How to Say "I Want To" in Korean: ~고 싶어요 Explained

So you want to tell someone what you want to do in Korean - but you're not sure how.

Maybe you want to say "I want to eat Korean food" or "I want to go to Seoul." In Korean, there's one grammar pattern that handles all of this beautifully: ~고 싶어요 (go sipeoyo).

In this post, you'll learn exactly how to use it, see plenty of real examples, and avoid the most common mistakes beginners make.

What Does ~고 싶어요 Mean?

~고 싶어요 literally means "I want to [do something]."

It always attaches to a verb, and it expresses a personal desire or wish - something you want to do right now, soon, or in general.

🗣️ Quick example: 먹고 싶어요. → I want to eat.

Simple, right? Let's break down exactly how to build it.

How to Form ~고 싶어요

The structure is straightforward:

Verb stem + 고 싶어요

To find the verb stem, just remove 다 from the dictionary form of the verb.

✅ Good news: there are no irregular forms with this pattern. Every verb follows the same rule.

~고 싶어요 in Real Sentences

Now let's see it in action. Pay attention to the Literal vs Natural translations - they're often different, and understanding this gap is key to really getting Korean.

🍽️ Food & Drinks

한국 음식을 먹고 싶어요.

• Literal: Korean food [object] eat want to
• Natural: I want to eat Korean food.

커피를 마시고 싶어요.

• Literal: Coffee [object] drink want to
• Natural: I want to drink coffee.

라면을 먹고 싶어요.

• Literal: Ramen [object] eat want to
• Natural: I want to eat ramen.

냉면을 먹어본 적이 없어서 꼭 먹고 싶어요.

• Natural: I've never tried naengmyeon (cold noodles) before, so I really want to eat it.

✈️ Travel & Places

서울에 가고 싶어요.

• Literal: Seoul [to] go want to
• Natural: I want to go to Seoul.

제주도에서 쉬고 싶어요.

• Literal: Jeju Island [in/at] rest want to
• Natural: I want to rest in Jeju Island.

한국에서 살고 싶어요.

• Literal: Korea [in] live want to
• Natural: I want to live in Korea.

부산의 바다를 보고 싶어요.

• Literal: Busan's ocean [object] see want to
• Natural: I want to see the ocean in Busan.

📚 Learning Korean

한국어를 배우고 싶어요.

• Natural: I want to learn Korean.

한국어를 잘 하고 싶어요.

• Natural: I want to speak Korean well.

한국 드라마를 자막 없이 보고 싶어요.

• Natural: I want to watch Korean dramas without subtitles.

한국 친구를 만들고 싶어요.

• Natural: I want to make Korean friends.

😴 Everyday Life

오늘은 그냥 쉬고 싶어요.

• Natural: Today, I just want to rest.

새 옷을 사고 싶어요.

• Natural: I want to buy new clothes.

강아지를 키우고 싶어요.

• Natural: I want to raise a dog.

친구와 이야기하고 싶어요.

• Natural: I want to talk with my friend.

How to Say "I Don't Want To" → ~고 싶지 않아요

To say you don't want to do something, add 지 않아요 after 고 싶:

Verb stem + 고 싶지 않아요

💡 In casual speech, Koreans also say ~고 싶지 않아 (without 요) with close friends or people younger than you.

How to Say "I Wanted To" (Past Tense) → ~고 싶었어요

To talk about something you wanted to do in the past, change 싶어요 to 싶었어요:

Verb stem + 고 싶었어요

🗣️ Real-life example: 어렸을 때 선생님이 되고 싶었어요. When I was young, I wanted to become a teacher.

Asking "What Do You Want To Do?" → 뭐 하고 싶어요?

You can use the same pattern to ask questions. Just raise your intonation at the end.

These are super useful in real conversations — especially when making plans with Korean friends!

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Mistake 1: Using ~고 싶어요 for things (nouns)

~고 싶어요 is only for verbs - things you want to do.

For things you want to have, use ~을/를 원해요 or ~이/가 갖고 싶어요 instead.

• ❌ 커피 고 싶어요. (wrong)
• ✅ 커피를 마시고 싶어요. I want to drink coffee. (verb)
• ✅ 새 가방이 갖고 싶어요. I want a new bag. (noun → use 갖다)

❌ Mistake 2: Forgetting that Korean drops the subject

In Korean, "I" (저 or 나) is almost always dropped from sentences — it's implied.

• ❌ 저는 서울에 가고 싶어요. (grammatically correct, but unnatural)
• ✅ 서울에 가고 싶어요. (more natural — subject is implied)

Quick Practice

Try translating these into Korean using ~고 싶어요. Answers below! 👇

1. I want to go to Korea.
2. I want to eat tteokbokki (떡볶이).
3. I don't want to work today.
4. What do you want to drink?
5. I wanted to meet you.

Answers:

1. 한국에 가고 싶어요.
2. 떡볶이를 먹고 싶어요.
3. 오늘 일하고 싶지 않아요.
4. 뭐 마시고 싶어요?
5. 만나고 싶었어요.

Summary

~고 싶어요 is one of the most useful grammar patterns at the A1 level. Once you've got this down, you'll be able to express your desires, ask questions, and have real conversations - even at a beginner level.

Ready to Go Beyond Single Phrases?

If you're serious about building a real foundation in Korean - not just memorizing random expressions, but actually understanding how the language works - the Today Korean A1 Masterclass is designed exactly for you.

You'll learn grammar patterns like ~고 싶어요 in context, with structured lessons, clear explanations, and plenty of practice - all in English.

👉 Join the waitlist for the A1 Masterclass