나 보고 싶었어?
na bogo sipeosseo?
In Korean, "did you miss me?" is said as 나 보고 싶었어? (na bogo sipeosseo?)
This phrase is used as a question to find out if someone felt sadness or longing during a period of separation.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is literally "Did you want to see me?" because the verb 보고 싶다 means "to want to see" or "to miss".
Which one should you use?
While the default form includes the subject 나 (me), it is very common in natural Korean conversation to omit it and simply say 보고 싶었어? when the context makes it clear who is being missed.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 나 보고 싶었어? is the informal version of the question.
How do you pronounce it?
na bogo sipeosseo?
When do people say it?
A common natural response to this informal question is 응, 많이 보고 싶었어 (Yes, I missed you a lot).
Did you know?
- While the phrase in this context uses the verb for 'to see', the same pronunciation 보고 can also mean 'to report' in a professional setting. This is due to the Sino-Korean word 報告, which refers to giving information or a report.
- If you use the phrase with a person of higher status, you must change the ending completely. Using the informal 나 보고 싶었어? with a boss or elder would be considered a major social error, even if you mean it affectionately.
- Because the phrase is built on 'wanting to see', it can be used for people, pets or even a specific place one has not visited in a long time.
Examples in context
- 나 보고 싶었어?na bogo sipeosseo?Did you miss me?
- 정말 나 보고 싶었어?jeongmal na bogo sipeosseo?Did you really miss me?
Example conversation
Two friends meet at a cafe after a long trip.
- 지은 Ji-eun도현아, 나 보고 싶었어?Dohyuna, na bogo sipeosseo?Dohyun, did you miss me?
- 도현 Do-hyeon응, 진짜 많이 보고 싶었어.eung, jinjja mani bogo sipeosseo.Yes, I missed you so much.
- 지은 Ji-eun헤헤, 나도 너 보고 싶었어.hehe, nado neo bogo sipeosseo.Hehe, I missed you too.
- 도현 Do-hyeon이제 매일 보자.ije maeil boja.Let's see each other every day now.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 나, 보고, CC BY-SA 4.0.
