Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 원하다 | wonhada | [ˈwɘ(ː)nɦa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 빌다 | bilda | [ˈpi(ː)ɭda̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 바라다 | barada | [pa̠ɾa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 싶다 | sipda | [ɕʰip̚t͈a̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| -고 싶다 | -go sipda |
Korean uses different words for 'want' based on whether you are expressing a personal desire, a prayer or an abstract hope. 원하다 is a general verb for desiring something. 바라다 is used for more abstract wishes or hopes, such as wishing for peace. 빌다 is used when you are begging for mercy or praying/vowing for something. If you want to express a desire to perform an action, you use the auxiliary verb structure -고 싶다.
Which one should you use?
원하다 is a general term for desire, while 바라다 is better suited for abstract or long-term wishes. 빌다 differs from a simple desire as it implies the act of begging or praying.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that you want to perform a specific action, attach -고 싶다 to a verb stem. Note that you must use the form -고 싶어 하다 when expressing that a third person wants to do something, rather than using -고 싶다.
How do you pronounce it?
wonhada
Did you know?
- In Korean, you cannot use -고 싶다 to describe another person's desires. You must use -고 싶어 하다 because you cannot 'know' another person's inner feelings directly.
- The word 싶다, used to express wanting to do an action, originally meant 'to seem to be about to do' something in Middle Korean.
Examples in context
- 나는 기부를 하고 싶다.I want to donate money.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire to donate money using 싶다.Tatoeba #3681080 by Eunhee, translation #2732006 by Amastan
- 나는 북한에 가고 싶다.I want to go to North Korea.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire to go to a place using 싶다.Tatoeba #6305091 by Queserasera, translation #6058765 by RobinvanderVliet
- 나는 의사가 되고 싶다.I want to become a doctor.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire to become a certain profession using 싶다.Tatoeba #11106732 by intertime, translation #3777832 by CK
- 나는 좋은 일자리를 희망해요I want/hope for a good job
- 그 여행지를 갈망합니다I yearn for that travel destination
- 피자 먹고싶어I want to eat pizza
- 올림픽 경기를 보고싶어I want to watch the Olympic game
- 우리 함께 여행하고 싶어요I want to travel together
- 31 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “want” translations and entries 원하다, 빌다, 바라다, 싶다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 바라다, 빌다, 싶다, 원하다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
