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 |
These phrases are used to express an affirmation of romantic feeling. While 사랑해요 and its variations focus on love, the form 좋아해요 is used to say "I like you" and often serves as a softer, less intense way to express romantic interest.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ primarily in intensity and social context. 좋아해요 means "I like you", whereas the other forms mean "I love you". Among the expressions for love, 사랑해 is the most frequent informal version, 사랑해요 is the standard polite version and 사랑합니다 is the most common formal version. Additionally, 사랑해 is a slightly more casual version of 사랑해요.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase 사랑해 is the casual version used with those of lower or equal social status, such as close friends or younger people. 사랑해요 is the standard polite form for general social use. 사랑합니다 is the highly formal version for professional or public contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
saranghaeyo
Did you know?
- While 사랑해요 is the direct translation, Koreans often express love through 'care' phrases, such as asking 밥 먹었어? which means 'Did you eat?'
- A common playful variation of 사랑해 used in texting is 사랑해용, where adding a 'ng' sound makes the phrase sound cute and aegyo.
- The term 사랑꾼 (sarang-kkun) is a popular slang term used to describe someone who is a 'lover' or someone who is exceptionally good at expressing and showing love.
Examples in context
- 사랑해, 듣고 있어? 사랑한다고!I love you, do you hear me? I love you!This example shows how to use the informal form 사랑해 in a conversation.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 demonstrates the use of 사랑해 in a dialogue.Tatoeba #8556178 by Eunhee, translation #13117325 by moodz
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is having a quiet dinner at home.
- 지은 Ji-eun도현 씨, 정말 사랑해요.Dohyeon ssi, jeongmal saranghaeyo.Dohyeon, I really love you.
- 도현 Do-hyeon저도 지은 씨를 사랑해요.Jeodo Jieun ssireul saranghaeyo.I love you too, Jieun.
- 지은 Ji-eun고마워요, 그렇게 말해줘서.Gomawoyo, geureoke malhaejwoseo.Thank you for saying that.
- 도현 Do-hyeon항상 진심이에요.Hangsang jinsimieyo.I'm always sincere.
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.
