Meaning
고맙습니다
gomapseumnida
Thank you (formal)
Real Feeling
What Koreans really mean
This is a highly formal and respectful way to say thank you. While always correct, it can sound a bit stiff or distant if used among very close friends or family in an informal setting where '고마워요' (gomawoyo) or '고마워' (gomawo) would be more natural. It's the standard for first encounters, customer service, and addressing superiors.
💬 Used in real life
• Said by a passenger to a bus driver upon getting off the bus.
• Used when a stranger holds the door open for you.
How It's Used
Real example sentences — tap any bubble to explore it
A customer to a shop assistant
dowajusyeoseo jeongmal gomapseumnida.
Thank you very much for your help.
A customer to a shop assistant
cheonmaneyo. Tto oseyo.
You're welcome. Please come again.
Similar Expressions
Related feelings and meanings — click to explore
Grammar Breakdown
Part by part — learn the structure, not just the meaning
고맙-gomap-adjective stem
adjective stem
The stem of the adjective '고맙다' (gomapda), meaning 'to be thankful'.
-습니다-seumnidasentence-final ending (-ㅂ니다/습니다, formal)
sentence-final ending (-ㅂ니다/습니다, formal)
A highly formal declarative sentence-final ending, used with adjective and verb stems ending in a consonant (like 'ㅂ').
Tags
Korean expressions carry layers of meaning that direct translation misses. The real meaning lives in the emotion, context, and cultural moment.
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