5 Ways to Say I Miss You in Korean
Written and reviewed by Jun and Jin, native Korean speakers
Published · Updated · How we write & review
After this page, you can tell someone you miss them with 보고 싶어요 (bogo sipeoyo) at the right politeness level.
10-second answer
How do you say I miss you in Korean?
The everyday phrase is 보고 싶어요 (bogo sipeoyo) — literally "I want to see you," which is how Korean expresses missing a person day to day. 그립다 (geuripda) exists too, but it's more literary/emotional, closer to English "I long for" — reach for 보고 싶어(요) unless you're being deliberately poetic.
Quick check — did that land?
1. What does 보고 싶어요 literally translate to?
그립다? You might think it simply means I miss someone.
The Full Spectrum
| Phrase | Formality / Tone | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| 보고 싶습니다 (bogo sipseumnida) | Formal | A message to someone senior, or a formal/professional context where warmth is still appropriate |
| 보고 싶어요 (bogo sipeoyo) | Polite-casual, the default | The single most common way to say it — texts to family, friends, a partner you're polite with |
| 보고 싶어 (bogo sipeo) | Casual (반말) | Close friends, family, or a partner — the version you'll hear constantly in K-dramas and K-pop lyrics |
| 많이 보고 싶어 (mani bogo sipeo) | Casual, emphatic | Adding 많이 ("a lot") to intensify — "I miss you so much" |
| 그리워요 / 그립다 (geuriwoyo / geuripda) | Literary, wistful | A deeper, more poetic "longing" — used for places, eras, or people in a reflective, emotional register |
See also: 사랑해 — I love you
The One Rule That Matters Most
보고 싶다 literally means "want to see," so it's used for people you can physically miss seeing — friends, family, a partner. 그립다 covers a broader, more abstract kind of missing (a place, a time period, a feeling) and shows up far more in song lyrics and writing than daily texts. If in doubt for a person, use 보고 싶어요.
Turning It Up: From 보고 싶어 to 보고 싶어 미치겠어
보고 싶어 is the everyday way to say it. When one "I miss you" isn't enough, Koreans stack intensity onto it — mostly in casual speech (반말) with a partner, family or close friends:
많이 보고 싶어.
mani bogo sipeo.
I miss you so much.
The simplest step up — 많이 (a lot). Works in 요 form too: 많이 보고 싶어요.
죽을 만큼 보고 싶어.
jugeul mankeum bogo sipeo.
I miss you like crazy.
Literally "I miss you enough to die" — pure exaggeration, the way English says "I'm dying to see you."
보고 싶어 미치겠어.
bogo sipeo michigesseo.
Missing you is driving me crazy.
-어 미치겠어 ("it's driving me crazy") attaches to feelings: 졸려 미치겠어, 궁금해 미치겠어. It comes from 미치다 (to go crazy), the same verb behind 미친.
These are for people you're close to. With someone senior, stay with 보고 싶어요 or the formal 보고 싶습니다 — the dramatic versions would sound strange.
Quick Examples
친구야, 보고 싶어!
chinguya, bogo sipeo!
Friend, I miss you!
Casual, affectionate — a very common text between close friends. Most people would use the friend's name instead; 친구야 (chinguya) isn't wrong, though. What matters is how the two of you usually call each other.
어렸을 때가 그리워요.
eoryeosseul ttaega geuriwoyo.
I miss when I was young.
그립다 used for a time period, not a person — shows its broader "longing" range.
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — Using 그립다 for someone you'll see again soon
그립다 leans wistful/literary — for an everyday "miss you" text to a friend, 보고 싶어(요) sounds far more natural.
Mistake #2 — Forgetting 보고 싶다 conjugates like an adjective
It's built from 보다 (to see) + -고 싶다 ("want to"), so it follows adjective-style conjugation, not a plain verb.
Mini Quiz
2 short questions — about 1 minute
2. Which word is better for missing a time period or place, rather than a person you'll see soon?
3. How would you casually tell a close friend "I miss you so much"?
Part of Korean Greetings & Everyday Politeness — The Survival Set
Related Knowledge
Learn Next
I Love You in Korean: The Full Spectrum
Missing someone and loving someone use the same casual/polite split — natural next step for relationship vocabulary.
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