사랑
sarang[sʰa̠ɾa̠ŋ]
The English word love is translated into Korean as 사랑 (sarang). Wiktionary also lists 애정 (aejeong).
Meaning: strong affection (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 사랑 | sarang | [sʰa̠ɾa̠ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 애정 | aejeong | [ˈɛ(ː)d͡ʑʌ̹ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [ˈe̞(ː)d͡ʑʌ̹ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
If you wish to express the action of having a strong affection for someone, you can use the verb forms 사랑하다 or 애정을 품다. If you mean to say you are strongly inclined towards doing something, use 좋아하다.
Which one should you use?
While 사랑 is the general word for love, 애정 is often used in more formal or literary contexts to mean 'affection' or 'attachment'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term 사랑 is a general and neutral term for "love" in North Korean.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb form 사랑해 is the casual way to say 'I love you' to someone of equal or lower status, such as a partner or a close friend. Adding the suffix –요 to the verb makes it 사랑해요, which is the polite way to express love to someone you are not on casual terms with.
How do you pronounce it?
sarang
Did you know?
- While 사랑 is the standard term, Koreans often express love through actions or phrases like 'Have you eaten?' rather than saying the word 'love' directly.
- In the 15th century, the word 사랑 did not primarily mean 'love' as it does today, but instead meant 'thought' or 'reflection'.
- The Sino-Korean word 애정 is composed of two characters that literally represent 'love' and 'feeling' or 'emotion'.
Examples in context
- 그래, 너는 날 사랑해.Yes, you love me.This sentence shows how to use 사랑 to say 'you love me'.Tatoeba #11106994 by intertime, translation #773546 by marloncori
- 나는 아직 메리를 사랑해.I'm still in love with Mary.This sentence uses 사랑 to express being in love with Mary.Tatoeba #6845287 by dalgarak, translation #6845143 by CK
- 너 한번이라도 사랑해본 적 있어?Have you ever been in love?This sentence uses 사랑 to ask if someone has ever been in love.Tatoeba #8362304 by Eunhee, translation #2182753 by Hybrid
- 그는 가족에 대한 사랑을 보여줍니다.He shows love for his family.
- 그들은 진지한 연애 관계에 있습니다.They are in a serious romantic relationship.
- 엄마, 사랑해요!Mom, I love you!
- 너에게 진심으로 사랑을 받고 싶어.I want to receive your love sincerely.
- 57 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a romantic movie they just watched.
- 도현 Do-hyeon민지 씨, 영화 속 사랑이 정말 아름답지 않았나요?Minji ssi, yeonghwa sok sarangi jeongmal areumdapji anatnayo?Minji, wasn't the love in the movie truly beautiful?
- 민지 Min-ji네, 도현 씨. 정말 감동적인 사랑 이야기였어요.Ne, Dohyeon ssi. Jeongmal gamdongjeogin sarang iyagieosseoyo.Yes, Dohyeon. It was a truly touching love story.
- 도현 Do-hyeon저도 그런 사랑을 꿈꿔요.Jeodo geureon sarangeul kkumkwoyo.I dream of that kind of love too.
- 민지 Min-ji도현 씨라면 꼭 찾을 수 있을 거예요.Dohyeon ssi ramyeon kkok chajeul su isseul geoyeyo.If it's you, Dohyeon, you will surely find it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “love” translations and entries 사랑, 애정, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 사랑, 애정, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
