Korean words for wish, try hard, effort, tantalize : 원하다, 바라다, 싶다, 애쓰다, 애써, 노력, 애태우다, 애타게
Let’s learn Korean words for wish, try hard, effort, tantalize with BLACKPINK lyrics.
Click the play button below to listen to all the BLACKPINK lyrics used in this post.
원하다 [won-ha-da] to want
지금 너를 원하는 내 숨결이 느껴지니?
ji-geum neo-reul won-ha-neun nae sum-gyeo-ri neu-kkyeo-ji-ni?
Can you feel in my breath how much I want you?
*지금(now) +
너(you) + 를(object particle) +
원하는(원하다(want) + 는(noun modifier)) +
내(나(I) + 의(of), =내) +
숨결(breath) + 이(subject particle) +
느껴지니? (느끼다(feel) + ~아/어지다(become) + 니?)
(*Verb/adjective stem + ~아/어지다 expresses the change of state over time.
Verb/adjective stem + 니? is an informal ending to ask a question of someone close to the speaker.)
바라다 [ba-ra-da] to want, to wish
사실은 난 더 바라는 게 없어 이제
sa-si-reun nan deo ba-ra-neun ge eop-seo i-je
There’s really nothing more I want now
*사실(fact) + 은(topic particle) +
난(나(I) + 는(topic particle), =난) +
더(more) +
바라는(바라다(want) + 는(noun modifier)) +
게(것(thing) + 이(subject particle), =게) +
없어(there isn’t) +
이제(now)
싶다 [sip-tta] to want, to wish
Baby, 자기, 여보 보고 싶어
baby, ja-gi, yeo-bo bo-go si-peo
Baby, darling, honey, I want to see you
[Baby, darling, honey, I miss you]
*Baby +
자기(darling) +
여보(honey) +
보고 싶어(보다(see) + ~고 싶다(want to))
(*~고 싶다 is used to express the speaker’s wishes.)
애쓰다 [ae-sseu-da] to try hard, to make effort
애써서 [ae-sseu-seu] diligently, hard, painfully
애써서 활짝 웃었던 날에 밤은 왜 더 어두울까?
ae-sseo-seo hwal-jjak u-seot-deon na-re ba-meun wae deo eo-du-ul-kka?
Why is the night darker on the day when I tried hard to laugh hard?
*애써서(diligently) +
활짝(wide) +
웃었던(웃다(smile) + 었던(noun modifier for past tense)) +
날(day) + 에(on) +
밤(night) + 은(topic particle) +
왜(why) +
더(more) +
어두울까?(어둡다(be dark) + 을까(is it?))
(*Verb stem + ~던 is used to recall a past action or habit that has been repeated often or is still present.
Verb stem + ~았/었던 is used to recall a past event that has not continued into the present.
~ㄹ/을까 can be used to ask a question, express an intention or worry.)
애써 [a-esseo] diligently, hard, painfully
노력 [no-ryeok] effort, hard work
노력하다 [no-ryeok-ha-da] make effort
애써 노력 따윈 마
ae-sseo no-ryeok tta-win ma
Don’t even try too hard
*애써(hard) +
노력(effort) +
따윈(따위(and the like) + 는(topic particle), =따윈) +
마(don’t)
애태우다 [ae-tae-u-da] to tantalize, to worry
이렇게 넌 날 애태우고 있잖아
i-reo-ke neon nal ae-tae-u-go it-ja-na
This is how you tantalize me
*이렇게(like this) +
넌(너(you) + 는(topic particle), =넌) +
날(나(I) + 를(object particle), =날) +
애태우고 있잖아(애태우다(tantalize) + ~고 있다(present progressive) + ~잖아(as you know)?)
(*Adding ‘~고 있다’ to a verb stem shows the action is in progress.
~잖아(요) reminds the listener of something or rebukes the listener indirectly.
~잖아(요) is the same as ‘as you know’, ‘didn’t I say that~’ in English.)
애타게 [ae-ta-ge] anxiously, desperately
난 널 애타게 생각해
nan neol ae-ta-ge saeng-ga-kae
I desperately think of you
*난(나(I) + 는(topic particle), =난) +
널(너(you) + 를(object particle), =널) +
애타게(desperately) +
생각(thought) + 해(do)
Grammar Reference
*Adjective[verb] stem + ㄴ/은/는/을 + noun : noun that adjective[verb]
ex)원하는 내 숨결 : 원하다(want) + 는(noun modifier) + 나(I) + 의(of) + 숨결(breath)
바라는 게 : 바라다(want) + 는(noun modifier) + 것(thing) + 이(subject particle)
ㄴ/은/는/을 is added to verbs and adjectives to make them work as noun modifiers.
*Noun + 하다 : verb
Many Korean nouns that indicate or describe an action or behavior can be combined with 하다 to form verbs.
In some cases, nouns can be turned into verbs by simply adding the verb 하다 (to do).
ex)생각해 : 생각(thought) + 해(do)
*Tense
*Present tense : Adjective/verb stem + ~아/어/해요
*Past tense : Adjective/verb stem + ~았/었/했어요
*Future tense : Adjective/verb stem + ~(으)ㄹ 거예요 / ~ㄹ 게요/ ~겠어요
The basic way to get the verb/adjective stem is to remove 다 from the verb/adjective.
If there is a vowel ㅏ or ㅗ on the final syllable of the adjective/verb stem, 아요(present tense), 았어요(past tense), 을 거예요(future tense) is used.
If there is a vowel other than ㅏ or ㅗ on the final syllable of the adjective/verb, 어요(present tense), 었어요(past tense), ㄹ 거예요(future tense) is used.
Also, if there is 하다 in the adjective/verb, 하다 changes to 해요(present tense), 했어요(past tense), 할 거예요(future tense).
Below you can see the conjugation of 원하다, 바라다, 싶다, 애쓰다, 애태우다 by tenses.
| Present tense | Past tense | Future tense | |
| 원하다 | 원해요 | 원했어요 | 원할 거예요 |
| 바라다 | 바래요 | 바랬어요 | 바랄 거예요 |
| 싶다 | 싶어요 | 싶었어요 | 싶을 거예요 |
| 애쓰다 | 애써요 | 애썼어요 | 애쓸 거예요 |
| 애태우다 | 애태워요 | 애태웠어요 | 애태울 거예요 |
*Speech levels
The three most commonly used Korean speech levels are 합쇼체 (formal polite), 해요체 (informal polite) and 해체 (informal plain).
*The formal polite style : Adjective/verb stem + ~(스)ㅂ니다
~(스)ㅂ니다 is used more in formal or public situations including the military, news, reporting presentations, meetings and lectures. It’s mainly used to address large gatherings or people you don’t know personally.
*The informal polite style : Adjective/verb stem + ~아/어/해요
~아/어/해요 is most commonly used in everyday life. Compared to the formal polite style, the informal polite style is softer and less formal, so it is mainly used among family members, friends, shopkeepers and other close acquaintances.
*The informal plain style : Adjective/verb stem + ~아/어/해
As for the informal plain style ~아/어/해, it is mainly used among friends from superiors to people of lower rank and among family members.
Below you can see the conjugation of 원하다, 바라다, 싶다, 애쓰다, 애태우다 by speech levels.
| Formal polite | Informal polite | Informal plain | |
| 원하다 | 원합니다 | 원해요 | 원해 |
| 바라다 | 바랍니다 | 바래요 | 바래 |
| 싶다 | 싶습니다 | 싶어요 | 싶어 |
| 애쓰다 | 애씁니다 | 애써요 | 애써 |
| 애태우다 | 애태웁니다 | 애태워요 | 애태워 |