🌟 How to Use “μ‹Άλ‹€” to Express Desire in Korean

 

How to express desire in Korean

How to Use “μ‹Άλ‹€” to Express Desire in Korean

One of the most common ways to express what you *want to do* in Korean is by using the verb ending μ‹Άλ‹€. It’s simple and powerful — and you’ll hear it all the time in everyday conversations, K-dramas, and even K-pop lyrics! 🎧

πŸ“Œ What is “μ‹Άλ‹€”?

“μ‹Άλ‹€” is a verb that means “to want to do” something. It is always used in conjunction with another verb's stem. This structure expresses the subject's desire to perform an action.

🧱 Structure

Verb stem + -κ³  μ‹Άμ–΄μš”

“-κ³  μ‹Άμ–΄μš”” is the polite present tense form of “μ‹Άλ‹€.”

Verb Verb Stem Form with μ‹Άμ–΄μš”
λ¨Ήλ‹€ (to eat) λ¨Ή λ¨Ήκ³  μ‹Άμ–΄μš”
κ°€λ‹€ (to go) κ°€ κ°€κ³  μ‹Άμ–΄μš”
보닀 (to see/watch) 보 보고 μ‹Άμ–΄μš”

πŸ—£️ Example Sentences

Korean Romanization English
μ˜ν™”λ₯Ό 보고 μ‹Άμ–΄μš”. yeonghwareul bogo sipeoyo I want to watch a movie.
ν•œκ΅­μ— κ°€κ³  μ‹Άμ–΄μš”. hanguge gago sipeoyo I want to go to Korea.
κΉ€μΉ˜μ°Œκ°œλ₯Ό λ¨Ήκ³  μ‹Άμ–΄μš”. kimchijjigaereul meokgo sipeoyo I want to eat kimchi stew.

πŸ“˜ Negative Form

To express something you don’t want to do, use ~κ³  μ‹Άμ§€ μ•Šμ•„μš”.

  • μš΄λ™ν•˜κ³  μ‹Άμ§€ μ•Šμ•„μš”. (undonghago sipji anayo) → I don’t want to exercise.
  • κ³΅λΆ€ν•˜κ³  μ‹Άμ§€ μ•Šμ•„μš”. (gongbuhago sipji anayo) → I don’t want to study.

🧠 Cultural Note

In Korean culture, it’s often seen as polite and indirect to use “μ‹Άλ‹€” when expressing your wishes. It’s softer than imperative forms and shows a respectful attitude, especially in conversation with elders or superiors.

πŸ‘©‍🏫 Practice Makes Perfect

Want to confidently use “μ‹Άλ‹€” in real conversations? Join my personalized Korean classes on italki where we practice grammar points like this through real-life roleplays and dialogues. I’ll help you speak naturally and accurately. 😊

πŸ’¬ What do you want to do today?
Leave your answer in Korean below using “-κ³  μ‹Άμ–΄μš”.”
Let’s practice together in the comments!
🏷️ 라벨: Korean Grammar, Intermediate Korean, Korean Desire Expressions, μ‹Άλ‹€ Grammar, italki Korean Tutor

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

🚨 Korean Emergency Numbers and What to Do

🍒 Korean Street Food You Must Try (떑볢이, 핫도그, κΉ€λ°₯ λ“±)

πŸŽ“ Hangul for Absolute Beginners: Read Korean in Minutes!