사랑해
saranghae[sʰa̠ɾa̠ŋɦɛ]
In Korean, "I love you" is expressed through several forms, with 사랑해 (saranghae) being the default form. 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 |
These phrases are used to affirm romantic feelings. In practice, the subject "I" and the object "you" are almost always omitted from the phrase when the context of who is speaking to whom is clear.
Which one should you use?
While 사랑해 is the standard way to express love, 좋아해요 literally means "I like you." Although 좋아해요 can be used to express romantic interest, it is often used during the earlier stages of a relationship compared to 사랑해요.
How does it change in a sentence?
The informal phrase 난 널 사랑해 can be used to express love in a more affectionate and attached way.
How do you pronounce it?
saranghae
Did you know?
- While 사랑해 is the direct translation of 'I love you', many Korean couples express love through acts of service or by asking 밥 먹었어?, which means 'Have you eaten?'
- The concept of 'Jeong' (정) is often intertwined with how one expresses love, representing a deep, communal attachment that is much more subtle than the Western concept of romantic love.
- When using the highly formal 사랑합니다, you are using a speech level often reserved for public speeches, news broadcasts, or extremely respectful ceremonies.
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 conversation.Tatoeba #8462526 by Eunhee, translation #3390938 by Hybrid
- "사랑해"를 프랑스어로 어떻게 말해?How do you say "I love you" in French?This sentence demonstrates how to ask for the French translation of 사랑해.Tatoeba #8399411 by Eunhee, translation #2417967 by CK
- "에르나, 사랑해!" "너 취했잖아!""Erna, I love you!" "You're drunk!"This sentence shows the use of 사랑해 in a dialogue.Tatoeba #8556178 by Eunhee, translation #13117325 by moodz
- 나도 사랑해I love you too
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A quiet evening during a walk in the park.
- 서연 Seo-yeon지훈아, 나 너 정말 사랑해.Jihoon-ah, na neo jeongmal saranghae.Jihoon, I really love you.
- 지훈 Ji-hun나도 서연아, 나도 사랑해.Nado Seoyeon-ah, nado saranghae.Me too, Seoyeon, I love you too.
- 서연 Seo-yeon갑자기 그렇게 말하니까 부끄럽다.Gapjagi geureoke malhanikka bukkeureopda.It's embarrassing when you say that so suddenly.
- 지훈 Ji-hun진심이야, 항상 사랑해.Jinsimiya, hangsang saranghae.I'm serious, I love you always.
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.
