Yes in Korean: 네
네 (ne) is how you say yes in Korean. See every form from casual to formal, hear it, build it letter by letter and trace each block stroke by stroke.
How do you say yes in Korean?
Yes in Korean is 네 (ne), the polite yes you can say to anyone. 예 (ye) is a more formal yes, and 응 (eung) is the casual yes between friends.
Yes in Korean 네: sound, letters and strokes
네 Yes in KoreanKorean phrase
네 is read ne; 3 forms from casual to formal.
Casual, polite and formal yes in Korean
Formal and slightly old-fashioned; common in the military, interviews and with elders.
Polite: the normal yes with anyone.
Casual: friends and younger family.
네 is the everyday yes. It also works as a polite 'I am here' when someone calls your name, and as a listening sound (네, 네) while the other person talks. In formal places people also say 예, which means the same.
Which one to use
네 is safe everywhere. 응 is only for people who speak casually to you. 예 sounds a little more formal and is common when answering a superior.
How to pronounce 네
네네 sounds like the "ne" in "net" without the t. 예 sounds like "ye" in "yes". 응 is a short hum, "eung", said with the mouth almost closed.
Sound rule
Read it as ne. Keep the vowel ㅔ short and flat, like the e in 'net', without adding a y sound.
네 letter by letter
How to write 네 stroke by stroke
Write 네 one block at a time: 네. Inside every block go from the first consonant to the vowel and then the final consonant, following the numbered strokes.
Trace ne 네 with a finger, mouse or pen: start at the numbered dot, follow the dotted arrow, and press Clear to try again.
Print style 정자체
Follow the numbers and dotted arrows
Handwriting 필기체
Same stroke order as print style
When to say 네
네 in example sentences
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 네, 알겠습니다. | Yes, I understand. |
| 네, 맞아요. | Yes, that is right. |
| 응, 좋아! | Yeah, sounds good! |
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 승규 씨. / 네, 유민 씨. | A: Seunggyu. / B: Yes, Yumin? |
| 김 대리, 자리에 있나? / 네, 과장님. | A: Assistant manager Kim, are you at your desk? / B: Yes, sir. |
네 in a short conversation
| Who | Korean | English |
|---|---|---|
| A | 커피 드실래요? | Would you like some coffee? |
| B | 네, 좋아요. | Yes, that would be nice. |
More ways to say yes in Korean
네 compared with other ways to say yes
| Korean | Meaning | When you use it |
|---|---|---|
| 네 | yes | The normal polite yes. |
| 예 | yes (formal) | Interviews, the military, very polite answers. |
| 응 | yeah | Casual yes with friends. |
| 어 | yeah | A very casual spoken yes. |
| 맞아요 | that is right | Agreeing with a statement. |
| 그래요 | okay / sure | Accepting a suggestion. |
A common mistake with 네
Korean yes and no follow the question, not the fact. To 'You didn't eat?' (안 먹었어요?), 네 means 'Right, I didn't eat.'
How to practice
Practise answering negative questions aloud: 안 추워요? 네, 안 추워요.
네 when someone is talking
Koreans say 네, 네 while listening, especially on the phone. It does not always mean "I agree"; it means "I hear you, go on".
네? with a rising tone
Said with a rising question tone, 네? means "Pardon?" or "Sorry, what?". It is a polite way to ask someone to repeat.
Yes in text messages
In casual chats Koreans often type ㅇㅇ, the first letters of 응응, for a quick yes, or 넹 and 네네 for a softer, friendly yes. These are for friends; in work messages write 네 or 네, 알겠습니다.
Answering a negative question
Korean 네 agrees with the sentence that was asked. If someone asks 커피 안 마셔요? (you don’t drink coffee?), 네 means "right, I don’t", and 아니요 means "no, I do drink it".
네 writing worksheet (free printable)
Worksheet · Level 3 · Phrases
Korean phrase tracing worksheet: 네 (yes)
One A4 page for 네: trace its 1 block (4 strokes), write other ways to say it, read three sentences and find 네.
- 1 page
- A4 · US Letter
- PDF · 80 KB
- Free · no sign-up
Want more? See all korean phrases
Worksheet information
- How to use
- Say 네 out loud, trace each block from dark to faint, then write it on the line.
Use of the worksheet:
© KoreanSheets.com · Free to print and share at home and in class. No commercial use — don’t sell it, add it to paid products or post it on other websites. The QR code on the sheet opens this page to listen and trace on screen.
What to learn next
Yes in Korean — FAQ
How do you say yes in Korean?
네 (ne) is the polite yes; 예 is a more formal version and 응 is casual.
Why does 네 sometimes mean no in English?
네 agrees with the question. If the question is negative, 네 confirms the negative, so 'You don't like it?' + 네 means 'No, I don't.'
How do you say okay in Korean?
네 or 좋아요 for "okay, sounds good". 알겠어요 means "okay, got it" when you accept a request.
Does 네 always mean yes?
네 agrees with what was said. To a negative question such as 안 가요? (you are not going?), 네 means "right, I am not going".
How do you say yes in Korean informally?
응 (eung) or 어 (eo). Use them only with close friends or younger people.
What does 네? mean with a question tone?
네? with a rising tone means "Pardon?" or "What did you say?". It asks the other person to repeat politely.
Is 예 more polite than 네?
Both are polite. 예 sounds a little more formal and firm, so it is common in interviews, the military and with elders; 네 is the everyday choice.
How do you say yes sir in Korean?
네, 알겠습니다 (yes, understood). In very formal or military speech people say 예, 알겠습니다.
Last updated: