-기 싫다 in Korean: “don't want to, hate doing”
-기 싫다
-gi silta
don't want to, hate doing
Beginner · Saying what you think and feel
-기 싫다 (-gi silta) means "I don't want to" or "I hate doing." It's how you say you really don't feel like doing something, like getting up on a Monday.
How to form it
| When | Add | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Any verb stem | + 기 싫다 | 가다 → 가기 싫어요 |
| With the subject marker (optional) | + 기가 싫다 | 일어나다 → 일어나기가 싫어요 |
| Talking about someone else | + 기 싫어하다 | 먹다 → 먹기 싫어해요 |
How to use it
-기 turns the verb into "doing," and 싫다 means "disliked" or "unwanted." Together they show a strong, emotional "I don't want to." You hear it a lot in casual speech: 가기 싫어!
싫다 describes your own feelings. For another person, Korean uses 싫어하다: 동생이 공부하기 싫어해요 ("My sibling doesn't like studying").
Even with 요, it is quite direct. To an older person or at work, -고 싶지 않아요 ("I'd rather not") sounds softer.
Examples
Tap a word to see what it means and save it to your flashcards.
Sunday night blues
Feeling lazy
A parent to a child
Talking about your son
Don’t mix it up with
-고 싶지 않다: -고 싶지 않다 is a calm "I don't want to." -기 싫다 is more emotional and direct, closer to "I hate doing it."
-기 싫어하다: Use 싫다 for your own feelings and 싫어하다 for someone else's. This follows the same rule as 싶다 and 싶어하다.
Common mistakes
Using 싫다 for another person, like 친구가 가기 싫어요. Say 친구가 가기 싫어해요 instead.
Putting 싫어요 after a noun when you mean an activity, like 공부 싫어요. That means "I hate studying (as a thing)." For "I don't want to study," say 공부하기 싫어요.
Want the basics first? Read "Want to" in Korean (-고 싶다).
Questions learners ask
What does 하기 싫어 mean?
It means "I don't want to do it." It's casual and a little whiny, the kind of thing you say to friends or family.
Is 하기 싫어요 rude?
It isn't rude, but it is blunt. With a boss or an older person, -고 싶지 않아요 or a softer excuse usually sounds better.