Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 사랑해 | saranghae | [sʰa̠ɾa̠ŋɦɛ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [sʰa̠ɾa̠ŋɦe̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 좋아해요 | joahaeyo | |
| 사랑해요 | saranghaeyo | |
| 사랑합니다 | saranghamnida |
These phrases are used to affirm romantic feelings or deep affection. While the word 사랑 itself represents the noun "love", the various forms provided are used to express the act of loving someone.
Which one should you use?
The choice of phrase depends on the intensity of feeling and the social relationship. 좋아해요 expresses "I like you" or affection and is often used in the early stages of a relationship before one moves on to the more intense 사랑해. 사랑해 is the general, most common way to express love, while 사랑해요 is a standard polite version. 사랑합니다 is a highly formal version used for extreme respect or in very formal settings.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In South Korea, the phrase 보고 싶어 (which means "I miss you") is frequently used as an indirect way of saying "I love you".
How does it change in a sentence?
The forms follow different speech levels. For a more direct and formal sentence, you may see 저는 당신을 사랑합니다, where 저는 is a polite and humble way to say "I".
How do you pronounce it?
saranghae
Did you know?
- Korean has a specific word 정 ('jeong'), which describes a deep, sticky emotional bond of affection that is different from the romantic love of 사랑.
- If you are using the formal 사랑해요 with a partner, it can actually create a sense of emotional distance, as if you are treating them like a stranger or a superior.
- Couples in Korea often celebrate '100-day anniversaries' as a milestone before they feel comfortable using the most intense forms of 사랑해.
Examples in context
- 사랑해, 듣고 있어? 사랑한다고!I love you, do you hear me? I love you!This sentence shows the use of 사랑해 in a conversational context.Tatoeba #8462526 by Eunhee, translation #3390938 by Hybrid
- "사랑해"를 프랑스어로 어떻게 말해?How do you say "I love you" in French?This sentence uses 사랑해 to ask for a translation.Tatoeba #8399411 by Eunhee, translation #2417967 by CK
- "에르나, 사랑해!" "너 취했잖아!""Erna, I love you!" "You're drunk!"This sentence demonstrates a casual interaction using 사랑해.Tatoeba #8556178 by Eunhee, translation #13117325 by moodz
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Seoyeon and Hyunwoo are walking in a park at sunset.
- 서연 Seo-yeon현우야, 사실 나 너를 사랑해.hyunwoo-ya, sasil na neoreul saranghae.Hyunwoo, actually, I love you.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo정말? 나도 너를 사랑해, 서연아.jeongmal? nado neoreul saranghae, seoyeon-a.Really? I love you too, Seoyeon.
- 서연 Seo-yeon너무 행복하다.neomu haengbokhada.I am so happy.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo나도 정말 행복해.nado jeongmal haengbokhae.I am really happy too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i love you” translations and entries 사랑해, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
