Expressing "Want to" with -고 싶다
What is -고 싶다?
-고 싶다 is an auxiliary predicate used in Korean to express the speaker's desire or wish to do something. It's attached directly to a verb stem and is equivalent to "want to (do something)" in English.
How to Form
To use it, simply take the dictionary form of a verb, remove the final 다 , and add -고 싶다 .
가다 → 가고 싶다 (want to go)
먹다 → 먹고 싶다 (want to eat)
보다 (to see/watch) → 보고 싶다 (want to watch)
In a sentence, -고 싶다 conjugates like a descriptive verb (adjective). Here are some common forms:
Formality · Declarative · Interrogative
Formal (ㅂ니다/습니다) · -고 싶습니다 · -고 싶습니까?
Polite (아요/어요) · -고 싶어요 · -고 싶어요?
Casual (아/어) · -고 싶어 · -고 싶어?
Examples
저는 영화를 보고 싶어요 .
I want to watch a movie.
제주도에 가고 싶습니다 .
I want to go to Jeju Island.
Someone Else's Desire: -고 싶어 하다
Talking About Others' Wants
A crucial rule for -고 싶다 is that it's used for the first person ("I") or for asking the second person ("you"). When you talk about the desires of a third person (like "he," "she," "they," or someone's name), you must use a different form: -고 싶어 하다 .
Why the difference? In Korean, feelings and internal states like "wanting" are considered directly accessible only to the person experiencing them. When you talk about someone else's desire, you are describing an externally observed state or action, not their internal feeling.
How to Form
Attach -고 싶어 하다 to the verb stem. This new form conjugates like a regular action verb.
가다 → 가고 싶어 하다 (wants to go)
배우다 → 배우고 싶어 하다 (wants to learn)
Examples
제 동생은 기타를 배우고 싶어 해요 .
My younger brother wants to learn guitar.