괜찮아
Gwaenchana
What does it mean?
괜찮아 is flexible. Depending on context it can mean “I’m okay,” “it’s fine,” “don’t worry,” or a soft “no thanks.”
How it sounds
A: 미안해! B: 괜찮아.
When do Koreans use it?
Casual speech with someone close. The polite form 괜찮아요 is much more common with people you do not know well.
A small nuance
Listen to the situation, not just the dictionary meaning. The same word can reassure someone or politely decline something.
Question or statement? 괜찮아? with questioning intonation means “Are you okay?” or “Is it okay?” 괜찮아. as a statement can mean “I’m okay,” “It’s okay,” or even “No, thanks,” depending on the situation. Listen to the intonation and context.