안녕히 가세요 vs 안녕히 계세요: The Goodbye Pair
10-Second Answer
Both mean a polite "goodbye," but they depend on who's leaving and who's staying. 안녕히 가세요 ("go in peace") is said to someone WHO IS LEAVING. 안녕히 계세요 ("stay in peace") is said to someone WHO IS STAYING. If you're both leaving together, either works, but usually 안녕히 가세요 is used.
The One Rule
| They are… | You say |
|---|---|
| Leaving (and you're staying) | 안녕히 가세요 — "go in peace" |
| Staying (and you're leaving) | 안녕히 계세요 — "stay in peace" |
| Both leaving together | 안녕히 가세요 (to each other) |
Think of it as wishing THEM well in whatever THEY are about to do — go somewhere, or stay put. It's not about your own movement.
Quick Examples
(가게를 나가며) 안녕히 계세요.
annyeonghi gyeseyo.
(Leaving a shop) Goodbye — said to staff who are staying.
(손님을 보내며) 안녕히 가세요.
annyeonghi gaseyo.
(Seeing off a customer) Goodbye — said to the person leaving.
선생님, 안녕히 계세요.
seonsaengnim, annyeonghi gyeseyo.
Goodbye, teacher.
Student leaving a classroom where the teacher stays.
Where 계세요 Comes From
계세요 is the honorific form of 있다 (to be/exist), covered on the 있다/없다 page — the same 계시다 used for a respected person's location ("할머니는 집에 계세요"). Here it's doing the same job: politely describing someone continuing to BE somewhere after you leave.
The Casual Version
Casually, both collapse into the same simple 안녕 — which conveniently sidesteps the whole gaseyo/gyeseyo choice. The formal split only really matters once you're in polite register.
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — Mixing up who gets which phrase
The easiest fix: focus on THEM, not you. Are they going somewhere? 가세요. Are they staying put? 계세요.
Mistake #2 — Using it when leaving TOGETHER
When you're both leaving at the same time (like coworkers heading out together), 안녕히 가세요 is the natural choice for each other, not 계세요.
Mini Quiz
1. You're leaving a café; the barista is staying behind the counter. You say:
2. A customer is leaving your shop and you're staying. You say to them:
3. What form of 있다 does 계세요 come from?
Related Knowledge
Learn Next
How to Say No in Korean (아니요/아니)
You've got hello and goodbye covered — 'no' is the other essential word every beginner needs early.
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Start today's study →Last updated: 2026-08-10 · Written and reviewed by a native Korean speaker.