What Does 미안해 (Mianhae) Mean in Korean?
10-Second Answer
미안해 (mianhae) is the casual way to say "I'm sorry" — for close friends, partners, and people younger than you. Add 요 for the polite version (미안해요), and reach for 죄송합니다 with strangers and elders. In K-dramas, a quiet 미안해 carries entire breakup scenes.
Quick Examples
늦어서 미안해!
neujeoseo mianhae!
Sorry I'm late!
진짜 미안해. 내가 잘못했어.
jinjja mianhae. naega jalmothaesseo.
I'm really sorry. It was my fault.
잘못했어 ('I did wrong') upgrades a sorry into a real apology.
미안, 나 오늘 못 가.
mian, na oneul mot ga.
Sorry, I can't make it today.
Clipped 미안 — the lightest, most casual form.
Casual Doesn't Mean Shallow
Between close people, 미안해 spans everything from 'oops' to a tearful drama confession. Intensity comes from what's around it:
| Phrase | Weight |
|---|---|
| 미안 (mian) | Oops — texting-level sorry |
| 미안해 (mianhae) | Standard casual sorry |
| 진짜 미안해 (jinjja mianhae) | I'm really sorry |
| 정말 미안해. 잘못했어. | Full apology — owning the fault |
K-drama detail: the flat, quiet 미안해 in a breakup scene is devastating precisely because it's casual — intimate language delivering distance. Subtitles ('I'm sorry') can't carry that.
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — 미안해 upward
To elders, bosses, strangers: 죄송합니다. Casual sorry aimed up the hierarchy reads as disrespect, not warmth.
Mistake #2 — Answering 미안해 with '괜찮아' every time
괜찮아 (it's okay) is the standard reply — but for a serious apology, 아니야, 괜찮아 ('no, really, it's fine') or talking it through is warmer than a reflexive one-word answer.
Mini Quiz
1. You're 10 minutes late meeting your best friend. You say:
2. What does adding 잘못했어 to an apology do?
3. Someone says 미안해 for a small thing. The standard warm reply?
Related Knowledge
Learn Next
What Does 괜찮아 (Gwaenchana) Mean?
Every 미안해 needs an answer — and 괜찮아 is it (plus three other jobs that word does).
Will you remember this tomorrow?
Add it to your review queue — the daily session brings it back before you forget.
Start today's study →Last updated: 2026-08-10 · Written and reviewed by a native Korean speaker.