How to say I love you in Korean

To a partner it is 사랑해 (saranghae), the line every K-drama builds up to. Add 요 to say it to your parents, or go formal for a stage. Here is when each one fits.

To your partner

Casual🎬 K-Drama Hits

사sa랑rang해hae

I love you

saranghae

Confession scene, couples

How it sounds

Written사랑해

Read exactly as written.

사랑love
해do (casual)

Literally: love do

3 forms

Who are you saying it to?

Same love, three levels of politeness.

사랑해I love yousaranghaeTo your partnerCasual
Confession scene, couples
Written사랑해
Read exactly as written.
사랑해요I love yousaranghaeyoTo parents and grandparents, or sweetly to a partnerPolite
Written사랑해요
Read exactly as written.
사랑합니다I love yousaranghamnida · said 사랑함니다Speeches, fans to idols, advertsFormal
Written사랑합니다
Said사랑함니다
1. 1합 → 함Nasal
  ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ sound like ㅇ/ㄴ/ㅁ before ㄴ/ㅁ.
  Sounds turn nasal. Before ㄴ or ㅁ, final ㄱ becomes ㅇ, ㄷ becomes ㄴ and ㅂ becomes ㅁ: 감사합니다 is said 감사함니다. ㄹ after these sounds is said like ㄴ: 정류장 → 정뉴장.

Quick check

You call your mother on her birthday. How do you end the call?

More from the Love & Dating pack

Tap a phrase to see how it really sounds.

나도 사랑해I love you toonado saranghaeCasual
The answer everyone hopes for
Written나도 사랑해
Read exactly as written.
좋아해I like youjoahae · said 조아해Casual
First confession
Written좋아해
Said조아해
1. 1좋 → 조Silent ㅎ
  ㅎ goes silent before a vowel.
  ㅎ goes silent. A final ㅎ before a vowel isn't pronounced. 좋아요 is said 조아요 (jo-a-yo).
보고 싶어I miss youbogo sipeo · said 보고 시퍼Casual
Long-distance call, reunion
Written보고 싶어
Said보고 시퍼
1. 1싶어 → 시퍼Linking
  A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.
  The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).
너밖에 없어You're the only one for meneobakke eopseo · said 너바께 업써Casual
Sweet talk
Written너밖에 없어
Said너바께 업써
1. 1밖에 → 바께Linking
  A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.
  The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).
2. 2없어 → 업써Linking · Tense
  A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ; After a ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ ending, the next ㄱㄷㅂㅅㅈ is squeezed into tense ㄲㄸㅃㅆㅉ.
  The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).
  Tense, doubled sounds. After a final ㄱ ㄷ ㅂ sound, the next ㄱ ㄷ ㅂ ㅅ ㅈ becomes tense: ㄲ ㄸ ㅃ ㅆ ㅉ. 학교 is said 학꾜 (hak-kkyo).
첫눈에 반했어It was love at first sightcheonnune banhaesseo · said 천누네 반해써Casual
Telling a friend about someone
Written첫눈에 반했어
Said천누네 반해써
1. 1첫 → 천7 final sounds · Nasal
  At the end of a syllable, consonants collapse into one of just seven sounds; ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ sound like ㅇ/ㄴ/ㅁ before ㄴ/ㅁ.
  Only seven final sounds. At the end of a syllable Korean has only seven sounds: ㄱ ㄴ ㄷ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅇ. ㅅ ㅆ ㅈ ㅊ ㅌ ㅎ sound like ㄷ, ㅋ ㄲ like ㄱ, ㅍ like ㅂ. 옷 is said 옫 (ot).
  Sounds turn nasal. Before ㄴ or ㅁ, final ㄱ becomes ㅇ, ㄷ becomes ㄴ and ㅂ becomes ㅁ: 감사합니다 is said 감사함니다. ㄹ after these sounds is said like ㄴ: 정류장 → 정뉴장.
2. 2눈에 → 누네Linking
  A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.
  The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).
3. 3했어 → 해써Linking
  A final consonant slides onto the next syllable when that syllable starts with ㅇ.
  The consonant moves forward. When a syllable ends in a consonant and the next one starts with a silent ㅇ, the consonant slides over and starts the next syllable. 먹어 is said 머거 (meo-geo).
자기야Honey / BabejagiyaCasual
What couples call each other
Written자기야
Read exactly as written.

Questions

What does saranghae mean?

사랑 is love and 해 is "do", so 사랑해 is literally "love do". Korean leaves out "I" and "you" when they are obvious.

Is saranghae only romantic?

Mostly. Friends say it jokingly, and families say 사랑해요 or 사랑해. For a crush, 좋아해 ("I like you") comes first.

How do you write I love you in Korean?

사랑해: three blocks, 사 (sa), 랑 (rang) and 해 (hae). The 랑 block ends in ㅇ, which sounds like ng.

More phrases

안녕하세요Hello in Korean 감사합니다Thank you in Korean 미안해Sorry in Korean 잘 지냈어How are you in Korean 귀여워Cute in Korean 건배Cheers in Korean 240All phrases with audio

The whole Love & Dating pack, 30 phrases

Korean alphabet, 240 phrases and quiz games with Korean audio. Works offline.