TalkToMeInKorean.com - Free Korean Lesson Notes
LEVEL 1 LESSON 13
This PDF is to be used along with the MP3 audio lesson available at TalkToMeInKorean.com.
Please feel free to share TalkToMeInKorean’s free Korean lessons and PDF files with anybody who
is studying Korean. If you have any questions or feedback, visit TalkToMeInKorean.com.
In this lesson, we are going to study how to say “I want to...” in Korean.
In the previous lessons, we learned how to say that something is delicious, and also how to
thank for the food you are going to eat.
맛있어요. [ma-si-sseo-yo] = It’s delicious.
잘 먹겠습니다. [ jal meok-ge-sseum-ni-da] = Thank you for the food. I will enjoy it.
But before you order something in a restaurant in a coffee shop, you might as well ask your
friends what they want to eat, and also tell them what you want to eat.
In English, you add the expression “want to” before the verb, but in Korean, you need to change
the end of the verb. But don’t worry. It’s not too difficult to do.
-고 싶어요 [-go si-peo-yo] = I want to ...
Now, let’s practice.
Here are some frequently used Korean verbs.
가다 [ga-da] = to go
보다 [bo-da] = to see
먹다 [meok-da] = to eat
And changing these verbs into the -고 싶어요 form is very simple.
Just drop the 다 [da] (the last letter in all Korean verbs) and add -고 싶어요 [-go sipeoyo].
to go = 가다 [ga-da] ---> 가 + -고 싶어요
가고 싶어요 [ga-go si-peo-yo]
I want to go.
to see = 보다 [bo-da] ---> 보 + -고 싶어요
보고 싶어요 [bo-go si-peo-yo]
I want to see/look/watch.
to eat = 먹다 [meok-da] ---> 먹 + -고 싶어요
먹고 싶어요 [meok-go si-peo-yo]
I want to eat.
Sample conversation
A: 뭐 먹고 싶어요? [mwo meok-go si-peo-yo?] = What do you want to eat?
B: 햄버거 먹고 싶어요. [haem-beo-geo meok-go si-peo-yo] = I want to eat a hamburger.
Here’s a useful word to know.
더 [deo] = more
Now that you know how to say “I want to eat (it)” you can say “I want to eat more.” using this
word (더).
먹고 싶어요. [meok-go si-peo-yo] = I want to eat it.
더 먹고 싶어요. [deo meok-go si-peo-yo] = I want to eat more.
** Note the word order here.
-END-