BOGOSIPEO (보고싶어) Meaning — How Koreans Say "I MISS YOU" | SingSay Korean
싶어!
How Koreans say
“I miss you”
without saying miss.
In English, you miss someone.
In Korean, you want to see them.
Same feeling, a different picture.
What does ‘보고 싶어’ mean?
‘보고 싶어’ (Bogo Sipeo) means “I Miss You.”
But there is no word for “Miss” in it.
It is built from two pieces.
So when Koreans miss someone, they simply say they want to see them.
And like ‘사랑해’ and ‘고마워’, there is no “I” and no “You.”
no space?
The standard spelling has a space: ‘보고 싶어’.
In texts and song titles, people often drop it: ‘보고싶어’.
Both are read the same way.
When Koreans say it
That is the song’s bridge, line for line.
The further away the person feels, the bigger the phrase gets.
Saying it stronger
‘죽겠어’ literally means “I’m Going to Die.”
Koreans tack it onto almost any feeling to make it louder.
Tired? ‘피곤해 죽겠어’. Hungry? ‘배고파 죽겠어’.
It sounds dramatic, but it is everyday, casual Korean.
The polite versions
Like every word on this album, ‘보고 싶어’ is the casual form.
Friends, Partners, Siblings
Parents, Grandparents
Letters, Speeches
Calling home from far away? ‘엄마, 보고 싶어요’ is what many Koreans say.
Polite, but full of feeling.
When you finally meet
When you finally see the person again, Korean switches to the past tense.
The answer you are hoping for is ‘나도 보고 싶었어’ (Nado Bogo Sipeosseo).
“I Missed You Too.”
Same pattern, other wants
The ‘-고 싶어’ ending means “I Want To.”
Swap the verb in front and you have a whole new sentence.
Lyrics
When you miss someone, say:
보고싶어~ 보고싶어~ 보고싶어~
When you miss someone, say: bogosipeo~VERSE 2
너무 보고싶어!
너무 means “so much”:
너무 보고싶어!
The outro slows all the way down:
‘보고 싶어’, then ‘너무 보고 싶어’, then ‘보고 싶어 죽겠어’.
Words in this song
This is song four of Everyday Korean, Vol. 1.
Want all six words in one place? See the album guide.
Want to keep ‘보고 싶어’ handy?
Save the word cards on Instagram @singsaykorean.
Watch the full song on YouTube @SingSayKorean
and sing it until it sticks.
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