난 그를 사랑해
nan geureul saranghae
The English phrase "I love him" is translated into Korean as 난 그를 사랑해 (nan geureul saranghae).
This phrase is used to express strong romantic or deep affection for a male person.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 난 (I), 그를 (him) and 사랑해 (love).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a polite version suitable for speaking to someone older or in a less intimate setting, you can say 그를 사랑해요. Formal versions include 그를 사랑합니다. and 저는 그를 사랑합니다.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase 그를, the particle 를 attached to 그 (he/him) marks him as the direct object of the verb. In informal speech, a male speaker can use 난 to mean "I".
How do you pronounce it?
nan geureul saranghae
Did you know?
- In many Korean relationships, love is expressed through 'acts of service' and care rather than saying 사랑해. Asking 밥 먹었어? ('Did you eat?') is often a coded way of saying 'I love and care for you'.
- Korean has various words for 'love' depending on the target. While 사랑 is general, the word 정 (jeong) describes a deep, sticky emotional attachment that develops over time, which cannot be translated as simply 'love'.
- Using the word 그 can sometimes feel overly formal or literary, as it is a relatively modern pronoun introduced to translate Western literature into Korean.
Examples in context
- 정말 그를 사랑해.I really love him.
- 난 그를 사랑해.nan geureul saranghae.I love him.
- 진심으로 난 그를 사랑해.jinsimeuro nan geureul saranghae.I truly love him.
- 사실 난 그를 사랑해.sasiri nan geureul saranghae.Actually, I love him.
Example conversation
Seoyeon is talking to Minjun about a male friend.
- 서연 Seo-yeon너 그 사람이 좋니?neo geu sarami jonni?Do you like that guy?
- 민준 Min-jun응, 난 그를 사랑해.eung, nan geureul saranghae.Yes, I love him.
- 서연 Seo-yeon정말 뜻밖이다!jeongmal tteutbak-ida!That is really unexpected!
- 민준 Min-jun나도 이제 알았어.nado ije arasseo.I just realized it too.
