22. How to write a simple letter in Korean

Writing a letter in Korean can seem like a daunting task at first, especially if you're at a basic level. However, with practice and patience, you can become fluent in this skill as well. This chapter of our eBook will guide you step by step on how to write a simple letter in Korean.

First, it is important to understand that the structure of a letter in Korean is slightly different from the structure of an English letter. In Korean, the salutation comes first, followed by the body of the letter, and finally the farewell and signature. Let's start with the greeting.

The Korean greeting usually starts with the word "안녕하세요" (Annyeonghaseyo), which means "Hello". Then you must write the name of the person you are writing to. For example, if you are writing to a person named Park Jihoon, you would write "박지훈님께" (Park Jihoon-nimkke), which means "To Park Jihoon".

Next comes the body of the letter. Here, you can write whatever you want, as long as it's respectful and appropriate. Remember that Korean is a hierarchical language, so you should use the appropriate speaking level depending on who you're writing to. If you are writing to a close friend, you can use the informal speaking level. However, if you are writing to a superior or someone older, you should use the formal speaking level.

For example, if you're writing to a friend, you might say something like "오랜만에 연락해서 미안해. 어떻게 지내?" (Oraenman-e yeonlaghaeseo mianhae. Eotteohge jinae?), which means "Sorry for not getting in touch for so long. How are you?". If you are writing to a superior, you can say something like "오랜만에 연락드려서 죄송합니다. 어떻게 지내시나요?" (Oraenman-e yeonlagdeulyeoseo joesonghamnida. Eotteohge jinaesinayo?), which means "Sorry for not getting in touch for so long. How are you?".

Finally, comes the farewell and signature. The farewell in Korean is usually "감사합니다" (Gamsahamnida), which means "Thank you", followed by your name. For example, if your name is Kim Yuna, you would write "감사합니다, 김유나" (Gamsahamnida, Kim Yuna), which means "Thank you, Kim Yuna".

Writing a letter in Korean can be challenging at first, but with practice and patience, you can become fluent in this skill. Remember that the key to learning any language is constant practice. So keep practicing and don't give up!

We hope that this chapter of our e-book was useful for you. In the next chapter, we'll discuss how to write an email in Korean. Stay tuned!

감사합니다! (Gamsahamnida!)

Next page of the Free Ebook:

59How to make a reservation in Korean

2 minutes