Dictionary — Entry No. 0618
만나요
mannayo · verb
만나요
mannayo
[MAN-na-yo]
verbbeginner
Meaning
만나요 is the polite present-tense form of 만나다 (mannada), meaning ‘to meet.’ Depending on context and intonation, it can express ‘I meet,’ ‘we meet,’ ‘let’s meet,’ or ‘do we meet?’ It is one of the foundational Korean verbs, used constantly across every social context from first dates to fan meetings to daily routines.
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
BTS’s Boy With Luv centers on the sweet, almost trembling desire to meet the person you love — the 만나요 moment as the culmination of longing. In Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo (역도요정 김복주), the leads’ repeated chance meetings gradually build the slow-burn romance that makes the drama so deeply beloved. NewJeans’s intimate fan-focused aesthetic creates the feeling that every music video and live performance is a private 만나요 between the group and their listeners.
Example Sentences
우리 내일 만나요.
Uri naeil mannayo.
Let’s meet tomorrow. (polite invitation to meet — the -요 keeps it friendly but respectful)
어디서 만나요?
Eodiseo mannayo?
Where shall we meet? (polite question about the meeting location)
매일 여기서 만나요.
Maeil yeogiseo mannayo.
We meet here every day. (describing a regular, comforting routine)
⚠️ Don’t use mannayo when…
만나다 means meeting a person intentionally — for accidentally running into someone, use 마주치다 (majuchida) instead. Also, the politeness level matters: use 만나 (manna) with close friends, 만나요 (mannayo) in most social situations, and 만납니다 (mannabnida) in formal or professional settings.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo (역도요정 김복주) — the leads’ repeated chance encounters become the foundation of one of K-Drama’s most adored slow-burn romances
- K-Pop: BTS — Boy With Luv
ℹ️ Editorial Note: The cultural context and example usage are for educational reference only. Artist names, song titles, and drama references are used descriptively to illustrate vocabulary in context. This content is AI-assisted and reviewed for accuracy. For official information, please refer to the respective artists’ or studios’ official channels.