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# Easy Korean Podcast Ep. 2: First Conversations in Korea | 처음 나누는 대화
- URL: https://www.youngssam-korean.com/easy-korean-podcast-ep-2-first-conversations-in-korea-ceoeum-nanuneun-daehwa/
- Published: 2026-09-08T04:00:05.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-08T04:00:05.000Z
- Description: Learn the questions Koreans really ask when meeting someone for the first time—and practise answering them with your own information.
- Author: unyoung
- Tags: Korean Podcast

You may already know how to introduce yourself in Korean. But what happens when a Korean asks *you* a question?

In Episode 2 of YoungSsam’s Korean Podcast, you’ll learn the questions Koreans actually use when meeting someone for the first time—and how to answer them naturally and politely.

[Watch and listen to Episode 2 on YouTube →](https://youtu.be/XC1R1RmZPcI?ref=youngssam-korean.com)

## What you’ll learn in this episode

- Three expressions for greeting someone for the first time
- Natural ways to ask about someone’s name, age, country, and job
- The difference between textbook questions and expressions Koreans commonly use
- One important rule: never use honorific language for yourself
- A complete first-conversation practice

## Start the conversation naturally

### 안녕하세요 — Hello

Use **안녕하세요** as your first greeting. You can say it to almost anyone at any time of day.

### 반갑습니다 — Nice to meet you

After saying hello, use **반갑습니다** to show that you are happy to meet the other person.

> 안녕하세요. 반갑습니다.  
> Hello. Nice to meet you.

### 잘 부탁드립니다 — I look forward to getting along with you

Koreans often say **잘 부탁드립니다** at the end of an introduction. There is no perfect English translation, so it is best to learn it as one useful greeting expression.

> 저는 영쌤이에요. 서울에서 왔어요. 잘 부탁드립니다.  
> I’m YoungSsam. I’m from Seoul. I look forward to getting along with you.

## Four questions Koreans really ask

### 1\. 성함이 어떻게 되세요? — May I ask your name?

You may have learned **이름이 뭐예요?** This is fine with someone around your age or younger. When you want to sound more polite, Koreans often ask:

> 성함이 어떻게 되세요?  
> May I ask your name?

Answer with:

> 제 이름은 제니예요.  
> My name is Jenny.

**Important:** Do not say **제 성함은…** The word **성함** is an honorific word for someone else’s name, not your own.

### 2\. 나이가 어떻게 되세요? — How old are you?

**몇 살이에요?** can sound too direct when you ask an adult you have just met. A more polite question is:

> 나이가 어떻게 되세요?  
> How old are you?

Among people who seem close in age, you may also hear:

> 몇 년생이에요?  
> What year were you born?

You can answer:

> 저는 스물다섯 살이에요.  
> I’m twenty-five years old.

> 저는 97년생이에요.  
> I was born in 1997.

### 3\. 어디에서 오셨어요? — Where are you from?

**어느 나라 사람이에요?** is correct, but Koreans often use this more natural question:

> 어디에서 오셨어요?  
> Where are you from?

Answer with **왔어요**, not **오셨어요**:

> 저는 미국에서 왔어요.  
> I’m from the United States.

**오셨어요** politely raises the person you are speaking to. You do not use that honorific form for yourself.

### 4\. 무슨 일 하세요? — What do you do?

Instead of the textbook-style question **직업이 뭐예요?**, Koreans commonly ask:

> 무슨 일 하세요?  
> What kind of work do you do?

You can answer simply:

> 저는 학생이에요.  
> I’m a student.

> 저는 회사원이에요.  
> I’m an office worker.

## Build your first conversation

Now connect the questions and answers:

> A: 안녕하세요. 반갑습니다!  
> B: 안녕하세요! 반갑습니다.  
> A: 성함이 어떻게 되세요?  
> B: 제 이름은 제니예요.  
> A: 어디에서 오셨어요?  
> B: 저는 뉴욕에서 왔어요.  
> A: 무슨 일 하세요?  
> B: 저는 학생이에요.

Don’t memorize the whole dialogue. Replace **제니**, **뉴욕**, and **학생** with your own information. That is how you turn a model conversation into *your Korean*.

## Try listening in three steps

1. **Listen without the transcript.** Focus on recognizing the four questions.
2. **Listen again with Korean subtitles or the PDF.** Connect the written phrases with the sounds you hear.
3. **Pause after each question and answer aloud.** Use your real name, country, age, and job.

## Download the free Korean transcript

Use the complete PDF transcript to read along, review every expression, and practise the full conversation.

[Download the free Episode 2 transcript PDF →](https://payhip.com/b/fXvzO?ref=youngssam-korean.com)

## Your turn

Answer these questions aloud:

- 성함이 어떻게 되세요?
- 어디에서 오셨어요?
- 나이가 어떻게 되세요?
- 무슨 일 하세요?

Then choose one question and ask it in the comments.

Listen to the question. Answer with your own information.   
**Speak *your* Korean—not a memorized textbook dialogue.**