내 사랑
nae sarang
The English phrase 'my honey' can be expressed in Korean as 내 사랑 (nae sarang).
내 사랑 is a term of endearment used to address a romantic partner. It is a literal translation of 'my love'.
Which one should you use?
While 내 사랑 is a direct way to say 'my love', it sounds more poetic or dramatic and is often found in song lyrics or literature. For the standard everyday term used by couples to say 'honey' or 'darling', you should use 자기야.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
자기야 is the preferred colloquial form for regular conversation between partners.
How do you pronounce it?
nae sarang
What mistakes should you avoid?
If you want to address your partner colloquially as 'honey' or 'darling' in a normal daily setting, use 자기야 instead.
Did you know?
- The word 자기 in 자기야 originally refers to 'oneself', effectively calling a partner 'my other self'.
- Korean couples sometimes use 자기야 even when they are not in a romantic relationship, such as between very close female friends.
- In Middle Korean, the form of the word 내 was strictly regulated by rules regarding vowel clusters. The modern contraction we see today was a necessary linguistic result of mandatory vowel elision in the 15th century.
Examples in context
- 내 사랑My love
- 내 사랑, 보고 싶어.nae sarang, bogo sipeo.My honey, I miss you.
- 내 사랑, 항상 고마워.nae sarang, hangsang gomawo.My honey, thank you always.
- 넌 영원한 내 사랑이야.neon yeongwonhan nae sarangiya.You are my eternal love.
Example conversation
A couple is meeting for a date.
- 수빈 Su-bin내 사랑, 여기 있었네!nae sarang, yeogi isseonne!My honey, here you are!
- 지훈 Ji-hun기다리게 해서 미안해.gidarige haeseo mianhae.I'm sorry for making you wait.
- 수빈 Su-bin괜찮아, 정말 보고 싶었어.gwaenchana, jeongmal bogo sipeosseo.It's okay, I really missed you.
- 지훈 Ji-hun나도 많이 보고 싶었어.nado mani bogo sipeosseo.I missed you a lot too.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 내, CC BY-SA 4.0.
