What does 사랑 (sarang) mean?
- 사랑sarang
Love
Fine in most situations
사랑 (sarang) means "love" in Korean. It is the noun, the way you would say "love" in "first love" or "love story." To say "I love you," you turn it into a verb: 사랑해.
Where it comes from
사랑 is the everyday Korean noun for love. Its older history is debated, so the simple version is enough: add 하다 (to do) and it becomes the verb 사랑하다, "to love."
How to use 사랑
You will find 사랑 in countless song titles, drama names and phrases like 첫사랑 (first love) and 짝사랑 (one-sided love).
It covers every kind of love: romantic, family, friends, and love for a country or a hobby.
A common phrase is 사랑에 빠지다, "to fall in love." Learners sometimes say 사랑 when they mean "I love you." The noun alone just means "love," so use 사랑해.
Examples
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Telling a friend the big news
Confused about new feelings
After a hard week in a relationship
Other ways to say it
| Korean | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|
| 사랑하다 | To love | Verb form. |
| 사랑해 | I love you | Casual verb form. |
| 사랑에 빠지다 | To fall in love | Literally "to fall into love." |
| 첫사랑 | First love | 첫 means "first." |
| 사랑스럽다 | To be lovely | Adjective: lovable, adorable. |
Questions learners ask
What is the difference between sarang and saranghae?
사랑 is the noun "love." 사랑해 is the verb form and means "I love you."
How do you say "fall in love" in Korean?
Say 사랑에 빠지다. "I fell in love" is 사랑에 빠졌어.