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 |
To add emphasis, you can use the word 매우 or 아주 for "very" or 정말 for "really".
Which one should you use?
전 당신을 좋아합니다 uses the transitive verb 좋아하다 (to like), which requires an object marked by 당신을. In contrast, 난 네가 좋아 uses the adjective 좋다 (to be good/to be liked), where 네가 acts as the subject of the sentence.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the transitive verb 좋아하다 (to like), the person being liked is the object, marked by 당신을 in formal speech. In the phrase 난 네가 좋아, the word 네가 is the subject form of "you" because it is paired with the adjective 좋다 (to be liked/to be good). The verb 좋아하다 is conjugated to 좋아해 when used in the informal/casual style for friends or younger people.
How do you pronounce it?
jeon dangsin-eul joahamnida
When do people say it?
In Korean social contexts, titles play a significant role. For example, 언니 can be used for an older sister or female friend, while 선배님 is a title used for a senior colleague or companion.
Did you know?
- The formal way to say 'I like you' using 당신을 can actually sound quite confrontational or even aggressive in many daily situations, as 당신 is often used by strangers during an argument.
- In Korean culture, saying 좋아해 directly can be seen as a high-stakes confession of romantic love rather than a casual expression of liking someone's personality.
- The pronouns 나 (I), 너 (you), and the root of 누구 (who) are believed by some linguists to have originated from the same ancient word through a process called ablaut.
Examples in context
- 너를 정말 좋아해.I really like you.
- 오빠를 좋아해요.I like you, oppa.
Example conversation
Seoyeon confesses her feelings to Jihun in a quiet park.
- 서연 Seo-yeon지훈 씨, 전 당신을 좋아합니다.Jihun ssi, jeon dangsin-eul joahapnida.Jihun, I like you.
- 지훈 Ji-hun정말요? 저도 좋아해요.jeongmallyo? jeodo joahaeyo.Really? I like you too.
- 서연 Seo-yeon그렇게 말씀하시니 기뻐요.geureoke malseumhasini gippeoyo.I'm happy you said that.
- 지훈 Ji-hun우리 이제 데이트해요.uri ije deiteuhaeyo.Let's go on a date now.
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.
