사랑해
saranghae[sʰa̠ɾa̠ŋɦɛ]
To say "I love you" in Korean, you say 사랑해 (saranghae). Wiktionary also lists 좋아해요 (joahaeyo) and 사랑해요 (saranghaeyo).
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 사랑해 | saranghae | [sʰa̠ɾa̠ŋɦɛ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [sʰa̠ɾa̠ŋɦe̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 좋아해요 | joahaeyo | |
| 사랑해요 | saranghaeyo | |
| 사랑합니다 | saranghamnida |
This phrase is used to express an affirmation of romantic feeling. In Korean culture, the expression 사랑해 is a very strong and heavy expression of romantic love, often used less frequently in daily conversation than the English "I love you" might be.
Which one should you use?
While 좋아해요 literally means "I like you," it is often used in the early stages of romantic interest to express affection more subtly than the heavy weight of 사랑해.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 사랑해요 adds the polite suffix -요 to make the expression suitable for a more respectful tone, though it is still commonly used between romantic partners. The form 사랑합니다 is the highly formal version used in public speeches, formal ceremonies or very serious declarations.
How do you pronounce it?
saranghae
Did you know?
- While 사랑해 is for romantic love, Koreans often use the word 정 ('jeong') to describe a deep, collective affection and attachment that grows over time between friends, family and even strangers.
- The word 사랑 ('sarang') was historically associated with the word for 'thinking' or 'counting', suggesting that love was once viewed as a process of deep contemplation.
- In South Korea, couples celebrate 100일 ('100 days') since they started dating with a gift or party, often as a precursor to saying 사랑해 for the first time.
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 demonstrates 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 during an interaction.Tatoeba #8556178 by Eunhee, translation #13117325 by moodz
- 나는 너를 사랑해I love you
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is walking in a park at night.
- 도현 Do-hyeon지은아, 사랑해.jieun-a, saranghae.Jieun, I love you.
- 지은 Ji-eun나도 도현아, 사랑해.nado dohyeon-a, saranghae.I love you too, Dohyeon.
- 도현 Do-hyeon고마워, 정말 행복해.gomawo, jeongmal haengbokhae.Thank you, I am so happy.
- 지은 Ji-eun나도 그래.nado geurae.Me 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.
