보고 싶어요
bogo sipeoyo
To say "I miss you" in Korean, you use 보고 싶어요 (bogo sipeoyo).
The phrase is commonly translated as "I miss you", but it is also used to express a literal desire to see someone, such as saying "I want to see you soon". In Korean, the subject "I" and the object "you" are often omitted because the context makes it clear who is missing whom.
Meaning: I miss you (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 보고 싶어요 literally translates to "I want to see (you)".
How does it change in a sentence?
Dropping the polite ending 요 from 보고 싶어요 results in the informal version 보고 싶어. Additionally, the highly formal version 보고 싶습니다 can be used in professional settings or when speaking to someone of much higher status.
How do you pronounce it?
bogo sipeoyo
Did you know?
- While 보고 싶어요 is the standard way to say 'I miss you', Koreans may use the word 그립다 to describe a deeper, more nostalgic longing for someone or something from the distant past.
- The word 보고 in this phrase is not related to the Sino-Korean word 보고 meaning 'report' or 'information', despite sharing the same spelling.
- Because Korean is a high-context language, using the pronouns for 'I' and 'you' in 보고 싶어요 can make the sentence feel heavy and performative, like a line from a scripted drama.
Examples in context
- 보고 싶어요!I miss you!Tatoeba #13182063 by atitarev, translation #6055899 by sergiomelo
- 이미 선생님을 보고 싶습니다.I miss you already, teacher.
- 친구들을 정말 보고파.I really miss my friends.
- 너무 보고 싶어요.neomu bogo sipeoyo.I miss you so much.
- 어제부터 정말 보고 싶어요.eojebuteo jeongmal bogo sipeoyo.I have really missed you since yesterday.
Example conversation
Jihoon and Minji are talking on the phone late at night.
- 지훈 Ji-hun민지 씨, 보고 싶어요.Minji ssi, bogo sipeoyo.Minji, I miss you.
- 민지 Min-ji저도 지훈 씨가 보고 싶어요.Jeodo Jihoon ssi-ga bogo sipeoyo.I miss you too, Jihoon.
- 지훈 Ji-hun내일 만날 수 있어요?Naeil mannal su isseoyo?Can we meet tomorrow?
- 민지 Min-ji네, 꼭 만나요.Ne, kkok mannayo.Yes, let's definitely meet.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 보고, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
