Day 19: Expressing Likes, Dislikes, and Preferences in Korean

 Day 19: Expressing Likes, Dislikes, and Preferences in Korean

Welcome to Day 19 of your Korean language journey! Today, we will focus on how to express likes, dislikes, and preferences in Korean.

Being able to express your opinions and preferences is an essential part of any conversation. Whether you’re talking about food, hobbies, or activities, knowing how to say what you like and dislike will help you engage more naturally in Korean.

By the end of today’s lesson, you’ll be able to express what you like, what you dislike, and what you prefer in Korean.

1. Expressing Likes in Korean (좋아하다 사용하기)

The most common verb for expressing liking something in Korean is 좋아하다 (joahada), which means "to like" or "to enjoy."

Structure:

  • [Subject] + [Object] + 좋아하다 (joahada) – I like [object].

Examples:

  1. 저는 사과를 좋아해요. (Jeoneun sagwareul joahaeyo.) – I like apples.

  2. 그는 한국 영화를 좋아해요. (Geuneun hanguk yeonghwareul joahaeyo.) – He likes Korean movies.

  3. 저는 음악을 좋아해요. (Jeoneun eumageul joahaeyo.) – I like music.

Note: When expressing what you like, use the particle 을/를 (eul/reul) after the object.

2. Expressing Dislikes in Korean (싫어하다 사용하기)

To express dislike or hatred, the verb 싫어하다 (silheohada) is used, which means "to dislike" or "to hate."

Structure:

  • [Subject] + [Object] + 싫어하다 (silheohada) – I dislike [object].

Examples:

  1. 저는 피자를 싫어해요. (Jeoneun pija-reul silheohaeyo.) – I dislike pizza.

  2. 그녀는 운동을 싫어해요. (Geunyeoneun undongeul silheohaeyo.) – She dislikes exercise.

  3. 저는 매운 음식을 싫어해요. (Jeoneun maeun eumsigeul silheohaeyo.) – I dislike spicy food.

Note: 싫어하다 (silheohada) is conjugated similarly to 좋아하다 (joahada), but it carries a negative connotation.

3. Expressing Preferences in Korean (선호하다 사용하기)

When you want to express preferences (choosing one thing over another), you can use the verb 선호하다 (seonhohada), which means "to prefer."

Structure:

  • [Subject] + [Object] + 선호하다 (seonhohada) – I prefer [object].

Examples:

  1. 저는 차보다 커피를 선호해요. (Jeoneun chaboda keopireul seonhohaeyo.) – I prefer coffee over tea.

  2. 그는 자전거를 선호해요. (Geuneun jajeongeoreul seonhohaeyo.) – He prefers bicycles.

  3. 저는 집에서 쉬는 것을 선호해요. (Jeoneun jibeseo swineun geoseul seonhohaeyo.) – I prefer resting at home.

Note: 선호하다 (seonhohada) is often used when comparing two things or when making a preference between options.

4. Combining Likes, Dislikes, and Preferences

You can combine all three to express a full range of opinions. Here are some examples of combining likes, dislikes, and preferences in a single sentence:

  • 저는 과일을 좋아하고, 고기는 싫어해요. (Jeoneun gwail-eul joahago, gogi-reul silheohaeyo.)
    Translation: I like fruits, and I dislike meat.

  • 그는 한국 영화를 좋아하지만, 미국 영화를 선호해요. (Geuneun hanguk yeonghwareul joahajiman, miguk yeonghwareul seonhohaeyo.)
    Translation: He likes Korean movies, but he prefers American movies.

  • 저는 커피를 선호하고, 차는 싫어해요. (Jeoneun keopireul seonhohago, chaneun silheohaeyo.)
    Translation: I prefer coffee, and I dislike tea.

5. Practice Expressing Your Likes, Dislikes, and Preferences

Now let’s practice forming sentences about what you like, dislike, and prefer.

  1. I like ice cream.
    저는 아이스크림을 좋아해요. (Jeoneun aiseukeurimeul joahaeyo.)

  2. She dislikes chocolate.
    그녀는 초콜릿을 싫어해요. (Geunyeoneun chokolliteul silheohaeyo.)

  3. We prefer music over movies.
    우리는 영화보다 음악을 선호해요. (Urineun yeonghwaboda eumageul seonhohaeyo.)

  4. He likes swimming, but he dislikes running.
    그는 수영을 좋아하지만, 달리기는 싫어해요. (Geuneun suyeongeul joahajiman, dalligineun silheohaeyo.)

  5. I prefer tea over coffee.
    저는 커피보다 차를 선호해요. (Jeoneun keopiboda chareul seonhohaeyo.)

6. Common Mistakes to Avoid

  1. Confusing "좋아하다" with "선호하다":
    좋아하다 (joahada) means "to like" in general, while 선호하다 (seonhohada) means "to prefer" when making a comparison between two options. Make sure you use 좋아하다 for things you simply like and 선호하다 when you’re expressing a preference.

  2. Using "싫어하다" Too Casually:
    싫어하다 (silheohada) is a negative verb, so be careful when using it. In polite conversation, make sure to use it respectfully and not too bluntly, especially with people you don’t know well.

  3. Overusing "너무" with Likes and Dislikes:
    While 너무 (neomu) means "too much" or "very," when paired with likes or dislikes, it can sound exaggerated. Instead, use 정말 (jeongmal) for emphasis in a positive way and 너무 (neomu) for negative contexts if you're trying to express something excessive.

What’s Next? (다음은 무엇인가요?)

Tomorrow, in Day 20, we will learn about giving directions in Korean. You’ll learn useful phrases to guide people, explain where things are located, and talk about how to get from one place to another!