LESSON 31

Wants and Likes

To say I want to … or I would like to … use the gerund form of the verb followed by the helping word sipeoyo = is desired:

Geu yeonghwa-reul bogo sipeoyo.

그 영화를 보고 싶어요.

I want to see that movie.

Dambae-reul sago sipeoyo.

담배를 사고 싶어요.

I want to buy some cigarettes.

Dambae-reul pigo sipeoyo.

담배를 피고 싶어요.

I want to smoke (cigarettes).

Jigeum meokko sipeoyo!

지금 먹고 싶어요.

I want to eat right now!

Gidarigo sipji anayo.

기다리고 싶지 않아요.

I don’t want to wait.

Iyaegi-reul hae deurigo sipeoyo.

이야기를 해드리고 싶어요.

I want to tell you a story.

Oneul pyo-reul sa noko sipeoyo.

오늘 표를 사놓고 싶어요.

I want to buy the tickets today (and keep them).

Gimssi-hante mal hago sipeoyo.

김씨한테 말하고 싶어요.

I want to speak to Mr. Kim.

Jip-e gago sipeoyo.

집에 가고 싶어요.

I want to go home.

Na-neun Hanguk-e ikko sipeoyo.

나는 한국에 있고 싶어요.

I want to stay in Korea.

Ilbon-e doragago sipji anayo.

일본에 돌아가고 싶지 않아요.

I don’t want to go back to Japan.

But to say someone other than yourself wants to you usually use sipeohaeyo instead of sipeoyo. You can use sipeohaeyo to mean I want to but it’s rather strong like I’m longing to.

To say someone likes something you use the expression joahaseyo (joahaseyo if you’re talking to the person who likes the thing or joahaeyo if you’re talking about something you like):

Geu yeonghwa joasseoyo?

그 영화 좋았어요?

Did you like that movie?

Kkoch-eul joahaseyo?

꽃을 좋아하세요?

Do you like the flowers?

Agideul-eun uyu-reul joahaeyo.

아기들은 우유를 좋아해요.

Babies like milk.

Goyangi-do uyu-reul joahaji anayo?

고양이도 우유를 좋아하지 않아요?

Don’t cats like milk, too?

To say I like something you can use the above expression, or you can use a somewhat weaker (and more sophisticated) expression which means something like as for me, the thing is liked:

Na-neun geu yeonghwa-ga joayo.

나는 그 영화가 좋아요.

I like that movie.

Na-neun yeogi-ga joayo.

나는 여기가 좋아요.

I like this place.

The verb joayo has two meanings: (1) is good, (2) is liked.

Na-neun i eumsiki joayo.

나는 이 음식이 좋아요.

I like this food.

Na-neun Ilbon eul joahaetsseoyo.

나는 일본을 좋아했어요.

I liked Japan.

The expression joahaeyo only means likes.

Notice that the THING you like takes the particle i/ga with the expression joayo; but the particle eul/reul is used with joahaseyo.

To say I like TO DO something you have to use a special form of the verb in front of joayo or joahaeyo. This is the -gi form. The ending is added to the bases just like the gerund (-go) form:

Na-neun yeonghwa bogi-reul joahaeyo.

나는 영화 보기를 좋아해요.

I like to see movies.

Aideul-eun seonmul batgi-reul joahaeyo.

아이들은 선물 받기를 좋아해요.

The children like to get presents.

Harabeoji-kkeseo yeohaeng-eul joahasyeosseoyo.

할아버지께서 여행을 좋아 하셨어요.

My grandfather used to like making trips.

Jungguk eumsik jeom-eseo meokgireul joahaeyo?

중국 음식점에서 먹기를 좋아하세요?

Do you like to eat in Chinese restaurants?

Notice that I WOULD LIKE to is not the same as I LIKE to.

I WOULD like to means I WANT to = -go sipeoyo.

I LIKE to means it is pleasant for me to = -gi joahaeyo.

You may be puzzled why you don’t hear the h in joayo and noayo. H between voiced sounds frequently disappears, and in verb forms like these it usually isn’t pronounced at all. You may even hear a w-like sound between the o and a and want to write the words joayo and noayo.