좋아요
joayo[ˈt͡ɕo̞(ː)a̠jo]
To say "I like it" in Korean, you say 좋아요 (joayo).
This phrase is used to express that you find something pleasing or agreeable. In Korean, the subject "I" is often omitted from the sentence when the context makes it clear who is expressing the preference.
Which one should you use?
While 좋아요 means "it is good", the form 좋아해요 is the specific verb form used to express the action of liking something or someone. For expressing that something pleases your heart, you can use 마음에 듭니다 or its slightly less formal polite counterpart 마음에 들어요. The informal version of the phrase is 좋아.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 좋아해요 is the specific verb used when you want to express the action of liking a person or a thing.
How do you pronounce it?
joayo
Did you know?
- The phrase 마음에 들어요 literally translates to 'it enters my heart', suggesting that something is pleasing because it has found a place within your internal feelings.
- The polite suffix -요 in 좋아요 is a way to show respect to the listener, meaning the level of politeness is actually directed at the person you are talking to, not the thing you like.
- The phrase 좋아요 is used as the 'Like' button on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram in Korea.
Examples in context
- 이 작품은 마음에 듭니다.I like this artwork.
- 이 노래 좋아해.I like this song.
- 이 디자인 정말 좋아요.i dijain jeongmal joayo.I really like this design.
- 그 노래가 아주 좋아요.geu noraega aju joayo.I like that song very much.
- 날씨가 참 좋아요.nalssiga cham joayo.The weather is really nice.
Example conversation
Ji-eun and Hyeon-woo are looking at a new cafe.
- 지은 Ji-eun현우 씨, 이 카페 어때요?hyeon-u ssi, i kape eottaeyo?Hyeon-woo, what do you think of this cafe?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo네, 여기 분위기 좋아요.ne, yeogi bunwigi joayo.Yes, I like the atmosphere here.
- 지은 Ji-eun저도 좋아요. 들어가요!jeodo joayo. deureogayo!I like it too. Let's go in!
- 현우 Hyeon-woo좋아요. 같이 가요.joayo. gachi gayo.Sounds good. Let's go together.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 좋아요, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
