In the previous lesson, you were introduced to the "고 싶다" grammar, which is used to express the speaker's desires and wishes. In today's lesson, you will learn about the 고 싶어하다 grammar, which allows you to articulate the hopes and desires of other individuals.
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1. V고 싶어하다 Grammar
고 싶어 하다 is an expression to show someone else's hopes and wishes. It is usually attached to a verb. It mainly conveys other people's plans, tastes, or preferences.
The subject needs to be revealed since you are talking about someone else. It can be the name or pronoun. The singular or plural doesn't matter. The word will be followed by either the subject marker or the topic marker.
존 씨는 놀이 동산에 가고 싶어 해요. John wants to go to the amusement park.
손님이 반품하고 싶어 해요. The customer wants to return.
2. Conjugation Information
Beginner Level
싶어 하다 is a basic form so we need to conjugate it! As you see, this word ends with 하다. Changing 하다 words are pretty easy. You can say 해요 for the present tense and 했어요 for the past tense.
고 싶어 하다 | 예시 example | |
Present Tense | 지나 씨는 콘서트에 가고 싶어 해요. Jina wants to go to the concert. | |
Past Tense | 지나 씨는 콘서트에 가고 싶어 했어요. Jina wanted to go to the concert. |
The verb that will be attached to the 고 part doesn't need to be changed. You can simply attach 고 to its stem. Here are some a few examples. Think about other verbs you know and try to change!
먹다 to eat | want(s) to eat. | |
마시다 to drink | want(s) to drink. | |
공부하다 to study | want(s) to study. | |
만들다 to make | want(s) to make. | |
듣다 to listen | want(s) to listen. | |
돕다to help | want(s) to help. |
Advanced Level
To talk about someone who is way older than you or who has a higher social status than you like a boss or a teacher, you need to use the form "싶어 하시다."
고 싶어 하다 | 예시 example | |
Present Tense | 선생님이 말씀하고 싶어 하세요. The teacher wants to talk. | |
Past Tense | 선생님이 말씀하시고 싶어 하셨어요. The teacher wanted to talk. |
If you are a beginner, you'll learn about this honorific form eventually. For now, just to know you have to use "싶어 하세요" or "싶어 하셨어요."
Negative Form
You can attach the negative adverb 안 in front of the "V고" part to make a negative sentence. 안 always comes before a verb!
The present tense | 안 V고 싶어 해요. | don't want to V. |
The past tense | 안 V고 싶었 했어요. | didn't want to V. |
먹다 to eat
(O) 밥을 안 먹고 싶어 해요. (He/She/It) doesn't want to eat.
(X) 안 밥을 먹고 싶어 해요.
(X) 밥을 먹고 안 싶어 해요.
마시다 to drink
(O) 커피를 안 마시고 싶어 해요. (He/She/It) doesn't want to drink coffee.
공부하다 = 공부를 하다 ] to study
(O) 공부를 안 하고 싶어 해요. (He/She/It) doesn't want to study.
(X) 안 공부를 하고 싶어 해요.
(X) 공부를 하고 안 싶어 해요.
공부하다 is a combination word of a noun 공부 and a verb 하다. So, the real verb part is only 하다. We will separate the noun and verb by using the object marker. 공부를 하다. Then, attach 안 in front of 하다.
3. Sentence Information
Special Adjectives
V고 싶다 is attached to a verb stem. It can't be attached with an adjective. However, only a few positive adjectives can be attached to it in idiomatic acceptance. Those are 건강하다 (to be healthy) and 행복하다 (to be happy).
사람들은 건강하고 싶어 해요. People want to be healthy.
누구나 행복하고 싶어 해요. Everyone wants to be happy.
Comparison
Let's compare "고 싶다" and "고 싶어 하다."
V고 싶다 | V고 싶어 하다 |
It expresses the speaker's wish or hope. I want to V. | It expresses other's wishes or hopes. (He/she/it/they) want(s) to V. |
저는 한국에 가고 싶어요. I want to go to Korea. (X) 존은 한국에 가고 싶어요. | 존은 한국에 가고 싶어 해요. John wants to go to Korea. (X) 저는 한국에 가고 싶어 해요. |
Exception
Technically you are not supposed to use "I" with "고 싶어 하다" grammar. However, when the speaker talks about oneself objectively, it may work. (As if the third person) In this case, the form is usually used in the past tense.
어릴 때 나는 대통령이 되고 싶어 했어. When I was little, I wanted to become a president.
우리는 모두 성공하고 싶어 해요. We all want to be successful.
4. Examples
1
잭 씨는 선생님이 되고 싶어 해요. Jack wants to become a teacher.
"고 싶어 하다" is to show someone else's hopes or wishes. 되다 means to become. With a noun, you can use it as an expression "N이/가 되다."
2
고양이가 놀고 싶어 해요. The cat wants to play.
You can express the hopes or wishes of non-human beings. 고양이 is the cat. 고 싶어하다 is attached to the verb 놀다 which means to play.
3
유나 씨도 이 가방을 사고 싶어 했어요. Yuna also wanted to buy this purse.
가방 is a bag or purse. "Also" in the sentence is expressed by the marker "도." The verb this time is 사다 which means to buy.
4
수미 씨는 학교를 안 가고 싶어 해요. Sumi doesn't want to go to school.
안 comes in front of the "verb고" part. It makes the negative sentence.
5
영희: 조 씨는 어느 나라에서 살고 싶어해요? What country does Joe want to live?
밍밍: 조 씨는 한국에서 살고 싶어 해요. Joe wants to live in Korea.
영희 and 밍밍 talks about 조. So, instead of "고 싶다" they use "고 싶어 하다."
5. Wrap-up & Worksheet: want to V in Korean
-고 싶어 하다 is attached to a verb stem and shows the hope or wish of the third person.
The final consonant is not important.
Present Tense: 고 싶어 해요.
Past Tense: 고 싶어 했어요.
I prepared the free and printable Korean practice worksheet for you! Please review your lesson with the worksheet and master the grammar!
In the next lesson, you'll learn how to connect nouns using "or" in Korean. Thank you for studying with My Korean Lesson(감사합니다!) 다음 시간에 만나요! (See you next time!)
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