I love you in Korean is 사랑해 (saranghae) or 사랑해요 (saranghaeyo). Warning: 좋아해 means "I like you," not "I love you."
사랑해요 (saranghaeyo) — I love you (polite, warm) · Polite · Warm
사랑해, the "I love you" you already know
사랑해 (saranghae) is the most famous Korean phrase abroad: "I love you". The verb 사랑하다 (saranghada) comes from 사랑 (love), a strong word used freely between lovers, but also for parents, children and very close people.
Three levels depending on context and recipient:
• 사랑해 (saranghae): casual, to a partner, child, or close person. • 사랑해요 (saranghaeyo): polite but affectionate, to a parent, grandparent, or in a respectful romantic context. • 사랑합니다 (saranghamnida): formal, mostly written, in a letter, speech or to make the expression solemn.
Counter to the cliché, 사랑해요 sounds very warm and is actually the most-used version among married or settled couples.
| Hangul | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 사랑해 | saranghae | I love you (casual, partner, child) |
| 사랑해요 | saranghaeyo | I love you (polite, warm) (parent, spouse, tender register) |
| 사랑합니다 | saranghamnida | I love you (formal) (letter, speech, solemn moment) |
사랑해 vs 좋아해: the beginner trap
THE classic confusion: thinking 좋아해 is just a "softer" version of 사랑해. It's not.
• 사랑해 = I love you, in the strong romantic or deep familial sense. • 좋아해 (joahae) = I like you / I have a crush on you / I fancy you.
좋아해 comes from 좋다 (to be good). It's a more measured statement, used at the start of a relationship, to confess a crush, or simply to say you like someone. Dropping 사랑해 too early on a Korean partner sounds excessive, even slightly intense.
Typical relationship arc: you start with 좋아해 (I like you), move to 너무 좋아해 (I really like you a lot), and only get to 사랑해 once the relationship has settled.
| Hangul | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 좋아해 | joahae | I like you, I fancy you (early relationship, confessing a crush) |
| 좋아해요 | joahaeyo | I like you (polite) (polite, measured statement) |
| 너무 좋아해 | neomu joahae | I really like you a lot (stepping stone before 사랑해) |
I miss you: 보고 싶어
Korean has a beautiful phrase for "I miss you": 보고 싶어 (bogo sipeo), literally "I want to see you". It's what you say to someone traveling, a parent you haven't seen in a while, or a long-distance partner.
The polite version is 보고 싶어요 (bogo sipeoyo). To intensify: 너무 보고 싶어 ("I miss you so much").
It's also the line you'll hear most in Korean love songs, for the nuance of absence and longing it carries.
| Hangul | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 보고 싶어 | bogo sipeo | I miss you (casual, to a far-away close person) |
| 보고 싶어요 | bogo sipeoyo | I miss you (polite) (to a parent, polite register) |
| 너무 보고 싶어 | neomu bogo sipeo | I miss you so much (intensity, long absence) |
| 많이 사랑해 | mani saranghae | I love you so much (emotional intensity) |
Korean terms of endearment
Korean uses very common pet names between partners. A few classics:
• 자기야 (jagiya): "honey / babe", the most common romantic pet name. 자기 means "self" and the -야 suffix marks the call. • 여보 (yeobo): traditional pet name for married couples, equivalent of "my love". • 우리 (uri) + first name: affectionate possessive, "my X" (literally "our X"). Very common with a partner's name.
For everyday gestures, the word for a soft "kiss" is 뽀뽀 (ppoppo) for a tender peck, and 키스 (kiseu, loanword) for a romantic kiss.
| Hangul | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 자기야 | jagiya | Honey, babe (couples, common pet name) |
| 여보 | yeobo | My love (married couples) (traditional, marital) |
| 우리 자기 | uri jagi | My honey (very affectionate) |
| 뽀뽀 | ppoppo | A peck, a kiss (tender, both childlike and romantic) |
Beyond romance: parents and very close friends
사랑해 isn't limited to romance. Koreans say 사랑해요 to parents, grandparents, and more rarely to very close friends in big moments (a birthday, a goodbye).
To a parent, it's 사랑해요 (with the polite -요) that fits, never plain 사랑해. To a child, 사랑해 sounds right: tender and accessible.
Between friends, saying 사랑해 stays rare and a bit charged. Affection is more often expressed with 고마워 (thanks, with a broader emotional weight) or 너 진짜 좋아 ("I really like you").
| Hangul | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 엄마, 사랑해요 | eomma, saranghaeyo | Mom, I love you (to a parent, polite + tender) |
| 딸, 사랑해 | ttal, saranghae | Daughter, I love you (parent to child) |
| 고마워, 사랑해 | gomawo, saranghae | Thank you, I love you (big moment between close people) |
Common mistakes to avoid
Three classic traps for English speakers discovering Korean love language:
1. Saying 사랑해 too early. For Koreans, 사랑해 marks a serious step. Early in a relationship you stay on 좋아해. Moving too fast can make the other person uncomfortable.
2. Confusing 좋아해 and 사랑해. 좋아해 = "I like you / fancy you". 사랑해 = "I love you". It's not about intensity of the same phrase, they are TWO different statements.
3. Using 사랑해 between friends. Outside of very specific moments, it sounds odd or ambiguous. Prefer 너 진짜 좋아 ("I really like you") or a 고마워 carrying emotion.
Related words
| Hangul | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 사랑하다 | to love (verb) (root of 사랑해) | |
| 좋아하다 | to like, to fancy (root of 좋아해) | |
| 보고싶다 | to miss, to want to see | |
| 사랑 | love (noun) | |
| 마음 | heart, mind (the seat of feelings) | |
| 좋다 | to be good |
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between 사랑해 and 좋아해?
사랑해 means "I love you" in the strong romantic or deep familial sense. 좋아해 means "I like you / I fancy you" and is used at the start of a relationship or to confess a crush. They are NOT two variants of the same phrase, they are two different statements. Jumping to 사랑해 too early sounds excessive to a Korean.
Which version should I use: 사랑해, 사랑해요 or 사랑합니다?
사랑해 is casual (partner, child, close person). 사랑해요 is polite and warm, what you'll say most often to a parent or in a settled couple. 사랑합니다 is formal, mostly written or in a solemn context (letter, speech, wishes). For everyday relationship use, 사랑해요 is the most natural choice.
How do you say "I miss you" in Korean?
Say 보고 싶어 (bogo sipeo, casual) or 보고 싶어요 (polite), literally "I want to see you". To intensify: 너무 보고 싶어 ("I miss you so much"). One of the most beautiful and common phrases in Korean love language.
Can you say 사랑해 to friends?
It's rare and can sound ambiguous. Among friends, attachment is more often expressed with 너 진짜 좋아 ("I really like you"), a 고마워 carrying emotion, or a familiar nickname. 사랑해 between friends is saved for big moments (birthday, goodbye, reunion after long absence).