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 frequently omitted from the phrase when the context is clear.
Which one should you use?
While 사랑해 is a direct way to say "I love you", the form 좋아해요 translates to "I like you". The latter is often used in the early stages of dating or to express affection more subtly than the heavy weight of "love".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions, 사랑해요 may be heard instead of 사랑합니다 to express love formally.
How does it change in a sentence?
For a more complete informal expression of affection, 나는 널 사랑해 translates to "I love you" and is used within close relationships, while 난 니가 좋아 translates to "I like you" but is used to express love within an informal context. For formal settings, 사랑합니다 is a way to say "I love you" in a formal setting, but you can also use 저는 당신을 사랑합니다 to emphasize feelings towards the individual or 제가 여러분을 사랑합니다 when expressing love towards a group of people formally.
How do you pronounce it?
saranghaeyo
Did you know?
- In many K-dramas, characters may express love by asking 밥 먹었어? (Did you eat?), which serves as a coded, culturally-specific way to show deep affection and care for a partner's well-being.
- Korean culture traditionally values 'jeong' 정, a deep feeling of attachment and collective love that is different from the individualistic romantic love expressed by 사랑해.
- In Korean pop culture, instead of saying 사랑해, fans often use the term 덕질 to describe the intense, almost obsessive love and devotion they feel for their favorite idols.
Examples in context
- 사랑해, 듣고 있어? 사랑한다고!I love you, do you hear me? I love you!This example shows the use of 사랑해 in a conversational context.Tatoeba #8462526 by Eunhee, translation #3390938 by Hybrid
- "사랑해"를 프랑스어로 어떻게 말해?How do you say "I love you" in French?This example shows how to ask for the translation of 사랑해.Tatoeba #8399411 by Eunhee, translation #2417967 by CK
- "에르나, 사랑해!" "너 취했잖아!""Erna, I love you!" "You're drunk!"This example shows the use of 사랑해 in a dialogue.Tatoeba #8556178 by Eunhee, translation #13117325 by moodz
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A quiet evening at a park where a couple is walking.
- 수빈 Su-bin도현 씨, 정말 사랑해요.Dohyeon-ssi, jeongmal saranghaeyo.Dohyeon, I truly love you.
- 도현 Do-hyeon저도 수빈 씨를 사랑해요.Jeodo Subin-ssireul saranghaeyo.I love you too, Subin.
- 수빈 Su-bin고마워요, 정말 행복해요.Gomawoyo, jeongmal haengbokhaeyo.Thank you, I am so happy.
- 도현 Do-hyeon저도 정말 행복해요.Jeodo jeongmal haengbokhaeyo.I am very happy too.
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.
