원해요
wonhaeyo
In Korean, "I would like" is expressed as 원해요 (wonhaeyo).
원해요 is used to express a desire or a wish for something. While it translates to "I would like" or "I want", in many practical situations such as ordering food or requesting an object, Korean speakers often use the pattern ~고 싶어요 instead.
Which one should you use?
For more casual desires, you can use the pattern ~고 싶다 after a verb stem or ~고 싶어요 to maintain politeness while being informal.
How do you pronounce it?
wonhaeyo
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful when using 원해요 with people. Expressing a desire for a person (for example, "I want you") can sound more blunt or demanding in Korean than the English "I would like" intended.
Did you know?
- Using 원해요 while pointing at a menu can make it sound as though you are pursuing a lifelong philosophical goal rather than ordering a meal.
- When ordering in a restaurant, avoid 원해요 and instead use 주세요, which literally means 'please give me'. This is the standard way to express 'I would like' for food or objects.
- In Korean, if you are expressing a desire for someone else, you cannot use the same form ~고 싶어요 used for yourself. You must switch to a different grammatical structure to show that the desire belongs to another person.
Examples in context
- 차 한잔 주시겠어요?Would you give me a cup of tea?
- 커피 마시고 싶어.I would like to drink coffee.
- 이 책을 읽고 싶어요.I would like to read this book.
Example conversation
Hyun-woo and Min-ji are at a cafe.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo민지 씨, 뭐 마실래요?Min-ji ssi, mwo masillaeyo?Min-ji, what would you like to drink?
- 민지 Min-ji저는 시원한 주스를 원해요.jeoneun siwonhan juseureul wonhaeyo.I would like a cold juice.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo좋아요. 제가 주문할게요.joayo. jega jumunhalgeyo.Okay. I will order it.
- 민지 Min-ji고마워요, 현우 씨.gomawoyo, Hyeon-u ssi.Thank you, Hyun-woo.
