보고 싶어요
bogo sipeoyo
In Korean, "I miss someone" is expressed as 보고 싶어요 (bogo sipeoyo).
This phrase is used to express a longing to see a person who is not currently present. Because the subject (I or You) is often omitted in Korean, 보고 싶어요 can mean "I miss you," "I miss him," or "I miss her" depending on the context of the conversation. To indirectly convey that you miss someone, you might also use the phrase 다시 만나고 싶어요, which means "I want to see you again."
Which one should you use?
While 보고 싶다 focuses on the desire to see someone, the verb 그립다 expresses a deeper, more poetic sense of longing or nostalgia for a person or a time.
How does it change in a sentence?
The informal version 보고 싶어 is used with close friends or people younger than you. For very polite or professional settings, use the formal 보고 싶습니다.
How do you pronounce it?
bogo sipeoyo
Did you know?
- The sound 'bogo' also corresponds to the Sino-Korean word 寶庫, meaning a 'treasure house' or 'storehouse'. This means the phonetic sound of your longing could, in a different context, refer to a place where riches are kept.
- The word 그립다 can be used for inanimate objects or places, such as a childhood home. In contrast, 보고 싶다 is almost exclusively used for people or things that can be visually witnessed.
Examples in context
- 친구가 너무 보고 싶어I miss my friend so much.
- 가족이 정말 보고 싶어요.ga-jok-i jeong-mal bo-go sip-eo-yo.I really miss my family.
- 엄마가 보고 싶어요.eom-ma-ga bo-go sip-eo-yo.I miss my mother.
Example conversation
Minji and Minjun are talking on the phone late at night.
- 민지 Min-ji민준 씨, 정말 보고 싶어요.Min-jun ssi, jeong-mal bo-go sip-eo-yo.Minjun, I really miss you.
- 민준 Min-jun저도 민지 씨가 너무 보고 싶어요.jeo-do Min-ji ssi-ga neo-mu bo-go sip-eo-yo.I miss you too, Minji.
- 민지 Min-ji우리 언제 만날까요?u-ri eon-je man-nal-kka-yo?When shall we meet?
- 민준 Min-jun이번 주말에 만나요.i-beon ju-mal-e man-na-yo.Let's meet this weekend.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 보고, CC BY-SA 4.0.
