😊 “-고 싶어요” Made Easy — Say What You Want (Politely) in Korean
“-고 싶어요” Made Easy — Say What You Want (Politely) in Korean
Want to eat kimchi, visit Seoul, or study Korean? In natural conversations, Koreans say it with -고 싶어요 — a polite, beginner-friendly pattern you’ll use every day.
무엇을 하고 싶다를 공손하게 말할 때 -고 싶어요를 씁니다.
📚 Table of Contents
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🌟 Meaning of “-고 싶어요”
-고 싶어요 literally means “(I) want to + verb.” It’s polite and fits most daily situations (ordering, inviting, planning).
의미: “동사 + -고 싶어요” = “~하고 싶어요(원한다)”. 일상 대화에서 공손하고 안전한 표현.
📝 Step-by-Step Formation
- Start with the dictionary form (…다). 사전형(…다)에서 시작
- Remove “다” → get the stem. 예) 먹다 → 먹, 가다 → 가
- Add “-고 싶어요” to the stem. 예) 먹 + 고 싶어요 → 먹고 싶어요
🧭 Quick Forms (use these a lot)
| Form | Pattern | Example | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | V-고 싶어요 | 가고 싶어요 (I want to go) | Most conversations |
| Negative | V-고 싶지 않아요 | 먹고 싶지 않아요 (I don’t want to eat) | Declining softly |
| Past desire | V-고 싶었어요 | 보고 싶었어요 (I wanted to see) | Talking about before |
| Question (polite) | V-고 싶어요? | 쉬고 싶어요? (Do you want to rest?) | Offering options |
| Ask about others (more formal) | V-고 싶으세요? | 무엇을 드시고 싶으세요? | Customers, seniors |
| 3rd-person “wants” (he/she) | -고 싶어해요 | 친구가 가고 싶어해요 (He/She wants to go) | Report someone’s desire |
💬 Example Sentences
- 김치 먹고 싶어요. — I want to eat kimchi.
- 서울에 가고 싶어요. — I want to go to Seoul.
- 한국어 공부하고 싶어요. — I want to study Korean.
- 커피 마시고 싶지 않아요. — I don’t want to drink coffee.
- 오늘은 쉬고 싶었어요. — I wanted to rest today.
Pattern spotted? Verb stem + -고 싶어요 repeats. Make 3 lines with your hobbies (travel, read, watch dramas). 취미 3개로 문장 3줄 만들기.
🗣️ Practice Dialogue
A: 오늘 뭐 하고 싶어요? — What do you want to do today?
B: 영화 보고 싶어요. — I want to watch a movie.
A: 팝콘도 먹고 싶어요? — Do you also want to eat popcorn?
B: 네, 팝콘도 먹고 싶어요!
👩🏫 Teacher’s Tips & Common Mistakes
🌏 Cultural Note
Korean is sensitive to politeness. Beginners often forget -요, which can sound blunt. Keep -고 싶어요 in public settings; drop to -고 싶어 only with close friends of the same age.
일기/독백에서는 -고 싶다 형태를 자주 사용합니다. 예) 한국에 가고 싶다.
📝 Mini Drills (1–2 min)
- Make it polite: 가다 → ________ (I want to go)
- Make it negative: 먹다 → ________ (I don’t want to eat)
- Past desire: 보다 → ________ (I wanted to see)
- Ask politely: 쉬다 → ________? (Do you want to rest?)
- 3rd person: 친구가 가다 → 친구가 ________ (My friend wants to go)
Show answers
1) 가고 싶어요 · 2) 먹고 싶지 않아요 · 3) 보고 싶었어요 · 4) 쉬고 싶으세요? · 5) 가고 싶어해요
🔗 Keep Learning
🎓 Want real-life practice with polite speech? Book a 1:1 italki session — we’ll role-play ordering, inviting, and planning with -고 싶어요.
Tags: Korean grammar, -고 싶어요, polite Korean, beginner Korean, desire expressions, mini drills
Tip: Speak your plan out loud: “오늘 무엇을 하고 싶어요?”
