A2 Expression Muy formal

네, 그렇습니다.

ne, geureotseumnida.

Yes, that is correct.

Phrase in 30 Seconds

The standard, polite way to confirm information or agree with someone in professional or formal Korean settings.

  • Means: 'Yes, that is correct' or 'Yes, it is so.'
  • Used in: Job interviews, news reporting, and speaking to superiors.
  • Don't confuse: With '네, 그래요', which is polite but less formal.
Polite Bow (🙇) + Clear Voice (📢) = Professional Agreement (✅)

Explanation at your level:

This is a very polite way to say 'Yes, that's right.' It has two parts: '네' (Yes) and '그렇습니다' (It is so). Use it when you talk to teachers or people you don't know. It sounds very good and respectful. It is the 'super polite' version of 'Yes'.
At the A2 level, you should distinguish between '네, 그래요' and '네, 그렇습니다.' While both mean 'Yes, that's right,' the latter is used in formal situations like job interviews or when speaking to a boss. It uses the '-습니다' ending, which is the formal polite style. It's a key phrase for showing you understand Korean manners.
This expression utilizes the 'ㅎ' irregular adjective '그렇다' conjugated in the deferential 'Hapsyo-che' style. It is primarily used to confirm information or express agreement in professional contexts. Learners should note that it functions as a complete sentence and is often used by subordinates to acknowledge instructions or confirm facts presented by superiors without sounding overly casual.
In professional and academic registers, '네, 그렇습니다' serves as a definitive marker of affirmation. It is characterized by its lack of ambiguity, making it the preferred choice for news anchors, legal professionals, and corporate executives. The use of the deferential ending '-습니다' rather than the polite '-아요' signals a high degree of social distance and respect, essential for navigating Korean organizational hierarchies and public discourse.
Linguistically, '네, 그렇습니다' represents the pinnacle of the formal-affirmative paradigm in modern Korean. The choice of '네' over '예' reflects a shift toward standard Seoul speech, while the preservation of the 'Hapsyo-che' ending maintains the necessary honorific distance. Advanced learners should analyze its use in 'Danam-che' (the style of news/military) to understand how it anchors the speaker's authority and reliability in formal speech acts.
From a sociolinguistic perspective, '네, 그렇습니다' is an indispensable component of 'honorific competence.' It functions within a complex system of speech levels to negotiate power dynamics and social 'face.' Mastery involves not just the grammatical production but the pragmatic awareness of when the 'Hapsyo-che' register is required to uphold institutional decorum versus when it might be perceived as excessively distancing or performative in evolving modern social landscapes.

Significado

Agreeing with someone or confirming information.

🌍

Contexto cultural

In Korean corporate culture, using '네, 그렇습니다' is a sign of 'nunchi' (social sensing). It shows you recognize the hierarchy and are showing proper respect to your superiors. The military uses a speech style called 'Danam-che', which only allows sentences to end in '다' or '까'. '네, 그렇습니다' is the perfect '다' ending for agreement. News anchors use this phrase to maintain an objective and professional distance. It is part of the 'standard language' (pyojun-eo) used in public discourse. Students use this when answering a professor in a formal lecture setting, though '네, 맞습니다' or '네, 그래요' is becoming more common in modern, liberal universities.

💡

The 'Nod' Rule

Always accompany this phrase with a slight, respectful nod of the head.

⚠️

Avoid with Friends

Using this with friends makes you sound like a robot or a politician.

Significado

Agreeing with someone or confirming information.

💡

The 'Nod' Rule

Always accompany this phrase with a slight, respectful nod of the head.

⚠️

Avoid with Friends

Using this with friends makes you sound like a robot or a politician.

🎯

The 'Ye' Upgrade

If you want to sound even more traditional and formal, try '예, 그렇습니다.'

💬

Eye Contact

In very formal Korean culture, don't stare too intensely; look slightly downward or at the person's neck while saying this.

Ponte a prueba

Which is the most appropriate response in a job interview?

면접관: 우리 회사의 비전에 동의하십니까? (Do you agree with our company's vision?)

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: 네, 그렇습니다.

In a formal job interview, the highest level of politeness (-습니다) is required.

Fill in the blank to complete the formal confirmation.

질문: 이 서류가 부장님께 드릴 서류인가요? 답변: 네, ________.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: 그렇습니다

The question uses the polite '-인가요?', and the context involves a superior (부장님), so '그렇습니다' is the best fit.

Match the phrase to the correct situation.

Where would you most likely hear '네, 그렇습니다'?

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: During a national news broadcast

News broadcasts always use the formal 'Hapsyo-che' register.

Complete the dialogue between a soldier and an officer.

Officer: 오늘 훈련은 모두 마쳤나? Soldier: 네, ________. 수고하셨습니다!

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: 그렇습니다

Military communication in Korea strictly requires the '-습니다' ending.

🎉 Puntuación: /4

Ayudas visuales

Preguntas frecuentes

10 preguntas

Yes, it can be used to confirm a state of being, like 'Are you a student?' -> '네, 그렇습니다.'

Only in very formal business emails or texts to a much older superior. Otherwise, use '네, 그래요.'

It's an irregular adjective root. The 'ㅎ' affects how it conjugates with different endings.

Yes, but adding '네' makes it sound more complete and polite.

'네' is the standard modern version; '예' is slightly more formal, traditional, or masculine.

Usually, '네, 그래요' is better unless your family is extremely traditional.

Use '아니요, 그렇지 않습니다.'

Yes, it becomes '네, 그랬습니다' (Yes, it was so).

In daily life, yes. In official settings, no.

Absolutely, it is the perfect way to answer questions from the audience.

Frases relacionadas

🔗

네, 맞습니다

similar

Yes, that's correct.

🔗

네, 그래요

similar

Yes, that's right (polite).

🔗

그렇고말고요

builds on

Of course, it is so.

🔗

그렇습니까?

specialized form

Is that so?

🔗

전혀 그렇지 않습니다

contrast

Not at all / That is not the case.

Dónde usarla

💼

Job Interview

Interviewer: 우리 회사에 지원한 이유가 열정 때문인가요?

Applicant: 네, 그렇습니다. 제 열정을 이 회사에서 펼치고 싶습니다.

formal
🎤

News Interview

Anchor: 현장에 비가 많이 내리고 있습니까?

Reporter: 네, 그렇습니다. 보시는 것처럼 빗줄기가 굵어지고 있습니다.

formal
🪖

Military Report

Officer: 모든 준비가 끝났나?

Soldier: 네, 그렇습니다! 이상 없습니다!

formal
🎧

Customer Service

Customer: 이 제품 배송이 오늘 되나요?

Agent: 네, 그렇습니다. 오늘 오후에 발송될 예정입니다.

formal
👴

Meeting Elders

Grandfather: 네가 이번에 대학에 합격했느냐?

Grandson: 네, 그렇습니다. 할아버지 덕분입니다.

formal
📊

Business Presentation

Client: 이 기능이 사용자 편의성을 높여주나요?

Presenter: 네, 그렇습니다. 데이터에 따르면 20% 향상되었습니다.

formal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'NE' as a polite nod, and 'Geureot-SUM-nida' as the 'SUM' of all respect you can give.

Visual Association

Imagine a news anchor sitting at a desk with a microphone, nodding firmly and saying '네, 그렇습니다' to confirm a breaking news story.

Rhyme

When the boss asks if it's true, '네, 그렇습니다' is the phrase for you!

Story

You are in a tall glass building for a job interview. The CEO asks, 'Are you ready to work hard?' You stand tall, bow slightly, and say '네, 그렇습니다.' The CEO smiles, and you get the job because of your perfect formal Korean.

Word Web

그렇다네예맞습니다그래요그러게요그렇군요그렇지

Desafío

Watch a 5-minute Korean news clip and count how many times the reporter or anchor uses '-습니다' endings or the phrase '네, 그렇습니다'.

In Other Languages

Japanese high

はい, そうです (Hai, sou desu)

Japanese 'sou desu' is used more broadly in daily life than the very formal 'geureotsumnida'.

Chinese moderate

是的 (Shì de)

Chinese lacks the distinct 'formal vs. informal' verb endings found in Korean.

Spanish partial

Sí, así es.

Spanish formality is shown through 'Usted' rather than changing the verb ending so drastically.

French partial

Oui, c'est ça.

French uses different phrases for 'yes' (oui vs si), which Korean doesn't do.

German moderate

Ja, das stimmt.

German is less focused on the social hierarchy of the speaker and more on the factual accuracy.

Arabic partial

نعم، هذا صحيح (Na'am, hadha sahih)

Arabic formality is often tied to religious or classical vocabulary choices.

Portuguese low

Sim, é isso mesmo.

Portuguese confirmation is often more repetitive of the question's verb.

English moderate

Yes, that is correct.

English lacks a specific 'formal' verb ending like '-습니다'.

Easily Confused

네, 그렇습니다. vs 네, 맞아요

Learners use '맞아요' in very formal settings where '그렇습니다' is better.

Use '그렇습니다' for bosses and '맞아요' for colleagues.

네, 그렇습니다. vs 네, 이다

Trying to translate 'Yes, it is' literally.

Korean doesn't use '이다' alone as a response; always use '그렇다'.

Preguntas frecuentes (10)

Yes, it can be used to confirm a state of being, like 'Are you a student?' -> '네, 그렇습니다.'

Only in very formal business emails or texts to a much older superior. Otherwise, use '네, 그래요.'

It's an irregular adjective root. The 'ㅎ' affects how it conjugates with different endings.

Yes, but adding '네' makes it sound more complete and polite.

'네' is the standard modern version; '예' is slightly more formal, traditional, or masculine.

Usually, '네, 그래요' is better unless your family is extremely traditional.

Use '아니요, 그렇지 않습니다.'

Yes, it becomes '네, 그랬습니다' (Yes, it was so).

In daily life, yes. In official settings, no.

Absolutely, it is the perfect way to answer questions from the audience.

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