Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 사랑해요 | saranghaeyo | |
| 좋아해요 | joahaeyo | |
| 사랑해 | saranghae | [sʰa̠ɾa̠ŋɦɛ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [sʰa̠ɾa̠ŋɦe̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 사랑합니다 | saranghamnida |
This phrase is used to affirm romantic feelings. In Korean, the subject "I" and the object "you" are almost always omitted in the phrase, leaving only the verb.
Which one should you use?
While 사랑해요 and its variations express love, 좋아해요 is used to express liking or affection, which is often a lighter or less intense way to express romantic interest than 사랑해요.
How does it change in a sentence?
사랑해 is the casual, non-honorific form used with close friends, younger people or romantic partners in an intimate setting. 사랑해요 is the standard polite form used in most everyday social situations. 사랑합니다 is the highly formal version used in very serious settings, public speeches or when showing extreme respect.
How do you pronounce it?
saranghaeyo
When do people say it?
When expressing affection, Korean speakers may use various terms of endearment. 여보 is a term similar to honey or darling, while 자기야 is an intimate term similar to baby or sweetheart. In specific social contexts, 오빠 is a pet name for females to call older males and 언니 is a pet name for females to call older females. Another related phrase is 내 사랑이야, which means "You are my love".
Did you know?
- While 사랑해 is the romantic standard, the word 정 (jeong) describes a deeper, more complex kind of love based on long-term attachment and shared hardship that has no direct English translation.
- Couples in Korea often celebrate '100-day anniversaries' to mark their love, a milestone that is more culturally significant than the one-year anniversary in many Western countries.
- In modern digital culture, Koreans often use the shorthand ㅅㄹㅎ in texts, which represents the initial consonants of 사랑해.
Examples in context
- 사랑해, 듣고 있어? 사랑한다고!I love you, do you hear me? I love you!This sentence uses 사랑해 to show a person repeating their declaration.Tatoeba #8462526 by Eunhee, translation #3390938 by Hybrid
- "사랑해"를 프랑스어로 어떻게 말해?How do you say "I love you" in French?This sentence uses 사랑해 to ask for a translation.Tatoeba #8399411 by Eunhee, translation #2417967 by CK
- "에르나, 사랑해!" "너 취했잖아!""Erna, I love you!" "You're drunk!"This sentence uses 사랑해 to show a reaction to a declaration of love.Tatoeba #8556178 by Eunhee, translation #13117325 by moodz
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is having a romantic dinner at a restaurant.
- 지훈 Ji-hun지은 씨, 정말 사랑해요.Jieun ssi, jeongmal saranghaeyo.Jieun, I really love you.
- 지은 Ji-eun저도 지훈 씨를 사랑해요.Jeodo Jihun ssireul saranghaeyo.I love you too, Jihun.
- 지훈 Ji-hun고마워요, 항상 곁에 있어줘서.Gomawoyo, hangsang gyeote isseojwoseo.Thank you for always being by my side.
- 지은 Ji-eun우리 행복하게 잘 살아요.Uri haengbokhage jal sarayo.Let's live happily together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries 사랑해, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
