A1 Expression Formel

네, 맞아요.

ne, majayo.

Yes, that's right.

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use '네, 맞아요' to politely confirm that what someone just said is 100% correct.

  • Means: 'Yes, that's right' or 'Yes, correct.'
  • Used in: Confirming orders, answering questions, or agreeing with opinions.
  • Don't confuse: Use '맞아요' for facts; use '그래요' for general agreement.
Question/Statement + ✅ + Polite Smile = 네, 맞아요.

Explanation at your level:

This is a basic phrase to say 'Yes, that's right.' Use '네' for 'Yes' and '맞아요' for 'Correct.' It is very useful when you go shopping or meet new people. It is polite because it ends in '-요.'
At this level, you use '네, 맞아요' to confirm information like your name, nationality, or job. It is the polite (Haeyo-che) form of the verb '맞다.' You can also use it to agree with someone's simple opinion about the weather or food.
In intermediate Korean, '네, 맞아요' serves as an essential conversational filler. It demonstrates that you are following the speaker's logic. You should begin to distinguish it from '그렇네요' (I see that it is so) and '그렇군요' (I didn't know that, but I see).
Upper-intermediate learners use this phrase to manage the flow of dialogue. It functions as a 'positive reinforcement' marker. You should be aware of the subtle shift in nuance when the '네' is omitted, which can make the agreement feel more spontaneous and less like a formal answer to a question.
Advanced learners analyze '맞아요' as a pragmatic particle that maintains 'Chemyeon' (face). It is used to avoid conflict. Even if a speaker is slightly off-base, a listener might start with '네, 맞아요, 그런데...' (Yes, that's right, but...) to soften a subsequent correction or differing opinion.
At a near-native level, one masters the prosody of '맞아요.' The intonation can signal everything from enthusiastic total agreement to a reluctant, perfunctory acknowledgement. Linguistically, it represents the intersection of truth-conditional semantics and social pragmatics in the Korean honorific system.

Signification

Confirming that something is correct or true.

🌍

Contexte culturel

The frequency of '맞아요' in conversation is much higher than 'That's right' in English. It is a sign of being a 'good listener' (경청). In meetings, saying '맞습니다' shows respect for the speaker's authority and knowledge. On social media, '맞아요' is often shortened to '맞아' or even 'ㅁㅈ' to show quick agreement. The concept of 'Jeong' (social bond) is reinforced by using phrases like '맞아요' to create a sense of 'we-ness' (Uri).

🎯

The Double Tap

Saying '맞아요, 맞아요' (twice) makes you sound much more natural and enthusiastic in Korean.

⚠️

Don't over-formalize

Saying '맞습니다' to a friend can sound like you're making fun of them or being cold.

Signification

Confirming that something is correct or true.

🎯

The Double Tap

Saying '맞아요, 맞아요' (twice) makes you sound much more natural and enthusiastic in Korean.

⚠️

Don't over-formalize

Saying '맞습니다' to a friend can sound like you're making fun of them or being cold.

💬

Nodding

Always nod slightly when saying '네, 맞아요' to show sincerity.

Teste-toi

Complete the dialogue with the correct polite form.

A: 오늘 날씨가 참 좋지요? B: 네, _______.

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 맞아요

The question ends in '-지요', which is polite, so the answer should be the polite '맞아요'.

Match the phrase to the correct social situation.

Which phrase should you use with your boss in a meeting?

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 네, 맞습니다

In a formal business meeting with a boss, the high-formal '-습니다' ending is most appropriate.

Choose the correct translation for 'Yes, that's right' in a casual conversation with a younger friend.

A: 너 어제 치킨 먹었어? B: _______.

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 응, 맞아

With a younger friend, '응' (casual yes) and '맞아' (casual correct) are used.

Fill in the blank to confirm the order.

점원: 비빔밥 두 개 _______? 손님: 네, 맞아요.

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 맞으세요

In service industries, staff often use the honorific '맞으세요' when referring to the customer's order.

🎉 Score : /4

Aides visuelles

Formality Levels

Formal
맞습니다 Very Formal
Polite
맞아요 Standard
Casual
맞아 Friends

Questions fréquentes

4 questions

Yes, in casual or semi-casual settings, '맞아요' alone is very common.

It is a verb (맞다), though it often functions like an adjective in English translations.

Instead of saying '틀려요' (which is blunt), say '제 생각은 좀 달라요' (My thoughts are a bit different).

It is {맞아요|맞아요}. Don't forget the 'ㅈ' batchim!

Expressions liées

🔗

그렇지요

similar

That's so, right?

🔗

틀려요

contrast

It's wrong.

🔗

정확해요

specialized form

It's accurate.

🔗

당연하죠

builds on

Of course.

🔗

제 말이요

similar

That's what I'm saying.

Où l'utiliser

☕

Ordering Coffee

Barista: 아이스 아메리카노 한 잔 맞으세요?

Learner: 네, 맞아요. 감사합니다.

formal
🗺️

Checking Directions

Learner: 강남역은 저쪽이에요?

Passerby: 네, 맞아요. 쭉 가세요.

formal
📱

Texting a Friend

Friend: 우리 내일 7시에 봐?

Learner: 응, 맞아! 내일 봐.

informal
💼

Job Interview

Interviewer: 한국어 전공하셨나요?

Learner: 네, 맞습니다. 4년 동안 공부했습니다.

very_formal
🗣️

Agreeing with an Opinion

Colleague: 오늘 날씨가 너무 춥죠?

Learner: 네, 맞아요. 진짜 추워요.

formal
🏥

At the Doctor

Doctor: 어제가 처음 아프셨나요?

Learner: 네, 맞아요. 어제 저녁부터요.

formal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'MA-JA' as 'MATCH-A'. When things MATCH, they are correct!

Visual Association

Imagine a puzzle piece sliding perfectly into place. As it clicks, a bright green checkmark appears and says '맞아요!'

Rhyme

Ne, Majayo! Don't say no!

Story

You are at a Korean market. You ask if the price is 1,000 won. The seller smiles, nods, and says '네, 맞아요!' because your guess matched the price tag perfectly.

Word Web

맞다 (to fit)정확하다 (accurate)그렇다 (to be so)옳다 (to be right)틀리다 (to be wrong)아니요 (no)예 (yes)사실 (fact)

Défi

Go to a Korean restaurant or watch a K-drama. Every time someone confirms something, count how many times they say '맞아요.' Try to say it out loud with them.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Sí, es cierto / Sí, así es

Korean requires the polite ending '-요' which Spanish handles through verb conjugation or tone.

French moderate

Oui, c'est ça / C'est vrai

French uses 'vrai' (true) more often than Korean uses '진실' (truth) in daily talk.

German high

Ja, das stimmt / Genau

German 'Genau' is used almost identically to '맞아요' in conversation.

Japanese high

はい, そうです (Hai, sou desu)

Japanese 'Atteimasu' (is correct) is also used but 'Sou desu' is more common for general agreement.

Arabic high

نعم، صحيح (Na'am, saheeh)

Arabic has more varied regional terms for agreement than the relatively standardized Korean '맞아요'.

Chinese high

对, 没错 (Duì, méicuò)

Chinese doesn't have the same level of grammatical honorifics as Korean.

Portuguese moderate

Sim, está correto / É isso mesmo

Portuguese speakers use 'Pois é' for a type of agreement that Korean '맞아요' doesn't quite cover (resigned agreement).

English high

Yes, that's right / Exactly

English speakers don't need to change the word based on the listener's social status.

Easily Confused

네, 맞아요. vs 그래요

Learners use '그래요' to mean 'correct,' but it actually means 'It is so' or 'Is that so?'

Use '맞아요' for facts (2+2=4). Use '그래요' for reactions (Oh, really?).

네, 맞아요. vs 좋아요

Learners use '맞아요' to say 'Yes' to a suggestion.

If someone says 'Let's go!', say '좋아요' (Good/I like it), not '맞아요' (That is correct).

FAQ (4)

Yes, in casual or semi-casual settings, '맞아요' alone is very common.

It is a verb (맞다), though it often functions like an adjective in English translations.

Instead of saying '틀려요' (which is blunt), say '제 생각은 좀 달라요' (My thoughts are a bit different).

It is {맞아요|맞아요}. Don't forget the 'ㅈ' batchim!

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