전 당신을 좋아합니다
jeon dangsin-eul joahamnida
In Korean, "I like you" can be expressed as 전 당신을 좋아합니다 (jeon dangsin-eul joahamnida), 나 너 좋아해 or 난 네가 좋아.
Meaning: I like you (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 전 당신을 좋아합니다 | jeon dangsin-eul joahamnida |
| 나 너 좋아해 | na neo joahae |
| 난 네가 좋아 | nan ne-ga joa |
In romantic contexts, the phrase 나 너 좋아해 is frequently used to express romantic interest, often serving as a way to say "I love you" in a less heavy way.
Which one should you use?
전 당신을 좋아합니다 uses the formal verb 좋아합니다, while 나 너 좋아해 and 난 네가 좋아 use the informal verb 좋아해. In the specific construction 난 네가 좋아, the particle –가 is attached to 네 (you) to indicate that "you" are the object of affection.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase 나 너 좋아해, the verb 좋아해 is the informal, casual form of the verb. In the phrase 전 당신을 좋아합니다, the verb 좋아합니다 is the formal, polite form.
How do you pronounce it?
jeon dangsin-eul joahamnida
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful using 당신 (you) in daily conversation, as it can sound overly dramatic, confrontational or stiff depending on the context.
Did you know?
- The Korean word for 'I' (나) is possibly a cognate of the Old Japanese word na, which also meant 'I'.
- In many social situations, Koreans avoid saying 'I like you' and instead use the person's name or a title like 선배님 ('senior') to avoid the awkwardness of using the word 'you'.
- The word 당신 in 전 당신을 좋아합니다 is commonly used in written songs and poetry, even though it sounds too stiff or confrontational for spoken conversation.
Examples in context
- 저는 여러분을 좋아합니다.I like all of you.
- 저는 당신을 좋아해요.I like you.
- 좋아해!I like you!
Example conversation
Minjun is confessing his feelings to Subin.
- 민준 Min-jun수빈 씨, 드릴 말씀이 있어요.Subin ssi, deuril malssemi isseoyo.Subin, I have something to tell you.
- 수빈 Su-bin네, 무슨 일이에요?ne, museun irieyo?Yes, what is it?
- 민준 Min-jun전 당신을 좋아합니다.jeon dangsin-eul joahapnida.I like you.
- 수빈 Su-bin정말요? 저도 좋아요.jeongmalyo? jeodo joayo.Really? I like you too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I like you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 나, 전, CC BY-SA 4.0.
