1강. 마음속 바람 -고 싶다

초급 세밀: -고 싶다 / -(으)ㄹ 거예요 뉘앙스 · 5분

What does this express?

-고 싶다 expresses a wish in your heart.

Not a locked calendar event, but something you want to do: “I want to…” It pairs naturally with words like “someday” (언젠가), “later” (나중에), or “sometime” (한 번쯤).

Step 1: Drop 다 from the dictionary form

가다 → 가
먹다 → 먹

The part left behind is the stem. Every Korean ending attaches here.

Step 2: Attach -고 싶어요 to the stem

가 + 고 싶어요 → 가고 싶어요
먹 + 고 싶어요 → 먹고 싶어요

No vowel harmony, no 받침 rules: it never changes shape. That makes it one of the friendliest patterns in Korean.

When to use and when not to use

Use it: when you haven’t decided, but your heart leans that way:
오늘 좀 쉬고 싶어요. (I want to rest today.)

Don’t use it, for confirmed schedules. That’s -(으)ㄹ 거예요:
세 시에 출발하고 싶어요. (✕ Sounds like a wish when you already have an appointment)
세 시에 출발할 거예요. (○ I am going to leave at 3.)

Don’t use it, for other people’s minds. Switch to -고 싶어하다.

연습 Practice

이 레슨에는 풀어 보는 문제가 5개 있습니다. 앱에서 하나씩 맞히며 넘어갑니다.
5 exercises come with this lesson — open it to work through them.