Korean for Accepting an Invitation: Say 'I'd Love to Come' and Ask What to Bring
Learn to accept a Korean invitation warmly with '가고 싶어요' and ask what to bring using '뭘 가져가요?'. Practice a natural polite conversation.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When someone invites you in Korean, accepting with enthusiasm is just as important as knowing how to decline politely. In this lesson, you'll learn how to say 'I'd love to come' and ask what to bring. The key phrase is 가고 싶어요 (gago sipeoyo), which means 'I want to go' and expresses a positive desire to attend. To ask what to bring, you'll use 뭘 가져가요? (mwol gajyeogayo?). We'll also cover the polite request form 뭘 가져가면 돼요? (mwol gajyeogamyeon dwaeyo?), meaning 'What should I bring?' These expressions work for dinners, parties, and casual gatherings. By the end, you'll be able to respond warmly and practically to any invitation.
By the end, you can…
- accept an invitation by saying 'I'd love to come' in Korean.
- ask what to bring using polite Korean expressions.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
가고 싶어요
I'd love to come (I want to go)
ga-go si-peo-yo
Use this to accept an invitation with enthusiasm. It literally means 'I want to go.'
뭘 가져가요?
What should I bring? (What do I take?)
mwol ga-jyeo-ga-yo?
Casual polite way to ask what to bring. Use with friends or people you know well.
뭘 가져가면 돼요?
What should I bring? (What is it okay to bring?)
mwol ga-jyeo-ga-myeon dwae-yo?
More polite and softer. Use with acquaintances, elders, or in formal situations.
고마워요
Thank you
go-ma-wo-yo
Casual polite thank you. Use after accepting an invitation to show gratitude.
감사합니다
Thank you (formal)
gam-sa-ham-ni-da
More formal thank you. Use with people older than you or in formal settings.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern -고 싶어요 (-go sipeoyo) attaches to a verb stem to mean 'I want to [verb].' For 'I want to go,' take the verb 가다 (gada, 'to go'), remove the 다 (da), and add -고 싶어요: 가고 싶어요 (gago sipeoyo). This is a polite and friendly way to accept an invitation. You can use the same pattern with other verbs: 먹고 싶어요 (meokgo sipeoyo, 'I want to eat'), 보다 (boda, 'to see') becomes 보고 싶어요 (bogo sipeoyo, 'I want to see'). To ask what to bring, use 뭘 (mwol, 'what' as object) plus the verb 가져가다 (gajyeogada, 'to take/bring') in a question: 뭘 가져가요? (mwol gajyeogayo?) or the softer 뭘 가져가면 돼요? (mwol gajyeogamyeon dwaeyo?). The latter uses -면 돼요 (-myeon dwaeyo), meaning 'is it okay if...?' or 'should I...?'.
When to use it
Use 가고 싶어요 when you genuinely want to accept an invitation. It sounds warm and positive. For example, if a friend says '우리 집에 저녁 먹으러 와요' (uri jibe jeonyeok meogeureo wayo, 'Come to my house for dinner'), you can reply '가고 싶어요! 고마워요' (gago sipeoyo! gomawoyo, 'I'd love to come! Thank you'). Then ask '뭘 가져가면 돼요?' (mwol gajyeogamyeon dwaeyo?) to find out what to bring. If the host is a close friend, 뭘 가져가요? is fine. If the host is an elder or acquaintance, use the softer 뭘 가져가면 돼요? to show respect. Avoid using 반말 (banmal, casual speech) unless you are very close to the person.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
주말에 우리 집에서 파티가 있어요. 올래요?
There's a party at my house this weekend. Do you want to come?ju-ma-re uri jib-eseo pa-ti-ga isseoyo. ollae-yo?네, 가고 싶어요! 고마워요.
Yes, I'd love to come! Thank you.ne, ga-go si-peo-yo! go-ma-wo-yo.잘됐네요! 뭘 가져올 거예요?
Great! What are you going to bring?jal-dwaen-neyo! mwol ga-jyeo-ol geo-ye-yo?뭘 가져가면 돼요?
What should I bring?mwol ga-jyeo-ga-myeon dwae-yo?A little context goes a long way
In Korean culture, accepting an invitation with enthusiasm is appreciated, but it's also common to ask what to bring to show consideration. Bringing a small gift like fruit, drinks, or dessert is a thoughtful gesture. Use polite language (존댓말, jondaenmal) with hosts you don't know well. If the host says '아무것도 안 가져와도 돼요' (amugeotdo an gajyeowado dwaeyo, 'You don't need to bring anything'), you can still bring a small item to be polite.
One thing to watch for
Using '가고 싶어요' to decline an invitation, thinking it means 'I want to go but can't.'
Try this instead: 가고 싶어요 only expresses desire, not inability. To decline politely, say '가고 싶지만 못 가요' (gago sipjiman mot gayo, 'I want to go but can't go') or '미안하지만 못 가요' (mianhajiman mot gayo, 'Sorry, but I can't go').
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I'd love to come' in Korean?
Show a sample answer
가고 싶어요
This is the standard polite way to accept an invitation. It literally means 'I want to go.' Alternatives like '가도 돼요?' (gado dwaeyo?, 'May I go?') are less enthusiastic.
2What is the more polite way to ask 'What should I bring?'
Show a sample answer
뭘 가져가면 돼요?
This uses the softer pattern -면 돼요, which is more polite than 뭘 가져가요?. Both are correct, but the former is better with elders or acquaintances.
3If a friend invites you to a party, how would you accept and ask what to bring?
Show a sample answer
가고 싶어요! 뭘 가져가요?
This accepts warmly and asks casually. With a close friend, this is appropriate. For a more formal situation, use 뭘 가져가면 돼요? instead.
To accept an invitation in Korean, say 가고 싶어요 (I'd love to come) and then ask 뭘 가져가면 돼요? (What should I bring?). Use the softer form with people you don't know well.
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