What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 너무, meaning "too much" or "very" and 좋아해요, meaning "to like".
Which one should you use?
While 너무 좋아해요 expresses a strong liking or fondness, 사랑해요 is a much heavier, more romantic or profound expression of love.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For casual or informal settings, you can use 좋아해 or 너무 좋아 with friends or people younger than you. For formal or professional settings, or when speaking to a large audience, use 좋아합니다 or 너무 좋아합니다. For conveying deep affection towards people, activities or concepts in a formal way, use 사랑합니다, while the informal version for close friends, family or romantic partners is 사랑해.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Korean, the object (the thing you love) is often omitted if it is clear from the context, which is why the phrase can stand alone.
How do you pronounce it?
neomu joahaeyo
Did you know?
- In Korean dating culture, saying 좋아해요 (I like you) is often the standard way to formally confess romantic feelings and initiate a relationship.
- Fans who 'love' a celebrity or idol use the term 덕질 (deokjil), a word derived from the Japanese term 'otaku' to describe their intense devotion.
- While 사랑해 is the standard for 'I love you', Koreans may avoid saying it directly to parents or elders, preferring to show love through actions or by using phrases that emphasize respect and care.
Examples in context
- 저는 음악을 좋아합니다.I love music.
- 저는 예술을 사랑합니다.I love art.
- 난 축구를 좋아해.I love soccer.
- 사랑해, 엄마.I love you, Mom.
- 저는 이 노래를 너무 좋아해요.jeoneun i noraereul neomu joahaeyo.I love this song very much.
- 현우 씨는 한국 음식을 너무 좋아해요.hyeonusineun hanguk eumsigeul neomu joahaeyo.Hyunwoo loves Korean food very much.
- 그 영화를 너무 좋아해요.geu yeonghwareul neomu joahaeyo.I love that movie very much.
Example conversation
Hyunwoo and Jieun are talking about their favorite movies.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo지은 씨는 어떤 영화를 좋아해요?jieun ssineun eotteon yeonghwareul joahaeyo?Jieun, what kind of movies do you like?
- 지은 Ji-eun저는 로맨틱 코미디를 너무 좋아해요.jeoneun romaentik komidireul neomu joahaeyo.I love romantic comedies.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo저도 그거 정말 좋아해요.jeodo geugeo jeongmal joahaeyo.I really like those too.
- 지은 Ji-eun다음에 같이 영화 봐요.daeume gati yeonghwa bwayo.Let's watch a movie together next time.
