좋아해
choh-ah-hae
joahae
좋아하다
To say to like politely in the present tense, use 좋아해요 (choh-ah-hae-yoh) · joahaeyo. Below is the full conjugation of 좋아하다 across the three tenses and three everyday speech levels.
Grammar note (하다 (irregular)): 하다 (to do) is the base of Korean's most common verb class. It conjugates irregularly: the ㅏ in 하 contracts with the -아/-어 ending to give 해 instead of the expected *하어. Present polite: 해요; past: 했어요; future: 할 거예요. The formal form is 합니다. See all 하다 verbs →
Conjugation table
pron. = pronunciation guide · RR = Revised Romanization
Highlighted = where the stem changes
| Tense | Casual (반말) | Polite (요) | Formal (합니다) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | 좋아해요 choh-ah-hae-yoh joahaeyo | 좋아합니다 choh-ah-hahm-nee-dah joahamnida | |
| Past | 좋아했어 choh-ah-hae-ssuh joahaesseo | 좋아했어요 choh-ah-hae-ssuh-yoh joahaesseoyo | 좋아했습니다 choh-ah-hae-sseum-nee-dah joahaesseumnida |
| Future | 좋아할 거야 choh-ah-hahl guh-yah joahal geoya | 좋아할 거예요 choh-ah-hahl guh-yae-yoh joahal geoyeyo | 좋아할 겁니다 choh-ah-hahl guhm-nee-dah joahal geomnida |
Example sentences
- casual present너 매운 음식 좋아해?Do you like spicy food?
- polite present저는 고양이를 좋아해요.I like cats.
- formal present많은 한국 사람들이 등산을 좋아합니다.Many Koreans enjoy hiking.
- casual past어렸을 때 무슨 만화 좋아했어?What cartoons did you like as a kid?
- polite past어렸을 때 공룡을 정말 좋아했어요.I really loved dinosaurs as a kid.
- formal past손님들이 새 메뉴를 많이 좋아했습니다.Customers really liked the new menu.
- casual future이 게임 너도 좋아할 거야.You’ll like this game too.
- polite future아이들이 이 공원을 좋아할 거예요.The kids will like this park.
- formal future젊은 고객들이 이 디자인을 좋아할 겁니다.Younger customers will like this design.
- honorific -(으)세요어떤 음식을 좋아하세요?What kind of food do you like?
How it’s used
좋아하다 is a verb meaning to like, and the thing you like takes 을/를: 커피를 좋아해요. It is also how people confess romantic feelings: 너 좋아해 (“I like you”). Compare the adjective 좋다, which takes 이/가: 커피가 좋아요 also means “I like coffee.”
Common mistake
Mixing the particles of 좋다 and 좋아하다: ✗ 커피가 좋아해요 or 커피를 좋아요 → ✓ 커피를 좋아해요 or 커피가 좋아요.
Other useful forms
Honorific / Command Polite (-(으)세요)
좋아하세요
choh-ah-hah-sae-yoh
joahaseyo
Suggestion / Let's Polite (요)
좋아해요
choh-ah-hae-yoh
joahaeyo
Question Polite (요)
좋아해요?
choh-ah-hae-yoh-?
joahaeyo?
Connective "and" — (고)
좋아하고
choh-ah-hah-goh
joahago
Conditional "if" — (면)
좋아하면
choh-ah-hah-myuhn
joahamyeon
Progressive (고 있어요)
좋아하고 있어요
choh-ah-hah-goh ee-ssuh-yoh
joahago isseoyo
Want to (고 싶어요)
좋아하고 싶어요
choh-ah-hah-goh shee-puh-yoh
joahago sipeoyo
Can / Able to ((으)ㄹ 수 있어요)
좋아할 수 있어요
choh-ah-hahl soo ee-ssuh-yoh
joahal su isseoyo
Because / So (아/어서)
좋아해서
choh-ah-hae-suh
joahaeseo
Noun form — (기)
좋아하기
choh-ah-hah-gee
joahagi
Noun form — (음)
좋아함
choh-ah-hahm
joaham