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 affirm romantic feelings. While several forms exist, it is common in Korean to omit the subject "I" and the object "you" in the phrase 사랑해, as the context makes them clear. If you wish to emphasize the subject and object specifically, you can use 난 널 사랑해. To intensify the sentiment to mean "I truly love you", you can add 정말 before 사랑합니다.
Which one should you use?
The form 좋아해요 means "I like you" and is often used as a softer, less intense way to express romantic interest compared to 사랑해요.
How does it change in a sentence?
The choice of form depends on the level of speech required. 사랑해요 is the standard polite version used in most everyday social situations. 사랑합니다 is the highly formal version used in very public settings, speeches or to show extreme respect.
How do you pronounce it?
saranghaeyo
Did you know?
- The word 사랑 meaning 'love' is often paired with the word 정 (jeong), a unique Korean concept of deep attachment and collective bonding that goes beyond romantic love.
- In many romantic contexts, a person might use 'Oppa' (a term for an older brother or an older male) instead of the word 'you' when saying 사랑해. This replaces the formal pronoun with a term of endearment.
- Because 사랑해 is considered very intense, it is historically less common for children to say it to their parents than it is in English-speaking cultures.
Examples in context
- 사랑해, 듣고 있어? 사랑한다고!I love you, do you hear me? I love you!This sentence shows how to use 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 sentence is used to ask how to translate 사랑해 into another language.Tatoeba #8399411 by Eunhee, translation #2417967 by CK
- "에르나, 사랑해!" "너 취했잖아!""Erna, I love you!" "You're drunk!"This sentence demonstrates the use of 사랑해 in a dialogue.Tatoeba #8556178 by Eunhee, translation #13117325 by moodz
- 나도 사랑해!I love you too!
- 감사합니다.Thank you.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is spending a quiet evening together at a park.
- 도현 Do-hyeon서연 씨, 정말 사랑해요.Seoyeon ssi, jeongmal saranghaeyo.Seoyeon, I really love you.
- 서연 Seo-yeon저도 도현 씨를 사랑해요.Jeodo Dohyeon ssi-reul saranghaeyo.I love you too, Dohyeon.
- 도현 Do-hyeon이렇게 같이 있으면 행복해요.Ireoke gachi isseumyeon haengbokhaeyo.I am happy when we are together like this.
- 서연 Seo-yeon저도 그래요.Jeodo geuraeyo.I feel the same way.
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.
