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 |
These phrases are used to affirm romantic feelings. In Korean, the subject "I" and the object "you" are frequently omitted from the sentence when the context is clear.
What does it mean word for word?
The root of all these verb forms is the noun 사랑 (sarang), which means "love".
Which one should you use?
While all forms express affection, they differ in their level of politeness and social context. 사랑해 is the casual version, while 사랑해요 is the standard polite version. 사랑합니다 is the highly formal version.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use 사랑해 for casual, intimate speech. Use 사랑해요 for polite, standard social interactions. Use 사랑합니다 for highly formal or public contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
saranghae
When do people say it?
To emphasize that a particular family member is loved the most in a formal context, you can say 가장 사랑합니다.
Did you know?
- While 'I love you' is a direct translation, Koreans often express deep affection by asking 밥 먹었어? (Did you eat?), which serves as a way to show care and love through concern for one's well-being.
- In Korean pop songs, the word 사랑 is often accompanied by the 'finger heart' gesture, where the thumb and index finger are crossed to form a tiny heart.
- The concept of 'Jeong' (정), a deep sense of attachment and collective affection, is often considered the underlying cultural force behind the word 사랑.
Examples in context
- 사랑해, 듣고 있어? 사랑한다고!I love you, do you hear me? I love you!This sentence uses 사랑해 to show a repetition of the expression of love.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 within a dialogue to express love.Tatoeba #8556178 by Eunhee, translation #13117325 by moodz
- 할머니, 사랑합니다.Grandma, I love you.
- 할아버지, 가장 사랑합니다.Grandpa, I love you the most.
- 엄마, 사랑해.Mom, I love you.
- 오빠, 사랑해요.Brother, I love you.
- 아빠, 사랑해요.Dad, I love you.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is sitting on a bench in a park at night.
- 지은 Ji-eun민준아, 나 사실 너 정말 사랑해.Minjun-a, na sasir neo jeongmal saranghae.Minjun, actually, I really love you.
- 민준 Min-jun지은아, 나도 너 많이 사랑해.Jieun-a, nado neo mani saranghae.Jieun, I love you a lot too.
- 지은 Ji-eun진심이야? 정말 사랑해?Jinsim-iya? Jeongmal saranghae?Are you serious? Do you really love me?
- 민준 Min-jun응, 세상에서 너를 제일 사랑해.Eung, sesang-eseo neoreul jeil saranghae.Yes, I love you most in the world.
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.
