How to say “I like you” in Korean
- 좋아해요joahaeyo
I like you
"I like you" in Korean is 좋아해요 (joahaeyo), or 좋아해 (joahae) when you speak casually. It comes from 좋아하다 (joahada), "to like", and it is the classic way to confess a crush.
Ways to say it
| Korean | Level | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 좋아해 joahae | Casual | To a friend or crush your own age or younger. The standard casual confession. |
| 좋아해요 joahaeyo | Polite | Polite. Use it with someone you do not speak casually to yet, such as an older classmate or a coworker. |
| 좋아합니다 joahamnida | Formal | Formal and very serious. It can sound like a dramatic, nervous confession. |
| 너 좋아해 neo joahae | Casual | "I like you." Adding 너 (neo, "you") makes it clear you mean the person, not something else. |
| 네가 좋아 nega joa | Casual | Literally "You are good (to me)". A soft, natural way to say you like someone. In speech 네가 often sounds like 니가 (niga). |
Examples
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Confessing to a friend after class
Confessing to an older student
Answering "What do you like about me?"
Tips
In Korean dating culture, a confession is called 고백 (gobaek). It usually starts with 좋아해, not 사랑해. 사랑해 comes later, once you are already a couple.
좋아해 can also mean liking a friend, food or a hobby, so context matters. If you want to be clear it is romantic, people add 진짜 (jinjja, "really") or follow with 사귈래? ("Will you go out with me?").
Watch the particles: 너를 좋아해 (I like you, with 좋아하다) but 네가 좋아 (with 좋다). Both are correct, they just use different verbs.
More on 좋아해 in our Korean phrase guides.
Questions learners ask
What is the difference between joahae and saranghae?
좋아해 (joahae) means "I like you" and is used for crushes and early dating. 사랑해 (saranghae) means "I love you" and is saved for deeper feelings.
How do you confess to someone in Korean?
The simplest confession is 좋아해 (joahae) or, politely, 좋아해요 (joahaeyo). Many people then ask 나랑 사귈래? (narang sagwillae?), "Will you go out with me?"