How to say "Good night" in Korean — 잘자요 / 잘 자

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How to say “Good night” in Korean — 잘자요 / 잘 자

Pronunciation • Examples • Audio • Speaking Practice

잘자요 / 잘 자

[jal-ja-yo] / [jal ja]

Good night (polite / casual)

Word & Grammar Breakdown:

잘 ( jal ) — “well”
자다 ( ja da ) — “to sleep”
요 (yo) — polite ending

✅ Combined: 잘자요 jal ja yo = “Sleep well.” / “Good night.” (polite)
잘 자 jal ja = casual; used with friends or younger people.

Examples

👩 A: 이제 자요?ije ja yo
Are you going to sleep now?
👨 B: 네, 잘자요! ne, jal ja yo
Yes, good night!

👧 A: 내일 봐! naeil bwa
See you tomorrow!
👦 B: 잘 자! jal ja
Good night!

Quick Quiz — Which means “Good night” (polite)?

Try speaking — say “잘자요”

● Idle

Tip: Try to say 잘자요 clearly — if recognition catches “잘 자,” it’s still good practice.

🇰🇷 Cultural Insight — Saying Good Night

In Korea, “잘자요 jaljayo” is the polite way to say “Good night.” It’s used among family members, friends, or when ending a late conversation politely. The casual form “잘 자 jalja ” is common between close friends or couples. You might also hear “굿나잇 gusnais” (from English) among younger people, often in texts.