Signification
Expresses understanding or acknowledgment of information.
Contexte culturel
Saying '알겠어요' is often accompanied by a slight head nod. This physical gesture reinforces the politeness of the verbal acknowledgment. In many Korean companies, '알겠습니다' is the only acceptable response to a superior's command. It shows total compliance and respect for the chain of command. In texting, Koreans often use '알겠어요~' with a tilde to sound softer and friendlier, or '알겠어용' to add a cute (Aegyo) touch. Staff in high-end department stores or hotels will almost always use '알겠습니다' to customers, even if the customer is younger, to maintain a high level of service decorum.
The 'Nod' Factor
Always nod slightly when saying this to an elder. It makes you sound 10x more fluent and culturally aware.
Don't Overuse with Friends
If you keep saying '알겠어요' to close friends, they might think you are being sarcastic or trying to start a fight by being 'too polite'.
Signification
Expresses understanding or acknowledgment of information.
The 'Nod' Factor
Always nod slightly when saying this to an elder. It makes you sound 10x more fluent and culturally aware.
Don't Overuse with Friends
If you keep saying '알겠어요' to close friends, they might think you are being sarcastic or trying to start a fight by being 'too polite'.
The Softener
Add a '~' at the end in texts (알겠어요~) to make it sound warm and friendly rather than robotic.
Teste-toi
Choose the most appropriate response to your boss telling you to finish a task.
Boss: '이거 내일까지 해주세요.' (Please do this by tomorrow.)
In a workplace with a boss, the formal '알겠습니다' is the most respectful and professional choice.
Fill in the blank to make the sentence polite.
네, 무슨 말인지 ______. (Yes, I understand what you mean.)
The '-어요' ending is required for standard politeness.
Match the phrase to the person you are talking to.
1. 알았어 2. 알겠습니다 3. 알겠어요
1-A (Informal), 2-B (Formal), 3-C (Polite/Neutral).
Complete the dialogue between two friends.
A: 우리 7시에 홍대에서 만날까? B: ______! 그때 봐.
Between friends, the informal '알았어' is the most natural.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Politeness Levels of 'I Understand'
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesBoss: '이거 내일까지 해주세요.' (Please do this by tomorrow.)
In a workplace with a boss, the formal '알겠습니다' is the most respectful and professional choice.
네, 무슨 말인지 ______. (Yes, I understand what you mean.)
The '-어요' ending is required for standard politeness.
1. 알았어 2. 알겠습니다 3. 알겠어요
1-A (Informal), 2-B (Formal), 3-C (Polite/Neutral).
A: 우리 7시에 홍대에서 만날까? B: ______! 그때 봐.
Between friends, the informal '알았어' is the most natural.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
5 questions알겠어요 is like 'I get it (now/will do)', while 알았어요 is 'I understood (it's done)'. They are often interchangeable, but 알겠어요 is slightly more polite when receiving instructions.
Yes, it is perfectly polite for a teacher. However, if you want to be extra respectful, you can use '알겠습니다'.
Only to people younger than you or very close friends. This is 'Banmal' (informal speech).
The '겠' adds a sense of intention or conjecture, making the phrase sound more like 'I intend to understand' or 'I see what you mean,' which is more polite than a blunt 'I know.'
You say '모르겠어요' (mo-reu-get-seo-yo).
Expressions liées
이해해요
similarI understand (the logic/reason)
알았어요
similarI understood / Okay
모르겠어요
contrastI don't know / I don't understand
알겠습니다
specialized formI understand (Formal)
