너희들이 보고 싶어
neohuideuri bogo sipeo
The English phrase "I miss you guys" is expressed in Korean as 너희들이 보고 싶어 (neohuideuri bogo sipeo).
This phrase is used to tell a group of people that you feel sadness because you are not with them. In many natural contexts, Korean speakers often omit the subject and the object entirely, simply saying 보고 싶어 to express that they miss someone.
What does it mean word for word?
The expression 보고 싶어 literally translates to "want to see", which is the standard way to express "to miss someone" in Korean. The term 너희들 is the plural form of "you", referring to a group of people of equal or lower status.
Which one should you use?
While the default form is 너희들이 보고 싶어, you can also use 다들 보고 싶어 to say "I miss you guys" informally or 모두 그리워요 to say "I miss everyone."
How does it change in a sentence?
The default form 너희들이 보고 싶어 uses the informal *banmal* style, which should only be used with close friends or people younger than you. The word 너희들 specifically refers to "you guys" or "you all" in a group of equal or lower status.
How do you pronounce it?
neohuideuri bogo sipeo
Did you know?
- Using the term 너희들 to address a group of people older than you is considered extremely rude, even when you are telling them that you miss them.
- While 보고 싶어 is the common way to say 'I miss you', the word 그리워 is reserved for a deeper, more aching kind of longing, often for someone who cannot return or for a lost time in the past.
- In Korean, the word 보고 is a homonym for a 'treasure house' (寶庫), even though it appears here as the conjugation of 'to see'.
Examples in context
- 너희들이 보고 싶어.neohuideul-i bogo sipeo.I miss you guys.
- 진짜 너희들이 보고 싶어.jinjja neohuideul-i bogo sipeo.I really miss you guys.
- 갑자기 너희들이 보고 싶어.gapjagi neohuideul-i bogo sipeo.Suddenly, I miss you guys.
Example conversation
Hyunwoo is video calling his friends Jieun and others.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo얘들아, 너희들이 보고 싶어.yaedeul-a, neohuideul-i bogo sipeo.Hey guys, I miss you guys.
- 지은 Ji-eun현우야, 우리도 정말 보고 싶어!Hyunwoo-ya, urido jeongmal bogo sipeo!Hyunwoo, we miss you so much too!
- 현우 Hyeon-woo우리 조만간 꼭 만나자.uri jomangan kkok mannaja.Let's definitely meet up soon.
- 지은 Ji-eun그래, 얼른 만나자!geurae, eolleun mannaja!Yes, let's meet up soon!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 보고, CC BY-SA 4.0.
