Korean grammar · Beginner (A1)
Likes and wants: 좋아하다, 좋다, -고 싶다
좋아하다 with 을/를 vs 좋다 with 이/가, 싫어하다 and 싫다, -고 싶다 (want to), -고 싶어 하다 for other people, and wishes with -았/었으면 좋겠다.
좋아하다 and 싫어하다 + 을/를
(joahada) means “to like” and (sireohada) “to dislike”. They are action verbs, so the thing you like is an object and takes 을 / 를: (gimchijjigaereul joahaeyo), I like kimchi stew.
To say how much, add (jeongmal, really), (aju, very) or (jeil, most) before the verb, or (byeollo) with a negative for “not really”. (sireohaeyo) is quite strong; (byeollo an joahaeyo) is the softer, more common way to say you don't like something.
- 저는 김치찌개를 좋아해요.Jeoneun gimchijjigaereul joahaeyo.I like kimchi stew.
- 무슨 음식을 좋아해요?Museun eumsigeul joahaeyo?What food do you like?
- 저는 생선을 별로 안 좋아해요.Jeoneun saengseoneul byeollo an joahaeyo.I don't really like fish.
- 제 동생은 채소를 싫어해요.Je dongsaengeun chaesoreul sireohaeyo.My younger brother hates vegetables.
좋다 and 싫다 + 이/가
(jota) is a descriptive verb: “to be good, to be liked”. With it, the thing you like is the subject and takes 이 / 가, while you are the topic: (jeoneun yeoreumi joayo), I like summer, literally “as for me, summer is good”. (silta) works the same way: (jeoneun gyeouri sireoyo), I don't like winter.
expresses your own feeling, right now. states a general fact and is used for other people: (Minjun ssineun chukgureul joahaeyo), Minjun likes football. On its own, also means “OK, sounds good”.
| Verb | Type | Particle on the thing | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| (joahada) to like | action | 을 / 를 | (keopireul joahaeyo) |
| (jota) to be good, liked | descriptive | 이 / 가 | (keopiga joayo) |
| (sireohada) to dislike | action | 을 / 를 | (bireul sireohaeyo) |
| (silta) to be disliked | descriptive | 이 / 가 | (biga sireoyo) |
- 저는 여름이 좋아요.Jeoneun yeoreumi joayo.I like summer.
- 민준 씨는 축구를 좋아해요.Minjun ssineun chukgureul joahaeyo.Minjun likes football.
- 내일 같이 점심 먹어요. 좋아요.Naeil gachi jeomsim meogeoyo. Joayo.Let's have lunch together tomorrow. Sounds good.
-고 싶다: want to
To say what you want to do, add -고 싶어요 to the verb stem: → (gago sipeoyo), I want to go; → (meokgo sipeoyo), I want to eat. There is only one form, whatever the stem ends in.
Everyday Korean has no simple verb for “want” + a thing. You say what you want to do with it: (keopi masigo sipeoyo), I want (to drink) a coffee. The object can take 을 / 를 or 이 / 가; 이 / 가 stresses the thing: (bibimbabi meokgo sipeoyo), it's bibimbap I feel like.
The negative is (gago sipji anayo) or, more casually, (an gago sipeoyo). The past is (gago sipeosseoyo), I wanted to go.
- 한국에 가고 싶어요.Hanguge gago sipeoyo.I want to go to Korea.
- 뭐 먹고 싶어요?Mwo meokgo sipeoyo?What do you want to eat?
- 비빔밥이 먹고 싶어요.Bibimbabi meokgo sipeoyo.I feel like bibimbap.
- 오늘은 집에서 쉬고 싶어요.Oneureun jibeseo swigo sipeoyo.I want to rest at home today.
- 창가 쪽 방으로 하고 싶어요.Changga jjok bangeuro hago sipeoyo.I'd like a room by the window.
-고 싶어 하다: what other people want
Korean treats feelings and wishes as something only the person feeling them can state directly. For your own wishes, and in questions to the person you're talking to, use -고 싶어요. When you talk about someone else, use -고 싶어 해요, “shows that they want to”: (dongsaengi Hanguge gago sipeo haeyo), my brother wants to go to Korea.
The same -아 / -어 하다 change turns other feeling words into verbs about other people: (jota) → (joahada), (silta) → (sireohada).
- 동생이 한국에 가고 싶어 해요.Dongsaengi Hanguge gago sipeo haeyo.My younger brother wants to go to Korea.
- 아이들이 바다에 가고 싶어 해요.Aideuri badae gago sipeo haeyo.The children want to go to the sea.
- 서연 씨도 오고 싶어 했어요.Seoyeon ssido ogo sipeo haesseoyo.Seoyeon wanted to come too.
Hopes and wishes: -았/었으면 좋겠다
To say what you hope for or wish, add -았/었으면 좋겠어요 to the stem (the past form + -으면 + ), literally “if it happened, it would be good”: (hapgyeokhaesseumyeon jokesseoyo), I hope I pass. It works for things you can't control, and for polite hints about what you'd like others to do.
In formal writing and speeches, -기를 바랍니다 is used for good wishes: (joeun haru bonaesigireul baramnida), I hope you have a good day.
- 내일 날씨가 좋았으면 좋겠어요.Naeil nalssiga joasseumyeon jokesseoyo.I hope the weather's nice tomorrow.
- 시험에 합격했으면 좋겠어요.Siheome hapgyeokhaesseumyeon jokesseoyo.I hope I pass the exam.
- 돈이 많았으면 좋겠어요.Doni manasseumyeon jokesseoyo.I wish I had lots of money.