How to Say What You Like and Don't Like in Korean
Learn Korean 좋아하다 and 싫어하다 to express general likes and dislikes, give reasons with 왜냐하면, and talk about everyday things like coffee, music, and rainy days.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
Korean has two everyday verbs for general preferences: 좋아하다 (joahada, to like) and 싫어하다 (sireohada, to dislike). This lesson teaches you to say what you like and don't like, and to add a reason with 왜냐하면 ... 때문이에요 (waenyahamyeon ... ttaemunieyo, because ...). These are general preferences, not hobbies or activities you do; you will use them for things, people, foods, and situations. You will also learn the casual forms 좋아해 and 싫어해 for friends and close family.
By the end, you can…
- say I like or don't like common things using 좋아하다 and 싫어하다.
- give a simple reason with 왜냐하면 ... 때문이에요.
- ask someone what they like and answer with 네 or 아니요.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
저는 커피를 좋아해요.
I like coffee.
jeoneun keopireul joahaeyo.
General preference. Use 저는 (jeoneun) for polite 'I'; drop it when the topic is clear.
저는 커피를 좋아하지 않아요.
I don't like coffee.
jeoneun keopireul joahaji anayo.
The standard polite negative. 좋아하지 않아요 is safer and more neutral than 싫어해요 when you simply don't like something.
저는 매운 음식을 싫어해요.
I hate spicy food.
jeoneun maeun eumsigeul sireohaeyo.
싫어해요 is stronger than 좋아하지 않아요. Use it for genuine dislike, not mild preference.
왜냐하면 저를 깨워 주기 때문이에요.
Because it wakes me up.
waenyahamyeon jeoreul kkaewo jugi ttaemunieyo.
Attach 때문이에요 to a verb or adjective stem to give a reason. Here the reason follows a statement about coffee.
음악 듣는 것을 좋아해요.
I like listening to music.
eumak deutneun geoseul joahaeyo.
Use -(는) 것 (geot) to turn an action into a thing you like. This is a general preference, not a hobby you practice.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is [person]은/는 [thing]을/를 좋아해요 or 싫어해요. The particle 은/는 marks the topic, and 을/를 marks the object. After a vowel use 는 and 를; after a consonant use 은 and 을. Examples: 저는 음악을 좋아해요 (I like music), 저는 매운 음식을 싫어해요 (I hate spicy food). To give a reason, add 왜냐하면 before the reason clause and end it with 때문이에요: 왜냐하면 맛있기 때문이에요 (because it is delicious).
When to use it
Use 좋아해요 and 싫어해요 for stable, general preferences: foods, colors, seasons, music, people, and situations. Do not use them for a hobby you actively do; for that, use a verb like 취미로 ...을 해요 (I do ... as a hobby). Compare 저는 커피를 좋아해요 (I like coffee in general) with 저는 커피를 마셔요 (I drink coffee). In casual speech with friends, shorten to 좋아해 and 싫어해: 나는 커피 좋아해 (I like coffee).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
민수 씨는 커피를 좋아해요?
Minsu, do you like coffee?minsu ssineun keopireul joahaeyo?네, 커피를 좋아해요. 왜냐하면 저를 깨워 주기 때문이에요.
Yes, I like coffee. Because it wakes me up.ne, keopireul joahaeyo. waenyahamyeon jeoreul kkaewo jugi ttaemunieyo.저는 커피를 좋아하지 않아요. 저는 차를 좋아해요.
I don't like coffee. I like tea.jeoneun keopireul joahaji anayo. jeoneun chareul joahaeyo.그래요? 저는 차도 좋아해요.
Really? I like tea too.geuraeyo? jeoneun chado joahaeyo.A little context goes a long way
Politeness matters in Korean. Use the polite -요 endings with strangers, teachers, and older people. With close friends or people younger than you, casual 좋아해 and 싫어해 are normal. 싫어해요 can sound blunt, so for mild dislike many speakers prefer 좋아하지 않아요. When talking about a person you like, 좋아해요 can mean romantic interest, so context matters.
One thing to watch for
Using 좋아하다 for an activity you do, as in 저는 축구를 좋아해요 to mean 'I play soccer.'
Try this instead: 좋아하다 means 'to like,' not 'to do.' Say 저는 축구를 좋아해요 for 'I like soccer,' but 저는 축구를 해요 for 'I play soccer.' If you mean a hobby, use 취미로 축구를 해요 (I play soccer as a hobby).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I like music' politely?
Show a sample answer
저는 음악을 좋아해요.
저는 marks the topic, 음악 ends in a consonant so it takes 을, and 좋아해요 is the polite verb ending. 저는 can be omitted if the topic is clear.
2Turn 'I like coffee' into a polite negative.
Show a sample answer
저는 커피를 좋아하지 않아요.
Add -지 않아요 to the verb stem 좋아하- to make the standard polite negative. 저는 커피를 싫어해요 is also correct but stronger.
3Give a reason: 'I like coffee because it wakes me up.'
Show a sample answer
저는 커피를 좋아해요. 왜냐하면 저를 깨워 주기 때문이에요.
왜냐하면 introduces the reason and 때문이에요 closes it. You can also say 커피가 저를 깨워 주기 때문이에요; both are natural.
Use 좋아해요 for general likes and 싫어해요 for strong dislikes, add reasons with 왜냐하면 ... 때문이에요, and switch to 좋아해 and 싫어해 with close friends.
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