Congratulations (축하)

Congratulations (축하) expressions in Korean are used to celebrate achievements, milestones, and happy occasions. The formality depends on the relationship and situation.

Basic Congratulations

축하합니다 - Congratulations (Formal)

Standard congratulations:

• 축하합니다: Congratulations (formal)
• 축하해요: Congratulations (polite)
• 축하해: Congrats (casual)
• Literal: "I congratulate"

Use when:

• Achievements and milestones
• Professional accomplishments
• Formal celebrations
• To superiors, elders, strangers

Formality levels:

• 축하드립니다 (very formal, humble)
• 축하합니다 (formal)
• 축하해요 (polite)
• 축하해 (casual)

Intensifying Congratulations

진심으로 축하합니다:

• Sincerely congratulations (formal)

정말 축하해요:

• Really congratulations (polite)

너무너무 축하해:

• Congrats so much (casual)

진심으로 축하드립니다:

• Heartfelt congratulations (very formal)

Specific Occasions

Birthday

생일 축하합니다:

• Happy birthday (formal)

생일 축하해요:

• Happy birthday (polite)

생일 축하해:

• Happy birthday (casual)

생축:

• Happy birthday (very casual abbreviation)

Common phrases:

• 생일 축하합니다! 건강하세요 (Happy birthday! Stay healthy)
• 생일 축하해요! 좋은 하루 보내세요 (Happy birthday! Have a great day)
• 생일 축하해! 소원 다 이루어져 (Happy birthday! May all your wishes come true)

Wedding

결혼을 축하합니다:

• Congratulations on your wedding (formal)

결혼 축하해요:

• Congratulations on your wedding (polite)

백년가약을 축하합니다:

• Congratulations on your lifelong union (very formal)
• Traditional wedding phrase

행복하세요:

• Be happy (common wedding wish)

오래오래 행복하게 사세요:

• Live happily for a long time

축복합니다:

• I bless you / Best wishes (formal)

Graduation

졸업을 축하합니다:

• Congratulations on your graduation (formal)

졸업 축하해요:

• Congratulations on graduation (polite)

졸업 축하해:

• Congrats on graduation (casual)

Common phrases:

• 졸업을 진심으로 축하합니다 (Heartfelt congratulations on graduation)
• 새로운 출발을 축하해요 (Congratulations on your new beginning)
• 앞날을 축하합니다 (Congratulations on your future)

New Job

취업을 축하합니다:

• Congratulations on getting a job (formal)

취직 축하해요:

• Congratulations on your new job (polite)

새 직장 축하해:

• Congrats on the new job (casual)

입사를 축하드립니다:

• Congratulations on joining the company (formal)

Promotion

승진을 축하합니다:

• Congratulations on your promotion (formal)

승진 축하해요:

• Congratulations on promotion (polite)

앞으로도 잘 부탁드립니다:

• Please continue to guide me (to promoted person)

New Baby

출산을 축하합니다:

• Congratulations on the birth (formal)

출산 축하해요:

• Congratulations on the baby (polite)

아기 탄생을 축하합니다:

• Congratulations on the baby's birth (formal)

예쁜 아기 낳으셔서 축하드립니다:

• Congratulations on your beautiful baby (formal)

건강하게 잘 자라길 바랍니다:

• I hope the baby grows up healthy

New Home/Moving

새집 축하합니다:

• Congratulations on your new home (formal)

이사 축하해요:

• Congratulations on moving (polite)

집들이 언제 해요?:

• When's the housewarming party?

Opening/Launch

개업을 축하합니다:

• Congratulations on opening (business - formal)

오픈 축하해요:

• Congratulations on the opening (polite)

번창하시길 바랍니다:

• Wishing you prosperity (formal)

대박 나세요:

• Hope you hit it big / Great success
• Casual but common

Achievement/Success

합격을 축하합니다:

• Congratulations on passing (formal)

합격 축하해요:

• Congratulations on passing (polite)

수상을 축하드립니다:

• Congratulations on the award (very formal)

우승 축하합니다:

• Congratulations on winning (formal)

Responding to Congratulations

Accepting Congratulations

감사합니다:

• Thank you (formal)

고마워요:

• Thank you (polite)

고마워:

• Thanks (casual)

덕분입니다:

• Thanks to you / It's because of you (humble)

다 여러분 덕분입니다:

• It's all thanks to everyone (humble)

과찬이십니다:

• You're too kind (formal, humble)

부끄럽습니다:

• I'm embarrassed / honored (humble)

Humble Responses

아직 멀었어요:

• I still have a long way to go (humble)

별거 아니에요:

• It's nothing special (humble)

운이 좋았어요:

• I was lucky (humble)

앞으로 더 열심히 하겠습니다:

• I'll work even harder from now on (formal)

Holiday Greetings

New Year

새해 복 많이 받으세요:

• Happy New Year / Receive much fortune (formal/polite)
• Most common New Year greeting

새해 복 많이 받아요:

• Happy New Year (casual polite)

새해 복 많이 받아:

• Happy New Year (casual)

올해도 잘 부탁드립니다:

• Please treat me well this year too (formal)

건강하고 행복한 새해 되세요:

• Have a healthy and happy new year

Lunar New Year (설날)

새해 복 많이 받으세요:

• Happy Lunar New Year (standard greeting)

올해는 좋은 일만 가득하시길 바랍니다:

• Hope this year is filled with good things

Chuseok (추석)

즐거운 추석 보내세요:

• Have a happy Chuseok (polite)

행복한 한가위 되세요:

• Have a happy Chuseok (polite)
• 한가위 = traditional name for Chuseok

추석 잘 보내세요:

• Have a good Chuseok (polite)

Christmas

메리 크리스마스:

• Merry Christmas (borrowed from English)

즐거운 성탄절 보내세요:

• Have a joyful Christmas (polite)

행복한 크리스마스 되세요:

• Have a happy Christmas (polite)

Well Wishes

General Good Wishes

좋은 일만 가득하길 바랍니다:

• Hope only good things fill your days

행복하세요:

• Be happy

건강하세요:

• Stay healthy

힘내세요:

• Cheer up / Stay strong

파이팅:

• Fighting / You can do it
• From English "fighting," very common

Success Wishes

앞으로도 좋은 일만 있으시길:

• Hope you only have good things ahead

더 큰 발전을 기원합니다:

• Wishing you greater progress (formal)

앞날을 응원합니다:

• I support your future (formal)

꿈을 이루시길 바랍니다:

• Hope you achieve your dreams

Health Wishes

건강하시길 바랍니다:

• Wishing you health (formal)

오래오래 건강하세요:

• Stay healthy for a long time

몸 건강히 하세요:

• Take care of your health

Celebratory Phrases

Expressions of Joy

기쁩니다:

• I'm happy (formal)

정말 기뻐요:

• I'm really happy (polite)

너무 좋아요:

• I'm so happy (polite)

대단해요:

• That's amazing (polite)

멋져요:

• That's awesome (polite)

잘했어요:

• Well done (polite)

최고예요:

• You're the best (polite)

Written Congratulations

Formal Messages

귀하의 영광을 축하드립니다:

• Congratulations on your honor (very formal)

영광스러운 날을 축하합니다:

• Congratulations on this glorious day (formal)

뜻깊은 날을 진심으로 축하드립니다:

• Heartfelt congratulations on this meaningful day (formal)

Cards and Letters

축하의 말씀을 전합니다:

• Sending words of congratulation (formal)

기쁜 소식에 축하드립니다:

• Congratulations on the happy news (formal)

축하 메시지를 보냅니다:

• Sending congratulatory message (formal)

Casual Congratulations

Among Friends

축하해:

• Congrats (casual)

잘했어:

• Well done (casual)

대박:

• Awesome / Amazing (very casual)

짱이야:

• You're the best (very casual)

개쩐다:

• That's incredible (very casual slang)

Text/Chat Abbreviations

ㅊㅋㅊㅋ:

• Congrats (축하축하 abbreviation)

ㅊㅋ:

• Congrats (축하 abbreviation)

Gift-Giving Culture

When Giving Congratulatory Gift

축하 선물이에요:

• This is a congratulatory gift (polite)

작은 정성입니다:

• It's a small token of my sincerity (humble)

마음만 받아주세요:

• Please just accept my feelings (humble)

Money Envelopes (축의금)

Wedding envelope:

• 결혼 축하합니다 (written on envelope)
• Usually give 50,000-100,000+ won

Other celebrations:

• Amount depends on relationship
• Close family: more generous
• Coworkers: standard amount

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 생일 축하 only (without verb)

Incomplete phrase

✅ Correct: 생일 축하해요 or 생일 축하합니다

Complete expression

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❌ Incorrect: 축하해 to boss on their promotion

Too casual

✅ Correct: 승진을 축하드립니다

Appropriate formality

Cultural Notes

Money as Gift

Common practice:

• Cash in envelope preferred
• New bills preferred
• Avoid numbers with 4 (unlucky)
• Odd amounts better (e.g., 50,000 not 40,000)

Bowing While Congratulating

Physical gesture:

• Bow while saying congratulations
• Deeper bow shows more respect
• Especially important at formal events

Humble Acceptance

Cultural expectation:

• Don't boast when congratulated
• Show humility
• Credit others
• Downplay achievement slightly

Summary Table

Expression	Formality	Occasion	Usage
축하드립니다	Very High	Formal events	Very respectful
축하합니다	High	General formal	Standard formal
축하해요	Medium	Polite casual	Common usage
축하해	Low	Friends	Casual
생일 축하해요	Medium	Birthday	Most common
결혼을 축하합니다	High	Wedding	Formal
새해 복 많이 받으세요	Medium	New Year	Standard greeting
합격 축하해요	Medium	Passing exam	Polite
대박 나세요	Low-Medium	Business opening	Casual well-wish
파이팅	Low	Encouragement	Very casual