내 사랑
nae sarang
The English phrase 'my dear' is translated into Korean as 내 사랑 (nae sarang).
내 사랑 is used as a term of endearment to address someone the speaker loves. While 'my dear' in English can be used somewhat casually or even patronizingly, 내 사랑 is a very intense and direct expression of romantic love in Korean.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 내 (nae), meaning 'my' and 사랑 (sarang), meaning 'love'.
How do you pronounce it?
nae sarang
When do people say it?
In actual spoken Korean, couples more commonly use 자기야 to address each other as 'dear' or 'honey' rather than the more poetic 내 사랑.
Did you know?
- The syllable 내 has so many different meanings and homophones in Korean that it once caused the general word for 'smoke' to be replaced by a different term to avoid confusion.
- While 내 사랑 is the translation for 'my dear', the most common term for couples, 자기야, literally translates to 'oneself', implying the partner is a reflection of the speaker.
- In Korean pop music and television dramas, 내 사랑 is often used as a dramatic proclamation of love, serving a different social purpose than the everyday conversation of real couples.
Examples in context
- 자기야, 어디 있어?My dear, where are you?
- 내 사랑, 보고 싶었어.nae sarang, bogo sipeosseo.My dear, I missed you.
- 내 사랑, 항상 고마워요.nae sarang, hangsang gomawoyo.My dear, thank you always.
- 내 사랑, 항상 곁에 있을게.nae sarang, hangsang gyeote isseulge.My dear, I will always be by your side.
Example conversation
Ji-eun and Hyun-woo are greeting each other after work.
- 지은 Ji-eun내 사랑, 왔어?nae sarang, wasseo?My dear, are you here?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo응, 지은아. 보고 싶었어.eung, Jieuna. bogo sipeosseo.Yes, Ji-eun. I missed you.
- 지은 Ji-eun나도 정말 보고 싶었어.nado jeongmal bogo sipeosseo.I really missed you too.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo이제 같이 저녁 먹자.ije gachi jeonyeok meokja.Let's have dinner together now.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 내, CC BY-SA 4.0.
