A2 Expressions & Patterns 8 min read Easy

-고 싶다 (Wanting to do): Expressing Your Desires

Transform any action verb into a craving by dropping '다' and attaching '-고 싶다' to the stem.
Mark as Learned
Practice it

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use -고 싶다 after a verb stem to express your desire to perform an action.

  • Remove -다 from the verb: 먹다 → 먹-
  • Attach -고 싶다: 먹고 싶다 (want to eat)
  • Conjugate the final -다 based on politeness: 먹고 싶어요 (polite)
Verb Stem + -고 싶다

Overview

Ever stared at a Korean food delivery app, drooling over a piping hot bowl of spicy 떡볶이 (tteokbokki), but couldn't express that deep, spiritual need to eat it right now? You know the vocabulary. You know the verb for "to eat." But how do you bridge the gap between stating a plain fact like "I eat" and expressing the emotional urgency of "I want to eat"?

Enter the magical, universally essential pattern: -고 싶다. This is your golden ticket. It transforms any boring action into a burning desire.

Whether you are texting your best friend about binge-watching the latest Netflix K-drama, politely telling your boss you'd love to take a vacation, or sliding into someone's DMs, this grammar is your daily driver. It is incredibly common. You hear it in the chorus of almost every K-pop song, you see it scattered across Instagram captions, and you will absolutely need it when you visit Seoul and want to order street food at 2 AM.

It is the absolute engine of expression for your hopes, cravings, and weekend plans. You use it to say things like "I want to sleep," "I want to go home," or "I want to buy that." Without this grammar point, you are stuck just acting like a robot stating undeniable facts about the universe. With it, your actual personality finally gets to shine through in Korean.

We are going to master exactly how to attach it to verbs, how to change its politeness level, and how to avoid the classic traps that trip up early learners. By the end of this guide, you will be commanding your desires like a true local.

How This Grammar Works

The mechanics here are wonderfully simple. In Korean, you don't use a separate standalone verb like the English word "want" placed before the main verb. Instead, you take the main action verb itself and stick a special ending right onto it.
Think of -고 싶다 as a neon sticky note that you slap onto the end of an action.
먹다 means "to eat." Slap on the sticky note, and it becomes 먹고 싶다 (want to eat). 가다 means "to go." Stick it on, and boom: 가고 싶다 (want to go).
What is really happening here grammatically? The -고 part serves as a bridge, connecting the action verb to 싶다, which is an auxiliary adjective meaning "desirous of." Because 싶다 functions exactly like an adjective in Korean grammar, it strictly follows adjective conjugation rules. That means you do not conjugate the main verb anymore!
The main verb stays completely frozen in its root form. All the time-traveling (past, present, future) and all the politeness changes (formal, casual, polite) happen exclusively to the 싶다 part at the very end.
The main verb is just sitting back and relaxing in the passenger seat. You drive the entire sentence using 싶다.
Also, keep in mind that Korean drops pronouns constantly to save time. When you say 가고 싶어요 (I want to go), you don't usually need to say 저는 (I). The context makes it obvious.
If you ask 가고 싶어요? as a question, the tone goes up, and suddenly it means "Do you want to go?". It is simple, elegant, and highly efficient for rapid-fire texting or talking over a loud dinner table.

Formation Pattern

1
Ready to build it yourself? Follow these exact steps to form your own desires.
2
Find the dictionary form of your chosen action verb. Let's use 보다 (to see/watch).
3
Drop the 다 at the very end. This leaves you with the bare verb stem: 보.
4
Attach -고 싶다 directly to the stem. No spaces! It becomes 보고 싶다.
5
Conjugate the 싶다 part to match your social situation.
6
Here is how you adjust it for the people around you:
7
For texting your close friend or sibling (casual): Drop the 다 and add 어. It becomes 보고 싶어 (I want to see/miss you).
8
For ordering at a cafe or talking to a coworker (polite): Add 어요. It becomes 보고 싶어요.
9
For formal settings, like a job interview or a presentation (formal): Add 습니다. It becomes 보고 싶습니다.
10
What about verbs that end in a consonant? The exact same rule applies! Unlike other tricky Korean grammar rules where you have to worry about whether the stem ends in a vowel or consonant, -고 싶다 does not care at all. It treats all verbs equally with perfect fairness.
11
먹다 (to eat) -> drop 다 -> 먹 -> add 고 싶다 -> 먹고 싶어요.
12
읽다 (to read) -> drop 다 -> 읽 -> 읽고 싶어요.
13
There are zero irregulars to memorize here. It is literally just plug and play.

When To Use It

You will use this pattern constantly in your daily life. Imagine you are sitting in a trendy cafe in Hongdae. You smell the roasted coffee. You want to order. You say, 아메리카노 마시고 싶어요 (I want to drink an Americano). It is perfect for expressing your direct, immediate intentions.
Or let's say it is Friday night. Your friend texts you on KakaoTalk: 오늘 뭐 하고 싶어? (What do you want to do today?). You reply honestly, 집에서 쉬고 싶어 (I want to rest at home).
You can also use it for your grand, long-term dreams. 한국에서 살고 싶어요 (I want to live in Korea). It is highly versatile.
However, notice how all these examples involve YOU wanting something, or you asking what the LISTENER wants. This pattern is strictly reserved for first-person statements ("I want") and second-person questions ("Do you want?"). It is the ultimate tool for asserting your agency and checking in with your conversational partner.
Use it when planning dates, suggesting fun activities, complaining about being exhausted (자고 싶어 - I want to sleep), or expressing a late-night craving.
Interestingly, 보고 싶다 (literally: I want to see) is the standard, everyday Korean phrase for "I miss you." You use it for people, pets, or even places you left behind.

Common Mistakes

Let's save you from some embarrassing moments that scream "I am using Google Translate."
  • Mistake 1: Using it directly with adjectives. You cannot say 행복하고 싶어요 to mean "I want to be happy" in the exact same way you do with verbs. -고 싶다 ONLY attaches to action verbs. To use it with an adjective, you must first morph the adjective into a verb using -아/어지다 (to become). So, "I want to become happy" is 행복해지고 싶어요.
  • Mistake 2: Using it for a third person. If you say 제 친구가 가고 싶어요 to mean "My friend wants to go," a native speaker will scratch their head. Why? Because you cannot read your friend's mind! Korean grammar is highly philosophical about this. You can only safely express your own internal desires. If you want to say "He wants" or "She wants," you MUST use a different visual form: -고 싶어하다. So, 제 친구가 가고 싶어해요 (My friend is showing external signs of wanting to go).
  • Mistake 3: Treating "want" as a verb that takes a noun directly. In English, you can lazily say "I want a car." In Korean, you cannot say 차를 싶어요. 싶다 desperately needs an action. You must specify: "I want to BUY a car" (차를 사고 싶어요) or "I want to HAVE a car" (차를 가지고 싶어요).

Contrast With Similar Patterns

How does -고 싶다 differ from other intention or desire patterns?
Take -을래요 (I want to / Do you want to?). While -고 싶다 is a pure expression of internal, emotional desire, -을래요 is much more about concrete intention and making an offer. If you look at a menu and say 비빔밥 먹고 싶어요, you are just stating your inner craving to the universe: "I deeply desire bibimbap." But if you look at your friend and say 비빔밥 먹을래요?, you are making a direct proposition or offer: "Would you like to eat bibimbap?"
What about 원하다 (to want)? 원하다 is a verb used exclusively with nouns. 나는 평화를 원한다 (I want world peace).
It sounds very heavy, formal, and almost like a politician giving a speech or a dramatic line from a historical movie. In casual everyday conversation, Koreans rarely use 원하다 for simple things like wanting an iced coffee or wanting a new iPhone. They will always default to -고 싶다 paired with a logical verb like "to buy," "to drink," or "to receive." Stick to -고 싶다 for 99% of your daily desires to sound completely natural and relaxed.

Quick FAQ

Q

How do I make it past tense?

You conjugate the 싶다 part into the past tense. Add 았/었어요 to the stem 싶. It becomes 싶었어요. For example, 파리에 가고 싶었어요 (I wanted to go to Paris).

Q

How do I make it negative?

You have two great options! The easiest way is to add 안 right before the main verb: 안 가고 싶어요 (I don't want to go). Or you can attach -지 않다 to 싶다 at the end: 가고 싶지 않아요. The second one sounds slightly more formal, but both are used every single day.

Q

Can I use polite honorifics with this?

Yes! If you are asking a respected elder or your boss what they want to do, you apply the honorific -(으)시 to the main action verb, not the 싶다. Like this: 뭐 드시고 싶으세요? (What would you like to eat?). Honoring the verb itself is the most natural way to show respect.

Q

Why do K-pop songs always use "보고 싶다" instead of a distinct word for missing someone?

Because 보다 literally means "to see." Saying "I passionately want to see you" is the cultural and emotional equivalent of "I miss you." It is incredibly poetic, deeply romantic, and used all the time!

Verb Conjugation Table

Verb Stem Pattern Polite Form
가다
가-
가고 싶다
가고 싶어요
먹다
먹-
먹고 싶다
먹고 싶어요
자다
자-
자고 싶다
자고 싶어요
읽다
읽-
읽고 싶다
읽고 싶어요
보다
보-
보고 싶다
보고 싶어요
하다
하-
하고 싶다
하고 싶어요

Meanings

This pattern is used to express the speaker's desire or wish to perform a specific action.

1

Personal Desire

Expressing what the speaker wants to do.

“영화를 보고 싶어요.”

“집에 가고 싶어요.”

Reference Table

Reference table for -고 싶다 (Wanting to do): Expressing Your Desires
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Stem + -고 싶다
가고 싶어요
Negative
Stem + -고 싶지 않다
가고 싶지 않아요
Question
Stem + -고 싶어요?
가고 싶어요?
Past
Stem + -고 싶었다
가고 싶었어요
Third Person
Stem + -고 싶어하다
가고 싶어해요
Formal
Stem + -고 싶습니다
가고 싶습니다

Formality Spectrum

Formal
먹고 싶습니다.

먹고 싶습니다. (Dining)

Neutral
먹고 싶어요.

먹고 싶어요. (Dining)

Informal
먹고 싶어.

먹고 싶어. (Dining)

Slang
먹고파.

먹고파. (Dining)

Desire Concept Map

-고 싶다

Usage

  • Personal I want
  • Question Do you want?
  • Negative I don't want

Desire Comparison

Action
-고 싶다 Want to do
Object
원하다 Want object
Sign up free to read full explanation

Examples by Level

1

자고 싶어요.

I want to sleep.

2

먹고 싶어요.

I want to eat.

3

가고 싶어요.

I want to go.

4

보고 싶어요.

I want to see.

1

한국에 가고 싶지 않아요.

I don't want to go to Korea.

2

뭐 하고 싶어요?

What do you want to do?

3

친구를 만나고 싶어요.

I want to meet a friend.

4

공부하고 싶어요.

I want to study.

1

여행을 떠나고 싶어하는 것 같아요.

It seems he wants to leave for a trip.

2

그 영화를 꼭 보고 싶습니다.

I really want to see that movie.

3

쉬고 싶지만 일이 많아요.

I want to rest, but I have a lot of work.

4

어디로 가고 싶으세요?

Where would you like to go?

1

성공하고 싶다면 노력이 필요합니다.

If you want to succeed, you need effort.

2

그는 무엇을 하고 싶어하는지 모르겠어요.

I don't know what he wants to do.

3

더 이상 기다리고 싶지 않습니다.

I do not want to wait anymore.

4

함께 일하고 싶어하는 사람들이 많아요.

There are many people who want to work together.

1

그저 평범하게 살고 싶을 뿐이에요.

I just want to live normally.

2

누구든 사랑받고 싶어하는 법이죠.

Everyone wants to be loved.

3

그가 왜 떠나고 싶어했는지 이해가 가요.

I understand why he wanted to leave.

4

변화하고 싶다면 지금 시작하세요.

If you want to change, start now.

1

그의 내면에는 무언가 이루고 싶어하는 열망이 가득했다.

His inner self was full of the desire to achieve something.

2

어찌 그를 돕고 싶지 않았겠는가?

How could I not have wanted to help him?

3

그들은 그저 평화롭게 살고 싶어했을 뿐이다.

They just wanted to live peacefully.

4

무엇을 하고 싶어하는지조차 잊어버린 것 같다.

It seems I have even forgotten what I want to do.

Easily Confused

-고 싶다 (Wanting to do): Expressing Your Desires vs -고 싶다 vs -고 싶어하다

Learners use -고 싶다 for third persons.

-고 싶다 (Wanting to do): Expressing Your Desires vs -고 싶다 vs 원하다

Both mean 'want'.

-고 싶다 (Wanting to do): Expressing Your Desires vs -고 싶다 vs -기 원하다

Grammar structure.

Common Mistakes

✗

물고 싶어요

✓

물을 마시고 싶어요

Cannot use with nouns directly.
✗

가고 싶다요

✓

가고 싶어요

Incorrect polite ending.
✗

먹고 싶어해요 (for self)

✓

먹고 싶어요

Using third-person form for self.
✗

가고 싶어요다

✓

가고 싶어요

Double ending.
✗

그가 가고 싶어요

✓

그가 가고 싶어해요

Must use -어하다 for third person.
✗

가고 싶지 않아요해요

✓

가고 싶지 않아해요

Redundant suffix.
✗

가고 싶었어해요

✓

가고 싶어했어요

Wrong tense placement.
✗

그녀는 사과를 먹고 싶다

✓

그녀는 사과를 먹고 싶어한다

Formal writing requires correct third-person conjugation.
✗

가고 싶어하는 것 같아요

✓

가고 싶어하는 것 같아요 (Correct, but check context)

Overusing third-person forms.
✗

가고 싶지 않다

✓

가고 싶지 않다 (Correct, but check register)

Register mismatch.
✗

그가 가고 싶어했다

✓

그가 가고 싶어했다 (Correct, but check nuance)

Nuance of past desire.

Sentence Patterns

저는 ___고 싶어요.

___는/은 ___고 싶어해요.

___고 싶지만, ___.

만약 ___고 싶다면, ___.

Real World Usage

Texting constant

오늘 뭐 하고 싶어?

Ordering food very common

이거 먹고 싶어요.

Job interview common

이 회사에서 일하고 싶습니다.

Travel common

여기 가고 싶어요.

Social media common

여행 가고 싶다!

Food delivery app common

피자 먹고 싶을 때

Sign up free to see all examples
💡

Verb Stem

Always find the stem first by removing -다.
⚠️

Third Person

Don't use -고 싶다 for others; use -고 싶어하다.
🎯

Politeness

Add -요 for polite, -습니다 for formal.
💬

Indirectness

Sometimes it's better to be indirect in Korean.

Smart Tips

Always check the subject.

그가 가고 싶어요. → 그가 가고 싶어해요.

Use -고 싶습니다.

가고 싶어요. → 가고 싶습니다.

Use -고 싶지 않아요.

안 가고 싶어요. → 가고 싶지 않아요.

Use -고 싶었어요.

가고 싶어요 (yesterday). → 가고 싶었어요 (yesterday).

Pronunciation

go-go-ship-ta

Linking

The 'g' sound in -고 links to the 's' in 싶.

Question

가고 싶어요? ↑

Rising intonation for questions.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Go' (가) + 'Ship' (싶) = I want to 'Go' on a 'Ship'!

Visual Association

Imagine yourself standing at a harbor, pointing at a ship, saying '가고 싶어요!'

Rhyme

Verb stem goes in the middle, -고 싶다 is the riddle.

Story

Min-su is hungry. He looks at a menu. He says '피자 먹고 싶어요.' His friend asks '뭐 마시고 싶어요?' Min-su says '콜라 마시고 싶어요.'

Word Web

가다먹다자다보다하다읽다만나다

Challenge

Write 5 sentences about what you want to do today in 5 minutes.

Cultural Notes

Expressing desire directly can sometimes be seen as blunt. Often, people use indirect phrasing.

Derived from the verb '싶다' (to feel/think).

Conversation Starters

“

오늘 뭐 하고 싶어요?

“

주말에 어디 가고 싶어요?

“

한국에서 무엇을 제일 먹고 싶어요?

“

다시 돌아가고 싶은 순간이 있어요?

Journal Prompts

Write about 3 things you want to do this weekend.
Describe a place you want to travel to and why.
Write about a dream you want to achieve.
Reflect on a time you wanted to do something but couldn't.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Sign up free to see all tips

Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

저는 한국에 ___ 싶어요. (가다)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 가고
Stem + 고 싶다.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

그가 ___ 싶어해요.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 가고
Third person requires -어하다.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

그녀는 먹고 싶다.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 그녀는 먹고 싶어한다
Third person needs -어하다.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 저는 한국에 가고 싶어요
Subject-Object-Verb order.
Translate to Korean. Translation

I want to sleep.

Answer starts with: 자고 ...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 자고 싶어요
Standard polite form.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

저는 물을 ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 마시고 싶어요
First person.
Fill in the blank.

그는 영화를 ___ 싶어해요.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 보고
Third person.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

I don't want to eat.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 먹고 싶지 않아요
Negative form.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

저는 한국에 ___ 싶어요. (가다)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 가고
Stem + 고 싶다.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

그가 ___ 싶어해요.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 가고
Third person requires -어하다.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

그녀는 먹고 싶다.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 그녀는 먹고 싶어한다
Third person needs -어하다.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

싶어요 / 가고 / 저는 / 한국에

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 저는 한국에 가고 싶어요
Subject-Object-Verb order.
Translate to Korean. Translation

I want to sleep.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 자고 싶어요
Standard polite form.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

저는 물을 ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 마시고 싶어요
First person.
Fill in the blank.

그는 영화를 ___ 싶어해요.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 보고
Third person.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

I don't want to eat.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 먹고 싶지 않아요
Negative form.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Translate the sentence into polite Korean. Translation

I want to sleep.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 자고 싶어요.
Reorder the words to say 'I want to drink coffee.' Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words correctly:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 커피를 마시고 싶어요.
Match the verb with its correct '-고 싶다' translation. Match Pairs

Match the English meaning to the Korean phrase:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 보고 싶다, 하고 싶다, 쉬고 싶다
Choose the correct past tense form for 'I wanted to go'. Fill in the Blank

어제 파티에 ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 가고 싶었어요
Correct the mistake when using adjectives. Error Correction

저는 예쁘고 싶어요.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 저는 예뻐지고 싶어요.
Which one asks 'What do you want to eat?' casually? Multiple Choice

Choose the correct casual question:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 뭐 먹고 싶어?
Fill in the blank with the correct negative form 'don't want to'. Fill in the Blank

오늘은 학교에 ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 안 가고 싶어요
Translate into formal Korean (using -습니다). Translation

I want to work here.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 여기서 일하고 싶습니다.
Reorder the words to say 'My brother wants to play games.' Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words correctly:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 동생은 게임을 하고 싶어해요.
How do you correctly say 'I miss you' in everyday Korean? Multiple Choice

Choose the correct phrase:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 보고 싶어요.

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

Yes, it attaches to all action verbs.

Just remove -다 and add -고 싶다.

No, it's standard. Use polite endings.

Use -고 싶었어요.

No, use -고 싶어하다.

Yes, -고 싶습니다.

Use -고 싶지 않아요.

No, use 원하다.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

Sign up free to practice

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Querer + infinitive

Korean uses a suffix, Spanish uses a separate verb.

French high

Vouloir + infinitive

Korean is agglutinative.

German moderate

Möchten

Korean attaches the desire to the verb stem.

Japanese high

-tai

The conjugation rules differ slightly.

Chinese moderate

想 (xiǎng)

Chinese does not conjugate the verb.

Arabic moderate

أريد أن (urid an)

Korean is suffix-based.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Next
Saying 'I want to...': The ~고 싶다 Pattern

Learn These First

A2 Requires

Connective Ending -고 (and then)

Overview In Korean grammar, constructing complex sentences that flow naturally hinges on your command of connective endi...

Continue With

A2 Requires

Saying 'I want to...': The ~고 싶다 Pattern

Overview Expressing your personal desires is fundamental to meaningful communication in any language. In Korean, the pat...

Related Grammar Rules

B2

No choice but to... (-ㄹ/을 수밖에 없다)

Overview The Korean grammar pattern `-(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다` is a powerful expression of inevitability. It conveys that du...
A2

Present Progressive: -ing (고 있다)

Overview Korean, like English, distinguishes between habitual or general actions and actions that are actively in progre...
B2

To the Absolute Max: (-ㄹ/을 대로)

Overview Korean grammar employs `-(ㄹ/을) 대로` to express that a state or action has reached its absolute **utmost limi...
B2

Just/Only: Emphatic Limitation (-ㄹ/을 뿐이다)

Overview At the B2 CEFR level in Korean, you're moving beyond basic sentence construction to express nuanced ideas, subt...
B2

Logically Likely: -ㄹ/을 법하다

Overview `-(으)ㄹ 법하다` is a Korean grammar pattern that expresses a logical likelihood, plausibility, or reasonable e...
Was this helpful?

Comments (0)

Login to Comment
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!