Love in Korean: 사랑
사랑 (sarang) is the Korean word for love. Hear it, see how it changes in real speech, build it letter by letter and trace each block stroke by stroke.
How do you say 'I love you' in Korean?
Love in Korean is 사랑 (sarang), the noun for romantic love, family love and care for others. To say "I love you", turn it into the verb 사랑하다: 사랑해요 (saranghaeyo).
Love in Korean 사랑: sound, letters and strokes
사랑 Love in KoreanKorean word · noun
사랑 is read sarang.
How 사랑 is used
The verb behind 사랑해요.
A common theme in songs and dramas.
Describing how love starts.
사랑 is the noun 'love', for romance but also for a parent's love and care for others. Common phrases are 사랑에 빠지다 (fall in love), 사랑을 고백하다 (confess your love), and 첫사랑 (first love). To say 'I love you', use the verb 사랑하다: 사랑해요.
How to pronounce 사랑
사랑Say sa – rang. 랑 ends in "ng" as in "song". The r is a light tap, close to the "dd" in American "ladder".
Sound rule
No sound change: sarang. The final ㅇ is a nasal 'ng'.
사랑 letter by letter
How to write 사랑 stroke by stroke
Write 사랑 one block at a time: 사, 랑. Inside every block go from the first consonant to the vowel and then the final consonant, following the numbered strokes.
Trace sa 사 with a finger, mouse or pen: start at the numbered dot, follow the dotted arrow, and press Clear to try again.
Print style 정자체
Follow the numbers and dotted arrows
Handwriting 필기체
Same stroke order as print style
Trace rang 랑 with a finger, mouse or pen: start at the numbered dot, follow the dotted arrow, and press Clear to try again.
Print style 정자체
Follow the numbers and dotted arrows
Handwriting 필기체
Same stroke order as print style
When to say 사랑
사랑 in example sentences
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 사랑은 어려워요. | Love is difficult. |
| 첫사랑을 기억해요? | Do you remember your first love? |
| 가족의 사랑이 고마워요. | I am grateful for my family's love. |
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 그 둘은 첫눈에 서로에게 반해 금세 사랑에 빠져 버렸다. | The two fell for each other at first sight and were soon head over heels in love. |
| 나 좋아하는 그녀에게 사랑을 고백할까 해. / 그 여자가 네 마음을 받아줘서 잘됐으면 좋겠다. | A: I'm thinking of confessing my love to the girl I like. / B: I hope she accepts your feelings and it all works out. |
사랑 in a short conversation
| Who | Korean | English |
|---|---|---|
| A | 이 노래 제목이 뭐예요? | What is the title of this song? |
| B | "사랑"이에요. 사랑에 대한 노래예요. | It is "Sarang". It is a song about love. |
Words and phrases with 사랑
사랑 compared with other love words
| Korean | Meaning | When you use it |
|---|---|---|
| 사랑 | love | Deep love for a partner, family or people. |
| 사랑하다 | to love | The verb: 사랑해요 (I love you). |
| 좋아하다 | to like | Liking a person, food or hobby. |
| 애정 | affection | A more formal, written word for warm feelings. |
| 연애 | dating, romance | Being in a relationship: 연애해요. |
| 짝사랑 | one-sided love | Loving someone who does not love you back. |
A common mistake with 사랑
Translating 'I love pizza' as 피자를 사랑해요. For foods and hobbies, 좋아해요 or 정말 좋아해요 is natural; 사랑해요 is kept for people or for playful exaggeration.
Culture note
Dating couples in Korea commonly count the days since they started going out and celebrate milestones such as 100일 (the 100th day) with a gift or a special meal.
How to practice
Learn 사랑 and 사랑하다 together, and note that 사랑해요 is a strong phrase, used for family, partners and fans.
사랑 in common phrases
사랑에 빠지다 means to fall in love, 첫사랑 is first love, 짝사랑 is a crush that is not returned and 사랑싸움 is a lovers’ quarrel. 사랑 also appears in song and drama titles more than almost any other word.
Particles with 사랑
사랑 ends in a consonant, so it takes 이 and 을: 사랑이 시작됐어요 (love began), 사랑을 고백했어요 (I confessed my love). With 에 it forms 사랑에 빠졌어요, "I fell in love".
사랑 writing worksheet (free printable)
Worksheet · Level 3 · Words
Korean word tracing worksheet: 사랑 (love)
One A4 page for 사랑: trace its 2 blocks (10 strokes), write words that go with it, read three sentences and find 사.
- 1 page
- A4 · US Letter
- PDF · 91 KB
- Free · no sign-up
Want more? See all korean words
Worksheet information
- How to use
- Say 사랑 out loud, trace each block from dark to faint, then write it on the line.
Use of the worksheet:
© KoreanSheets.com · Free to print and share at home and in class. No commercial use — don’t sell it, add it to paid products or post it on other websites. The QR code on the sheet opens this page to listen and trace on screen.
What to learn next
Love in Korean — FAQ
How do you say 'I love you' in Korean?
사랑해요 in polite speech or 사랑해 in casual speech, both from the verb 사랑하다. 사랑합니다 is the formal version, heard in speeches and on stage.
What is the difference between 사랑 and 좋아하다?
사랑 is love, deep and serious. 좋아하다 is 'to like', and said to a person it can mean having a crush; 좋아해 is a lighter confession than 사랑해.
What does sarang mean?
Sarang (사랑) means love. 내 사랑 means "my love", a term couples use for each other.
How do you say my love in Korean?
내 사랑 (nae sarang). It is affectionate and casual, used between partners.
What is 짝사랑 in Korean?
짝사랑 is one-sided love, a crush on someone who does not feel the same. 짝사랑해요 means "I have a crush on someone".
What is the difference between 사랑 and 연애?
사랑 is love itself. 연애 is dating, the relationship between two people: 연애 중이에요 means "I am in a relationship".
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