-고 싶다 (go sipda) - Want to

The construction -고 싶다 (go sipda) expresses a desire or wish to do something, similar to "want to" in English. It's one of the most common ways to express personal desires in Korean.

Basic Structure

-고 싶다 attaches to verb stems to express the desire to perform that action.

Pattern: [Verb stem]고 싶다

Meaning: want to [verb], would like to [verb]

Formation

Pattern: [Verb Stem] + 고 싶다

Remove -다 from any action verb and add -고 싶다:

• 가다 → 가고 싶다 (want to go)
• 먹다 → 먹고 싶다 (want to eat)
• 보다 → 보고 싶다 (want to see/watch)
• 하다 → 하고 싶다 (want to do)
• 배우다 → 배우고 싶다 (want to learn)

Always -고 싶다

Unlike many endings, -고 싶다 doesn't change based on vowel harmony or final consonant. Always use -고 싶다.

Conjugation of 싶다

Since 싶다 is an adjective, it conjugates like other descriptive verbs:

Present Tense

Informal polite (-어요):

• 가고 싶어요 (want to go)
• 먹고 싶어요 (want to eat)
• 보고 싶어요 (want to see)

Formal polite (-습니다):

• 가고 싶습니다 (want to go)
• 먹고 싶습니다 (want to eat)

Informal (-어):

• 가고 싶어 (want to go)
• 먹고 싶어 (want to eat)

Past Tense

Informal polite:

• 가고 싶었어요 (wanted to go)
• 먹고 싶었어요 (wanted to eat)
• 보고 싶었어요 (wanted to see)

Formal polite:

• 가고 싶었습니다 (wanted to go)
• 먹고 싶었습니다 (wanted to eat)

Future/Conjecture

Less common, but possible:

• 가고 싶을 거예요 (will want to go)
• 먹고 싶겠어요 (will probably want to eat)

Basic Usage

Expressing Personal Desires

Pattern: [Subject]은/는 [Object]을/를 [Verb]고 싶다

• 저는 한국에 가고 싶어요. (I want to go to Korea.)

• 친구를 만나고 싶어요. (I want to meet my friend.)

• 영화를 보고 싶어요. (I want to watch a movie.)

• 피자를 먹고 싶어요. (I want to eat pizza.)

Only with Action Verbs

Cannot Use with Adjectives

-고 싶다 only attaches to action verbs, not descriptive verbs (adjectives):

✓ 가고 싶어요 (want to go) - action verb ✗ 크고 싶어요 (want to be big) - incorrect with adjective

For wanting to become something, use 되고 싶다:

• 의사가 되고 싶어요. (I want to become a doctor.)

Cannot Use with 있다/없다

Don't use -고 싶다 with 있다/없다 for possession:

✗ 돈이 있고 싶어요 (incorrect) ✓ 돈이 있으면 좋겠어요. (I wish I had money.)

For wanting things, use 갖고 싶다 (want to have):

• 새 차를 갖고 싶어요. (I want to have a new car.)

Common Verbs with -고 싶다

Travel and Movement

• 가고 싶다 - want to go

  • 여행 가고 싶어요. (I want to go on a trip.)

• 오고 싶다 - want to come

  • 한국에 오고 싶어요. (I want to come to Korea.)

• 돌아가고 싶다 - want to return

  • 집에 돌아가고 싶어요. (I want to return home.)

Eating and Drinking

• 먹고 싶다 - want to eat

  • 삼겹살을 먹고 싶어요. (I want to eat samgyeopsal.)

• 마시고 싶다 - want to drink

  • 커피를 마시고 싶어요. (I want to drink coffee.)

Learning and Experience

• 배우고 싶다 - want to learn

  • 한국어를 배우고 싶어요. (I want to learn Korean.)

• 공부하고 싶다 - want to study

  • 열심히 공부하고 싶어요. (I want to study hard.)

• 알고 싶다 - want to know

  • 진실을 알고 싶어요. (I want to know the truth.)

Entertainment

• 보고 싶다 - want to see/watch/miss

  • 그 영화를 보고 싶어요. (I want to watch that movie.)
  • 친구가 보고 싶어요. (I miss my friend.)

• 듣고 싶다 - want to listen/hear

  • 그 노래를 듣고 싶어요. (I want to listen to that song.)

• 놀고 싶다 - want to play/have fun

  • 친구들과 놀고 싶어요. (I want to hang out with friends.)

Work and Activities

• 하고 싶다 - want to do

  • 운동하고 싶어요. (I want to exercise.)

• 일하고 싶다 - want to work

  • 좋은 회사에서 일하고 싶어요. (I want to work at a good company.)

Rest and Leisure

• 쉬고 싶다 - want to rest

  • 좀 쉬고 싶어요. (I want to rest a bit.)

• 자고 싶다 - want to sleep

  • 지금 자고 싶어요. (I want to sleep now.)

Special Usage: 보고 싶다

Want to See vs Miss

보고 싶다 has two main meanings:

1. Want to see/watch:

• 그 영화를 보고 싶어요. (I want to watch that movie.)

2. Miss someone (want to see):

• 엄마가 보고 싶어요. (I miss mom.)
• 친구가 보고 싶어요. (I miss my friend.)

The "missing" meaning is extremely common and important.

Questions with -고 싶다

Pattern: [Verb]고 싶어요?

Asking what someone wants to do:

• 뭐 하고 싶어요? (What do you want to do?)

• 어디 가고 싶어요? (Where do you want to go?)

• 뭐 먹고 싶어요? (What do you want to eat?)

• 누구를 만나고 싶어요? (Who do you want to meet?)

Negative Forms

Don't Want to: -고 싶지 않다

Pattern: [Verb]고 싶지 않다

• 가고 싶지 않아요. (I don't want to go.)

• 먹고 싶지 않아요. (I don't want to eat.)

• 공부하고 싶지 않아요. (I don't want to study.)

Alternative: 안 -고 싶다

Less common but possible:

• 안 가고 싶어요. (Don't want to go.)

More natural is -고 싶지 않다.

Becoming Something: -가/-이 되고 싶다

Pattern: [Noun]이/가 되고 싶다

For professions or states of being:

• 의사가 되고 싶어요. (I want to become a doctor.)

• 선생님이 되고 싶어요. (I want to become a teacher.)

• 유명한 가수가 되고 싶어요. (I want to become a famous singer.)

• 행복한 사람이 되고 싶어요. (I want to become a happy person.)

Having/Possessing: 갖고 싶다

Pattern: [Object]을/를 갖고 싶다

For wanting to possess things:

• 새 차를 갖고 싶어요. (I want to have a new car.)

• 큰 집을 갖고 싶어요. (I want to have a big house.)

• 좋은 친구들을 갖고 싶어요. (I want to have good friends.)

Past Desires

Pattern: [Verb]고 싶었다

Expressing past wants:

• 한국에 가고 싶었어요. (I wanted to go to Korea.)

• 그 영화를 보고 싶었어요. (I wanted to watch that movie.)

• 피자를 먹고 싶었는데 못 먹었어요. (I wanted to eat pizza, but couldn't.)

With Reasons

Pattern: [Reason] 때문에 [Verb]고 싶다

• 피곤하기 때문에 쉬고 싶어요. (Because I'm tired, I want to rest.)

• 배가 고파서 먹고 싶어요. (Because I'm hungry, I want to eat.)

Polite Requests

Pattern: [Verb]고 싶은데요

Softly expressing desire as a request:

• 물 좀 마시고 싶은데요. (I'd like to drink some water.)

• 질문하고 싶은데요. (I'd like to ask a question.)

With Future Plans

Pattern: [Time]에 [Verb]고 싶다

• 내년에 한국에 가고 싶어요. (I want to go to Korea next year.)

• 주말에 영화 보고 싶어요. (I want to watch a movie on the weekend.)

• 방학 때 여행하고 싶어요. (I want to travel during vacation.)

Irregular Verbs with -고 싶다

All Verbs Follow Same Pattern

Since -고 is a consonant ending that doesn't cause stem changes:

ㅂ Irregular:

• 돕다 → 돕고 싶어요 (want to help)

ㅎ Irregular:

• 그렇다 → 그렇고 싶어요 (rare - not typically used)

으 Irregular:

• 쓰다 → 쓰고 싶어요 (want to write/use)

ㄹ Irregular:

• 알다 → 알고 싶어요 (want to know)
• 살다 → 살고 싶어요 (want to live)

ㄷ Irregular:

• 듣다 → 듣고 싶어요 (want to listen)
• 걷다 → 걷고 싶어요 (want to walk)

First Person Focus

Primarily Used for Speaker's Desires

-고 싶다 naturally expresses the speaker's own desires:

✓ 저는 가고 싶어요. (I want to go.) ✓ 우리는 먹고 싶어요. (We want to eat.)

For third person desires, use -고 싶어하다:

• 친구가 가고 싶어해요. (My friend wants to go.)

Common Patterns

Asking What Someone Wants

• 뭐 먹고 싶어요? (What do you want to eat?)
• 어디 가고 싶어요? (Where do you want to go?)
• 뭐 하고 싶어요? (What do you want to do?)

Expressing Desires

• 쉬고 싶어요. (I want to rest.)
• 자고 싶어요. (I want to sleep.)
• 놀고 싶어요. (I want to have fun.)

Missing Someone

• 보고 싶어요. (I miss you.)
• 만나고 싶어요. (I want to see you.)

Future Goals

• 의사가 되고 싶어요. (I want to become a doctor.)
• 한국어를 배우고 싶어요. (I want to learn Korean.)

With Connectives

-고 싶은데

Provides background for desire:

• 영화 보고 싶은데 시간이 없어요. (I want to watch a movie, but I don't have time.)

-고 싶지만

Shows contrast:

• 가고 싶지만 못 가요. (I want to go, but I can't.)

-고 싶어서

Shows reason:

• 쉬고 싶어서 집에 있어요. (I want to rest, so I'm staying home.)