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Korean grammar

고 싶어요: how to say want to in Korean

To say you want to do something, take the verb stem (the dictionary form without 다) and add 고 싶어요: 가다 becomes 가고 싶어요, I want to go. The 고 attaches to the bare stem, so there is no 아/어 choice to make, and 싶어요 carries the tense and politeness for the whole phrase.

Examples are written in Hangul. New to it? Start with the hangul chart.

In short

  • Verb stem + 고 싶어요: 가다 → 가고 싶어요 (I want to go), 먹다 → 먹고 싶어요 (I want to eat).
  • No 아/어 choice: 보다 → 보고 싶어요, 마시다 → 마시고 싶어요, 공부하다 → 공부하고 싶어요.
  • The object usually keeps 을/를: 커피를 마시고 싶어요. You will also hear 이/가 there: 커피가 마시고 싶어요.
  • Past and negative go on 싶다: 가고 싶었어요 (I wanted to go), 가고 싶지 않아요 or 안 가고 싶어요 (I don't want to go).
  • 고 싶어요 is for your own wishes and for asking the listener. For someone else, use 고 싶어해요: 친구가 가고 싶어해요. And 보고 싶어요 also means I miss you.

verb stem + 고 싶어요

To say 'I want to (verb)', take the verb stem (drop 다) and add 고 싶어요. 가다 → 가고 싶어요 ('I want to go'). 먹다 → 먹고 싶어요 ('I want to eat'). 보다 → 보고 싶어요 ('I want to watch'; it also means 'I miss you'!).

  • 가고 싶어요

    gago sipeoyo

    want to go

  • 먹고 싶어요

    meokgo sipeoyo

    want to eat

  • 밥을 먹고 싶어요

    I want to eat rice

Check yourself

Questions from the course. Pick an answer to check it; nothing is saved.

  1. 1.'I want to eat.' Pick the Korean.

  2. 2.'I want to go home.' Pick the Korean.

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