3 Ways to Say “I Love You” in Korean (Plus 10 More Romantic ...

How to Say “I Love you” in Korean (3 Levels) · 1. Informal: 사랑해 (Sarang-hae) · 2. Polite: 사랑해요 (Sarang-haeyo) · 3. Formal: 사랑합니다 ( ... Home»KoreanVocabandGrammar»3WaystoSay“ILoveYou”inKorean(Plus10MoreRomanticExpressions) ByStevieD. Lastupdated: September9,2022 3WaystoSay“ILoveYou”inKorean(Plus10MoreRomanticExpressions) Loveisaverypowerfulthing,soitmakessensethatyouwanttoknowhowtoexpressitinKorean. Thispostwillshowyouexactlyhowtotellsomeoneyoulovethem,justlikeanativeKoreanspeaker. Plus,we’llteachyousomebonusromanticexpressionsyoucanusewithpotentialloversandfuturepartners. Contents HowtoSay“ILoveyou”inKorean(3Levels) 1.Informal: 사랑해(Sarang-hae) 2.Polite: 사랑해요(Sarang-haeyo) 3.Formal: 사랑합니다(Sarang-hamnida) AdditionalRomanticExpressionsinKorean Download: ThisblogpostisavailableasaconvenientandportablePDFthatyou cantakeanywhere. Clickheretogetacopy.(Download) HowtoSay“ILoveyou”inKorean(3Levels) Thewordfor“love”inKoreanis사랑(sa-rang). Beforewegetintothenitty-grittyofthings,weneedtorememberthatwehaveKoreanspeechlevelsthatreflectdifferencesinage,rankorsocialstatus. Wetalkonewaywhenwe’rewithfriendsorbuddies,andanotherwaywhenwe’rewithgrandma.It’sprettymuchlikethisallovertheworld,butit’smorepronouncedinAsiancultureslikeKorea. Thisevenaffectsthewaywesay“Iloveyou.”Theroot“sa-rang”tacksondifferentendings,dependingonthelevelofformalityconveyedbythesituation. Thereareinformal,politeandformalwaystosay“Iloveyou”inKorean. 1.Informal: 사랑해(Sarang-hae) Ofthethreewaystosay“Iloveyou,”thisisthemostinformal.Youuseitwithgirlfriends/boyfriendsorpeopleyou’recloseto.“Sarang-hae”assumesfamiliarityandclosenessandisappropriateforpeopleyouhaveastandingrelationshipwith. Somaybeyouwanttogreetyoursweetheart“goodmorning,”andwithit,youwanttosneakinasimple“Iloveyou.”Or,perhapsyouwanttoremindaloverofyouraffectionsbeforeyouendacall.Thisphraseisperfectforeithersituation.  Hereareacoupleofexamplesentencesthatusethisphrase: 자기,사랑해. (Jagi,sarang-hae.) Honey,Iloveyou. 우리싸우지말자.당신,사랑해. (Oorissaujimalja.Dangshin,sarang-hae.) Let’snotfight.Honey,Iloveyou. CulturalFact DidyouknowthatinKorea,onValentine’sDay,it’sthewomenwhogivetheirmenchocolates?Yup,whiletheirWesterncounterpartsgettreatedtoanexpensivedinnerandgifts,KoreanwomenbuytheirmenchocolateonValentine’sDay. 2.Polite: 사랑해요(Sarang-haeyo) “Sarang-haeyo”ismorepolitethan“sarang-hae.”Long-timecouplescanopttouse“sarang-haeyo”iftheywanttobeextrapolitewitheachother,butmostjustusethecasual“sarang-hae.” “Sarang-haeyo”canalsobeusedwhenyouwanttosay“Iloveyou”toyourmomordad.So,whileEnglishusesthesameexact“Iloveyou”foraloverorparent,Koreandistinguishesbetweenthetwo. Justassomecouplesuse“sarang-heyo”tobealittlebitmorepolitewitheachother,youcoulduse“sarang-hae”withyourmomtohighlightnotonlyyourfamiliaritybutalsoyourcloseness. Youcouldalsousethisformifyouwanttoconfessyourfeelingsforsomeone. Hereareacoupleofconversationsthatusethisphrase. Example1 Teenagertomom: 엄마,사랑해요. (Ummasarang-haeyo.) Mom,Iloveyou. Mom: 너어디아프냐? (Neoeodiapoonya?) Areyousick? Example2 Boy: 사랑해요…나랑사귈래요? (Sarang-haeyo…Narangsaguillaeyo?) Iloveyou…Willyougooutwithme? Girl: 친구로남고싶어요. (Chingooronamgoshipuyo.) Iwanttostayfriends. CulturalFact IfwomenhavingtobuytheirmenchocolatesonValentine’sDaysoundsunfair,don’tworry!Justonemonthlater,onMarch14,Koreacelebrates“WhiteDay.” Thisiswhenthetablesareturned.Themenwhoreceivedchocolatesamonthbeforearesociallyobligatedtogivetheirpartnersgifts,likecandy,cookies,marshmallows,lingerieandjewelry. AndtheruleisthatthevalueofthechocolatesaguyreceivedonValentine’sDaymustbereturnedthree-fold. 3.Formal: 사랑합니다(Sarang-hamnida) Thisisthemostformalwaytosay“Iloveyou.” Now,youmightwonderwhenwecanusetheformalform.Youcanuseitwhenyou’retalkingtoagroupofpeople,likeafullauditoriumorwhenyou’regivingapresentationorspeech. K-popacts,especiallywhentheytravelabroad,mightcloseaconcertandbidtheaudiencegoodbyebysaying,“Sarang-hamnida!”toalloftheirscreamingfans. “Sarang-hamnida”isquiteformalandcanalsobeusedwithsomeoneyoudon’tknowreallywellorsomeonewho’solderthanyou.Iftherecipientishigherinperceivedsocialstatus(evenifheorshemightbeyourage),youuse“Sarang-hamnida.” YoumighthearoneofthemembersofthepopularbandBTSyellthefollowingtotheirfansinthePhilippines: 사랑합니다,마닐라! (Sarang-hamnidaManila!) Iloveyou,Manila! Because“Sarang-hamnida”isquiteformal,it’snotoftenheardorusedineverydayconversations.Thetermdoesappearinpoemsandsongs,however. OneexampleofthisisinTimHwang’s2003hitballad“Saranghamnida.” CulturalFact Speakingofconfessingyourlove,didyouknowthatKoreacelebrates“BlackDay?”ThishappensonApril14,onemonthafter“WhiteDay”(March14)andtwomonthsafterValentine’sDay(February14). “BlackDay”isreservedforsingles,thosewhodidn’tgettoparticipateinthefestivitiesinthelasttwomonths.Singlesgo,withtheirothersinglefriends,toaChinese-KoreanrestaurantwheretheyorderJajangmyeon,asavorynoodledishcoveredinblacksauce. Asoflate,insteadofwallowingintheirsingleness,peopleuse“BlackDay”tocelebratetheperksoffreedomandtheopportunitytofocusontheircareersandotherworthypursuits. AdditionalRomanticExpressionsinKorean “Iloveyou”maynotalwaysbetheperfectthingtosay.JustasindicatedintheFluentUvideobelow,“Iloveyou”isusuallyreservedforthosewhoaretrulycommitted. Herearesomeoftheotherwaysthatyoucantellanativespeakeryouareinterestedinthem: 좋아해요. (Jowa-haeyo.) Ilikeyou.(polite) 당신은나에게무척소중해요. (Dangsineunnaegemucheoksojunghaeyo.) Youmeansomuchtome.(polite) When“sarang-haeyo”getsold,youcanprettymuchsaythesamethingwiththisphrase. 정말아름다우세요. (Jeongmalareumdauseyo.) You’resobeautiful.(polite) It’ssimple,it’ssweet.Justdon’tsaythistoeverynativespeakeryoumeet. 정말잘생기셨어요. (Jeongmaljalsaenggisyeoseoyo.) You’resohandsome.(polite) 나는너에게반했어. (Naneunneoegebanhaeseo.) I’vegotacrushonyou.(informal) 나는너를친구이상으로생각해. (Naneunneoreulchinguisangeurosaengakhae.) Ithinkofyouasmorethanafriend.(informal) Usethisphraseifyouwanttolethimorherknowthatthey’renotinthe“friendzone”butalsonotyeton“lover’slane.” 사귈래? (Sagwillae?) Willyoubemyboyfriend/girlfriend?(informal) 같이있고싶어. (Gachiitgosipeo.) Iwanttobewithyou.(informal) 난네꺼야. (NanNe-kkeoya.) I’myours.(informal) 저와결혼해주세요. (juwagyulhonhaejooseyo.) Willyoumarryme?(polite)   Younowknowthethreedifferentwaystosay“Iloveyou”inKorean. Youalsoknowawholebunchofotherromanticexpressionsyoucanusetoshowyouremotions,sostartusingthem! Download: ThisblogpostisavailableasaconvenientandportablePDFthatyou cantakeanywhere. Clickheretogetacopy.(Download) StevieD. FrequentlyAskedQuestionsaboutFluentU Search PopularPostsCategories KoreanLearningResources KoreanLearningTips KoreanVocabandGrammar Enteryoure-mailaddresstogetyourfreePDF! WehateSPAMandpromisetokeepyouremailaddresssafe Close