고 싶다 & 보고 싶다
Wishes without impoliteness.
Goals
고 싶다 desires; 보고 싶다 for people.
Steps
- Stem + 고 싶어요.
- Polite questions: 뭐 먹고 싶어요?
- Avoid over-strong requests to superiors.
Common mistakes
- Forcing 싶다 on every wish idiom.
Study rhythm: Skim “고 싶다 & 보고 싶다” for structure, then re-read aloud. Fifteen-minute sessions usually beat one long cram when you are learning Korean from scratch.
Hands-on: Write three new sentences (do not copy the examples) using this pattern. When you learn Korean, forcing fresh sentences shows gaps early.
Listening: Pair this lesson with any short clip whose Korean subtitles reuse the same grammar. Notice endings in interviews versus narrators — the same rule may sound softer or stiffer.
Particles & patience: If vocabulary is easy but sentences feel wrong, slow down on markers. Revisit the core explanation above before adding more flashcards.
Examples & practice: mini conversation
Read across: English meaning → Korean sentence → romanization (Konglish-style pronunciation guide, not official MR).
| Speaker | English | Korean | Romanization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 웨이터 | Ready to order? | 주문하시겠어요? | jumunhasiges-eoyo? |
| 손님 | 비빔밥 먹고 싶어요. 맵지 않게 해 주세요. | bibimbap meokgo sipeoyo. mapji anh-ge hae juseyo. | bibimbap meokgo sipeoyo. mapji anh-ge hae juseyo. |
| 웨이터 | 고 싶다 attaches to verb stem—eat want. | ‘먹고 싶다’ 패턴. | meokgo sipda paeteon. |
| 손님 | 친구가 보고 싶어요—she moved to Busan. | 친구가 보고 싶어요. | chingu-ga bogo sipeoyo. |
| 웨이터 | Souju? Want some? | 소주도 드릴까요? | sojudo deurilk-kayo? |
| 손님 | Today only food—next time. | 오늘은 밥만요. | oneur-eun babman-yo. |