 can sound unnecessarily formal in a relaxed conversation between new friends. In casual social situations, 만나서 반가워요 alone is often enough.
7. Real-Life Korean Self-Introduction Examples
Now let’s combine everything you’ve learned into natural conversations.
Example 1: A Simple Beginner Introduction
안녕하세요.
Hello.
저는 엠마예요.
I’m Emma.
저는 캐나다에서 왔어요.
I’m from Canada.
저는 학생이에요.
I’m a student.
만나서 반가워요.
Nice to meet you.
Listen to the complete introduction:
🔊 Listen: 안녕하세요. 저는 엠마예요. 저는 캐나다에서 왔어요. 저는 학생이에요. 만나서 반가워요.
This is a simple and natural introduction for a Korean beginner.
Example 2: Introducing Yourself at a Language Exchange
안녕하세요.
Hello.
제 이름은 마이클이에요.
My name is Michael.
저는 미국에서 왔어요.
I’m from the United States.
저는 한국어를 공부해요.
I study Korean.
저는 여행을 좋아해요.
I like traveling.
잘 부탁드립니다.
I look forward to getting along with you.
Listen to the complete introduction:
🔊 Listen: 안녕하세요. 제 이름은 마이클이에요. 저는 미국에서 왔어요. 저는 한국어를 공부해요. 저는 여행을 좋아해요. 잘 부탁드립니다.
Example 3: A Short Conversation Between Two People
A: 안녕하세요. 이름이 뭐예요?
Hello. What’s your name?
🔊 Listen: 안녕하세요. 이름이 뭐예요?
B: 저는 소피아예요.
I’m Sophia.
🔊 Listen: 저는 소피아예요
A: 어느 나라에서 왔어요?
Which country are you from?
🔊 Listen: 어느 나라에서 왔어요?
B: 저는 영국에서 왔어요.
I’m from the United Kingdom.
🔊 Listen: 저는 영국에서 왔어요
A: 한국어를 공부해요?
Do you study Korean?
🔊 Listen: 한국어를 공부해요?
B: 네, 한국어를 공부해요.
Yes, I study Korean.
🔊 Listen: 네, 한국어를 공부해요
A: 만나서 반가워요.
Nice to meet you.
🔊 Listen: 만나서 반가워요
B: 저도 반가워요.
Nice to meet you, too.
🔊 Listen: 저도 반가워요
Example 4: A Professional Self-Introduction
In professional situations, you can use more formal expressions.
안녕하십니까.
Hello.
저는 데이비드입니다.
I’m David.
저는 미국에서 왔습니다.
I’m from the United States.
저는 엔지니어입니다.
I’m an engineer.
잘 부탁드립니다.
I look forward to working with you.
Listen to the complete introduction:
🔊 Listen: 안녕하십니까. 저는 데이비드입니다. 저는 미국에서 왔습니다. 저는 엔지니어입니다. 잘 부탁드립니다.
Notice how the sentence endings change:
- 이에요/예요 → everyday polite style
- 입니다 → formal style
- 왔어요 → everyday polite style
- 왔습니다 → formal style
You don’t need to master every formal ending immediately. Start with polite Korean and gradually learn more formal expressions.
8. Common Mistakes When Introducing Yourself in Korean
Beginners often make small mistakes with sentence endings, pronunciation, and word order.
Here are some common errors and how to avoid them.
Mistake 1: Using 이에요 After a Vowel
Incorrect: 저는 제임스이에요.
Correct: 저는 제임스예요.
🔊 Listen: 저는 제임스예요
Remember that 제임스 ends in the vowel ㅡ.
The correct ending is 예요.
Mistake 2: Forgetting Korean Particles
Korean particles may look small, but they help connect words naturally.
For example:
저는 학생이에요. — I’m a student.
🔊 Listen: 저는 학생이에요
The particle 는 marks 저 (“I”) as the topic.
Beginners should practice complete sentence patterns rather than memorizing isolated words only.
Mistake 3: Using Casual Language with Everyone
Avoid using casual expressions when introducing yourself to someone you don’t know well.
For example:
나 학생이야. — I’m a student (casual).
🔊 Listen: 나 학생이야
A safer expression for beginners is:
저는 학생이에요. — I’m a student (polite).
🔊 Listen: 저는 학생이에요
Mistake 4: Translating English Word for Word
Korean sentence structure differs from English.
English: I study Korean.
Korean: 저는 한국어를 공부해요.
🔊 Listen: 저는 한국어를 공부해요
The basic Korean word order is often:
Subject + Object + Verb
Learning sentence patterns will help you speak more naturally.
Mistake 5: Making Your Introduction Too Long
A self-introduction doesn’t need to be a long, memorized speech.
Start with three sentences:
안녕하세요.
저는 마리아예요.
저는 프랑스에서 왔어요.
🔊 Listen: 안녕하세요. 저는 마리아예요. 저는 프랑스에서 왔어요.
Then add your occupation and hobbies as your confidence improves.
9. Practice: Create Your Own Korean Self-Introduction
The best way to remember Korean expressions is to use them.
Let’s practice with simple exercises.
Exercise 1: Choose the Correct Ending
Choose 이에요 or 예요.
Question 1
저는 제임스____.
A. 예요
B. 이에요
Question 2
저는 학생____.
A. 예요
B. 이에요
Question 3
저는 마리아____.
A. 예요
B. 이에요
Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks
Complete each sentence.
Question 4
저는 미국___ 왔어요.
A. 에서
B. 하고
Question 5
저는 음악___ 좋아해요.
A. 를
B. 을
Question 6
제 취미___ 독서예요.
A. 는
B. 를
Exercise 3: Match the Korean Expression
Match each Korean expression with its English meaning.
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 안녕하세요 | A. I’m a student |
| 만나서 반가워요 | B. Hello |
| 저는 학생이에요 | C. Nice to meet you |
| 취미가 뭐예요? | D. What’s your hobby? |
Answer Key
Question 1: A — 예요
제임스 ends in a vowel, so 제임스예요 is correct.
Question 2: B — 이에요
학생 ends in the final consonant ㅇ, so 학생이에요 is correct.
Question 3: A — 예요
마리아 ends in a vowel, so 마리아예요 is correct.
Question 4: A — 에서
미국에서 왔어요 means “I came from the United States.”
Question 5: B — 을
음악 ends in the consonant ㄱ, so 음악을 is correct.
Question 6: A — 는
취미 ends in a vowel, so 취미는 is correct.
Exercise 3 Answers
- 안녕하세요 → B
- 만나서 반가워요 → C
- 저는 학생이에요 → A
- 취미가 뭐예요? → D
Speaking Challenge: Introduce Yourself in Five Sentences
Use this template to create your own Korean self-introduction.
- 안녕하세요. — Hello.
- 저는 ______예요/이에요. — I’m ______.
- 저는 ______에서 왔어요. — I’m from ______.
- 저는 ______예요/이에요. — I’m a ______.
- 저는 ______을/를 좋아해요. — I like ______.
You may need to adjust the sentence ending or particle depending on the word you choose.
Practice your introduction aloud three times:
First: Read slowly.
Second: Speak without looking at the English translation.
Third: Try introducing yourself naturally without reading.
10. Frequently Asked Questions About Korean Self-Introductions
How do you introduce yourself in Korean as a beginner?
Start with 안녕하세요, say your name using 저는 + 이름 + 이에요/예요, and optionally add your country, occupation, or hobbies.
A complete introduction can be just three to five sentences.
What does 저는 mean in Korean?
저 means “I” in a humble or polite style, and 는 is a topic particle.
Together, 저는 is commonly used when talking about yourself.
What’s the difference between 저는 and 나는?
저는 is a polite form used when speaking respectfully.
나는 is a casual form, often used with close friends or in informal settings.
Beginners should start with 저는.
How do you say “My name is” in Korean?
Use:
제 이름은 마리아예요.
🔊 Listen: 제 이름은 마리아예요
Replace 마리아 with your name and choose 이에요 or 예요 based on the final sound.
Should I use 입니다 or 이에요/예요?
Both can be polite, but they belong to different speech styles.
입니다 is associated with formal polite speech.
이에요/예요 is commonly used in everyday polite conversations.
For most beginner conversations, 이에요/예요 is an excellent starting point.
Do I need to bow when introducing myself in Korea?
A small bow or nod is common when greeting someone, particularly in polite or formal situations.
However, the exact gesture depends on the context. You don’t need to make a deep bow every time you introduce yourself.
Final Review: How to Introduce Yourself in Korean
Now you know how to introduce yourself in Korean using simple but natural expressions.
You have learned how to:
- Greet someone politely
- Introduce your name
- Say where you are from
- Talk about your occupation or studies
- Share your hobbies
- End your introduction naturally
Most importantly, you’ve practiced combining these expressions into real conversations.
Your Final Korean Self-Introduction
Here is one complete example to practice:
안녕하세요.
저는 마리아예요.
저는 프랑스에서 왔어요.
저는 대학생이에요.
저는 한국어를 공부해요.
저는 여행을 좋아해요.
만나서 반가워요.
Listen to the full self-introduction:
🔊 Listen: 안녕하세요. 저는 마리아예요. 저는 프랑스에서 왔어요. 저는 대학생이에요. 저는 한국어를 공부해요. 저는 여행을 좋아해요. 만나서 반가워요.
Your next challenge: Write a five-sentence Korean introduction about yourself, then practice saying it aloud three times.
Continue Learning Korean
Now that you can introduce yourself, it’s time to practice more natural Korean greetings.
Learn 15 useful greetings, polite and casual expressions, and how to say goodbye in different situations.
Learn 15 Korean Greetings – How to Say Hello in Korean
Keep learning with HYUZ Korean lessons, and return to this guide whenever you want to review your Korean speaking skills.