How to Say "I Love You" in Korean - Get it Right First Time! (2024)
written by Caitlin Sacasas
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How do you say “I love you” in Korean? And what does “saranghae” mean?
Translate “I love you” in Korean through an app, and it’ll tell you the answer is 사랑해 (saranghae). And 사랑해 (saranghae) does mean “I love you” — but it might not be the right phrase to use!
Why? Because Korean has a hierarchical way of speaking. That means you change how formally you speak depending on who you’re talking to and the situation.
Besides that, Koreans only recently started to be more open with saying “I love you.”
The younger generations will say it more often now, but still not as often as Western cultures might. And older generations, or even parents to kids, may never say it at all.
So before you decide to throw around such an important sentiment in Korean, learn the appropriate way to say it!
How to Say “I Love You” in Korean
If you’re already somewhat familiar with how Korean works, here’s a quick list of ways to say “I love you” in Korean as well as romantic Korean phrases. Then we’ll get into the nitty-gritty (and even more phrases) below.
“I love you” (casual) – 사랑해 (saranghae)
“I love you” (polite) – 사랑해요 (saranghaeyo)
“I like you” (casual) – 좋아해 (jowahae)
“I like you” (polite) – 좋아해요 (jowahaeyo)
“I love you, too” (casual) – 나도 사랑해 (nado sarangae)
“Love” – 사랑 (sarang)
“My love” – 내 사랑 (nae sarang)
“Honey” (for women or men) – 여보 (yeobo)
“Honey” (for men, only if the woman is younger) – 오빠 (oppa)
“Baby” / “Babe” – 자기야 (jagiya) / 자기 (jagi)
“Boyfriend” – 남친 (namchin) or 남자 친구 (namjachingu)
“Girlfriend” – 여친 (yeochin) or 여자 친구 (yeojachingu)
“Husband” – 남편 (nampyeon)
“Wife” – 아내 (anae)
“Special someone” or “Someone precious” – 아끼는 사람 (akkineun saram)
“In love” – 사랑에 빠진 (sarang-e ppajin)
“Would you like to date?” – 사귈래요? (sagwillaeyo)
“I want to be with you” – 같이 있고 싶어요 (gat-i itgo sipeoyo)
“I miss you” – 보고 싶어요 (bogo sipeoyo)
“I Love You” in Korean – Saranghaeyo
Let’s start with the standard, polite form of “I love you” in Korean – 사랑해요 (saranghaeyo).
사랑해요 (saranghaeyo) is a respectful way to say “I love you”. Because it’s respectful, this phrase often said to parents. In this type of situation, you’re not only saying “I love you”, but you’re also expressing gratitude for all they do.
You could also say 사랑해요 (saranghaeyo) to confess your feelings to someone.
By the way, if you’re wondering how to write “I love you” in Korean because you see it romanized two different ways, don’t worry.
In Korean, the ㄹ character is in between an “l” and an “r” sound in English. So sometimes it’s romanized as salanghaeyo and other times saranghaeyo. But they’re both written the same way in Korean Hangul: 사랑해요.
Now, the informal (and most common) way to say “I love you” in the Korean language is 사랑해 (saranghae).
사랑해 (saranghae) is used between couples, and sometimes even close friends. So if you’re already in a relationship, this is the phrase you’d use.
And to say “I love you, too” in Korean, you’d say 나도 사랑해 (nado sarangae).
There is a formal way to say I love you, which is 사랑합니다 (saranghamnida). But… It’s really too formal for most situations, so it’s not used often.
The most common place you’ll hear this particular phrase is at K-Pop concerts when the bands will say “사랑합니다!” to the audience.
Anytime you address many people at once, like in front of an audience, you’d use the -imnida (formal) endings to show respect.
“Love” in Korean – Sarang
“Love” in the Korean language is 사랑 (sarang).
When you combine it with the verb 하다 (hada, “to do”), it becomes a verb “to love” – 사랑하다 (saranghada).
You’ll notice from the last section then, that all we did was conjugate the verb, 하다 (hada), to different politeness levels. There’s no “I” or “you” in the phrase at all — you’re really only telling someone “Love!”
Korean is a contextual language. When you’re telling someone you love them, it’s usually understood from the context that you mean that person.
But if it’s not clear, or you want to tell someone else who it is you love, then you’d say:
“_ is the one I love.” – 는/은 내가 사랑하는 사람이야. (neun/eun naega sarangha neun saramiya.)
“I love that person.” – 나는 그 사람을 사랑해요. (na-neun geu saram-eul saranghaeyo.)
“I love you” (with “I” and “you”) – 나는 너를 사랑해 (na-neun neo-leul saranghae)
“I Like You” in Korean – Jowahae
좋아해 (jowahae) comes from the verb 좋아하다 (jowahada), meaning “to like.” In its casual form here, you can confess your feelings to a friend, classmate, or love interest.
But like “I love you”, there’s also a polite and a formal form:
좋아해요 (jowahaeyo) – “I like you” (polite)
좋아합니다 (jowahamnida) – “I like you” (formal)
Again, you won’t hear the formal version often. But you may hear the polite form, especially to show respect during a confession of love.
If you want to use either of these phrases as shorthand, like “I like u” or “I love u” in Korean, then you would just use the short, casual forms: 좋아해! (joahae) or 사랑해 (saranghae).
You can also add emphasis with 정말 (jeongmal) which means “really.”
정말좋아해요. Jeongmal jowahaeyo. “I really like you.”
“My Love” in Korean – Nae Sarang
For “my love” in Korean, you just add “my” to sarang (“love”, remember?) — 내 사랑 (nae sarang).
There are other romantic nicknames you can call your love though, too. Some examples:
“Honey” (for women or men) – 여보 (yeobo)
“Honey” (for men, only if the woman is younger) – 오빠 (oppa)
“Cutie” – 귀요미 (gwiyomi)
“Baby” / “Babe” – 자기야 (jagiya) / 자기 (jagi)
“Princess” – 공주님 (gongjunim)
“Prince” – 왕자님 (wangjanim)
“Boyfriend” and “Girlfriend” in Korean
You’ve probably heard 오빠 (oppa) many times in Korean TV shows. That’s because it’s often what women call their boyfriend who is older than them.
Even though 오빠 (oppa) actually is the respectful term for an older brother, it’s become one of the most common and cute ways to refer to your boyfriend in Korean.
But when talking about your significant other to other people, you need to use the correct, polite terms. They are:
“Boyfriend” – 남친 (namchin) or 남자 친구 (namjachingu)
“Girlfriend” – 여친 (yeochin) or 여자 친구 (yeojachingu)
The first one is the shortened form, so it’s a bit more casual. The longer form is more polite. But you can use either when talking about your relationship with others.
“Husband” and “Wife” in Korean
You can also call your husband 오빠 (oppa), and many women do. Men sometimes use the English term 와이프 (waipeu) for “wife.”
But again, when talking to others, it’s best to use the polite terms.
For married couples, they are:
“Husband” – 남편 (nampyeon)
“Wife” – 아내 (anae)
Must-Know Gesture to Say “I Love You” in Korean
There is a must-know Korean gesture for “I love you”. If you’re a total newbie to Korean pop culture, you’ll soon see it everywhere.
And if you’re a seasoned K-Pop and K-Drama vet, then you know what I’m about to introduce…
By crossing your thumb and index finger to make a heart, it symbolizes 사랑해 (saranghae), or “I love you” in Korean.
For instance, in the popular K-Drama Crash Landing on You, Se-ri pretends to pull a “gift” out of her sweater pocket for the guys and then flashes them this hand gesture.
In this instance, rather than meaning “I love you”, it’s more like “thank you” or when you use emoji hearts to show care in a social media comment.
Other Romantic Korean Phrases
Okay, we’ve got the basics covered. But what about some other romantic phrases in Korean?
I’ve got you. Here are some loving phrases you can use with your special someone… And some bonus slang phrases about dating:
“I love you very much* – 너무 사랑해요 (neomu saranghaeyo)
“I love you a lot” – 많이 사랑해요 (mani saranghaeyo)
“Special someone” or “someone precious” – 아끼는 사람 (akkineun saram)
Someone who’s full of love, or has many scandalous dating rumors – 사랑꾼 (sarangkkun)
Someone who falls in love too easy – 금사빠 (geumsappa)
“In love” – 사랑에 빠진 (sarang-e ppajin)
“Would you like to date?” – 사귈래요? (sagwillaeyo)
“I want to be with you” – 같이 있고 싶어요 (gat-i itgo sipeoyo)
That in-between stage where you’re not a couple but there’s “something” there – 썸 (sseom)
“I miss you” – 보고 싶어요 (bogo sipeoyo)
Now you’re prepped with tons of ways to tell your special someone how you’re feeling in Korean!
You can confess “I love you” in Korean with 사랑해요 (saranghaeyo). Or admit to your crush you really like him or her with 정말좋아해요 (jeongmal jowahaeyo).
What will you learn next in Korean? Why not try learning Korean numbers or the best Korean phrases for beginners to learn?
Caitlin Sacasas
Content Writer, Fluent in 3 Months
Caitlin is a copywriter, content strategist, and language learner. Besides languages, her passions are fitness, books, and Star Wars. Connect with her: Twitter | LinkedIn
“Saranghae” (사랑해) means “I love you“. You can also find it in its more formal form “saranghaeyo” (사랑해요), but it's not used as often since you usually drop the formalities when talking to your loved one.
Koreans say “안녕하세요 [an nyeong ha seyo]?” while slightly bowing their head when they greet others. “안녕하세요?”is used interchangeably to say “Hi, hello, good morning/afternoon/evening”. You can simply say “안녕?” when you are greeting your friends or a person younger than you.
“I love you” in Korean is “사랑해 (saranghae)”. They also use “알러뷰” or “알라뷰”, which literally says “I love you” in Korean pronunciation. You might be surprised, but Koreans say “I love you” pretty quickly. If you're not ready to say that, you can always say “좋아해 (joahae)” or “I like you”.
This is the most commonly heard love related sentence in Korean, saranghaeyo! If you want to get a bit more specific about your love for BTS, you could say “BTS 당신들을 사랑해요”.
Public displays of affection (PDA) is a sin most Korean couples commit. While you should keep the steamy make-out sessions private, PDA tends to happen on the norm in Korean dating culture. Holding hands, giving a peck, or even a kiss is a usual sight.
Korean couples usually get a couples' ring when they hit the 100 days mark of being together. All in all, we hope and expect you to have fun if you choose to date while living in Korea. You could experience so many great things by having a partner here; however, your life will be fun and fulfilling even without one!
Flirting in Korean culture is pretty much like what you see in Korean dramas. They use romantic, sweet, and cute phrases to touch the heart of the person they like. Aside from romantic phrases, they also flirt by acting cute, called aegyo (애교).
Nuna is the opposite of oppa. While oppa is used exclusively by females when addressing older males, nuna is used exclusively by males when addressing older females. You may also see 누나 spelled as “Nuna.” Nuna is used in place of a person's name.
사랑해 (saranghae) and 사랑해요 (saranghaeyo) both mean "I love you" Only 사랑해요 (saranghaeyo) is more formal. In korean you have to adress formally to. people older than you, here the ending 요 (yo) makes it more polite.
The first part is 안녕 (annyeong), which means “well-being” or “peace.” The second part is 하세요 (haseyo), which comes from the verb 하다 (hada) meaning “to do.” Put them together, and you have “to do well-being.” It's similar to asking, “have you been doing well?”.
Now, the informal (and most common) way to say “I love you” in the Korean language is 사랑해 (saranghae). 사랑해 (saranghae) is used between couples, and sometimes even close friends.
3. Aegiya – “Baby” / “Babe” If calling someone “sweetheart” or “lover” sounds a little old-fashioned, you can use aegi or aegiya to call someone “baby” or “babe.” This Korean term of endearment suggests an intimate and less formal relationship when referring to your significant other.
According to Dr. Seockhoon Chung, MD, PhD, and Dr. Hoyoung An, MD, who write in Sleep Medicine Research, Korea's tradition of co-sleeping stems from not only its parenting philosophies, which prioritize family care over individual privacy but also its home design and architecture.
This term of endearment can directly be translated as “my love.” It is similar to 자기야 (jagiya) with how couples use it. This term is used with both males and females.
So to say ”I love you” in Vietnamese: If you're the gentleman, you will say anh yêu em to the lady. If you're the lady, you will say em yêu anh to the man.
The "three-day rule" popular in Western cultures, where it's considered appropriate to wait three days after a first date to contact someone, does not apply in Korea. In fact, not contacting someone immediately after the first date may be seen as a sign of disinterest.
Kissing in public is looked down upon and seen as highly immodest among older individuals in South Korea. This has become less taboo with the current generation of young adults, but is still widely discouraged by elders. Dressing well is important in South Korea; it is considered a sign of respect.
For Koreans, confessing their love to a crush is deemed a crucial step for a romantic relationship to begin. Only when one party makes the confession, the so-called “some” stage ends and the two become a couple.
Who Pays for a Korean Wedding? In Korea, it is customary for the groom's family to pay for the wedding. This includes the cost of the venue, food, and other expenses. The bride's family usually pays for her wedding dress and other incidentals.
Modern Korean couples often exchange jewellery early on in relationships, with promise rings and couple rings given prior to any engagement. These tend to be fairly simple rings without expensive stones or too much embellishment. The 100-day mark is when many couples decide to get a ring.
He will make an effort to spend time with you and may ask you to hang out or do activities together. He may try to impress you or do things to make you happy, like being chivalrous: Korean guys might open doors, pull out chairs, or offer to carry things for their crush in an effort to impress them.
Handshakes and bows are acceptable greetings, but greeting someone with close physical contact, such as hugging or grabbing hands or arms, is bad Korean etiquette. Hugging strangers is certainly bad manners in Korea and will most likely make the other person extremely uncomfortable, especially when in public.
A person in a position of service may put their hands together in front of their chest when greeting you or accepting something as an expression of gratitude. Many Koreans living overseas are accustomed to hugging or kissing as a part of casual greetings among friends.
Unlike most Korean names, which are composed of two Sino-Korean roots each written with one hanja, "Sarang" is an indigenous Korean name: a single word meaning "love".
You can also use the word 뽀뽀 (bbobbo), also romanized as ppoppo, to say “kiss” in Korean. However, be aware that this is more to describe a peck on the cheek rather than an actual kiss and can be considered a cute way to say “kiss.”
How to say “Goodbye” in Korean (standard) There are 4 ways to say “goodbye” in Korean that use the standard form: You can say 안녕히 가세요 (annyeonghi gaseyo), 안녕히 계세요 (annyeonghi gyeseyo), 가세요 (gaseyo), and 잘 가요 (jal gayo).
He can say a total of five Korean words, researchers report in the journal Current Biology, and those include annyong (hello), anja (sit down), aniya (no), nuo (lie down), and choah (good).
You might have also come across the term “yobo.” Sometimes, 여보 (yeobo) is romanized as yobo. However, don't be confused. Both of them mean “honey” in Korean.
The Korean word for beautiful is 아름답다 (areumdapda). However, they also use 예쁘다 (yeppeuda), which means pretty. Both of these terms can be used interchangeably. But, 아름답다 (areumdapda) is more frequently used to describe the scenery, while 예쁘다 (yeppeuda) is more frequently used to describe people or objects.
If you feel confident in your Korean, you can say 'jal meokkessumnida' (잘 먹겠습니다 ) before the meal — similar to the Japanese itadakimasu, it roughly translates to 'I will eat well'. After the meal, you can say 'jal meogeosseumnida' (잘 먹었습니다) to signal that you have indeed eaten well and are happy.
There are several ways you can make your texts sound cute in Korean. One way is to switch the 오 with an 우 sound, so instead of saying 나도 you say 나두. Another way is to add ㅇ to the end of words like 엉, 내일 봐용, 재미없당, etc.
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