How to Say I Don't Like It in Korean (싫어요)

What you'll learn

• Say I don't like it with 싫어요, 싫습니다, 싫어, 안 좋아해요 or 별로예요, depending on the listener and the strength.
• Pronounce 싫어요 as [시러요] and 싫습니다 as [실씀니다].
• Soften a refusal so that it sounds kind.
• Avoid the double negative 안 싫어요.

Before you start: it helps to know I like it in Korean, because the two pages mirror each other. Time: about 10 minutes.

How Do You Say I Don't Like It in Korean?

The standard way to say I don't like it in Korean is 싫어요, which literally means "it is unwelcome (to me)". The adjective 싫다 (silta) describes a thing you do not want or enjoy, so it works for food, plans, weather and people's actions.

Add the thing at the front when it is not clear: 이거 싫어요 (igeo sireoyo, I don't like this). The next section sorts the forms by strength.

What Are the Polite and Casual Ways to Say I Don't Like It?

The forms change with the listener and with how strongly you feel. The endings follow the Korean speech levels, explained in the guide to Korean speech levels. Here the ladder goes from strong to mild.

Polite: 싫어요 (sireoyo)

싫어요 is the form to learn first. It says clearly that you do not want or enjoy something. It suits friends, colleagues and family. With strangers or elders, use it with a reason.

Polite: 안 좋아해요 (an joahaeyo)

안 좋아해요 puts 안 (not) in front of 좋아해요 (I like). It is milder than 싫어요 and fits a lasting preference, such as food. It usually names the thing you do not like, as in 저는 커피를 안 좋아해요 (I don't like coffee).

Polite: 별로예요 (byeolloyeyo)

별로예요 means "it is not really good". The word 별로 is used with a negative idea, so it softens the sentence. It is the safest way to dislike a gift, a dish or a film without hurting anyone.

Polite: 마음에 안 들어요 (maeume an deureoyo)

마음에 안 들어요 is the opposite of 마음에 들어요: the thing does not suit your taste. Use it for something you can see or try, such as clothes or a room.

Casual: 싫어 (sireo)

싫어 drops the polite ending. Use it with close friends, siblings and children. A drawn-out 싫어~ can sound playful, while a short, flat 싫어 sounds firm.

Formal: 싫습니다 (silseumnida)

싫습니다 is the formal form. It is rare, because it sounds stern. In a formal setting people usually choose a polite sentence like 마음에 들지 않습니다 (I am not satisfied). Its sound is explained next.

The five forms also differ in strength, so it helps to see them side by side.

Pick the mildest row that is still honest. Koreans usually start mild and move up only if the other person keeps pushing. The sound of 싫어요 is the part that surprises most learners.

How Do You Pronounce 싫어요?

싫어요 is pronounced [시러요], si-reo-yo, in three syllables. The first syllable is written with a final ㅀ, a cluster of ㄹ and ㅎ, but only the ㄹ is heard, and it moves to the next syllable.

1. 시 (si): "see".
2. 러 (reo): the ㄹ from 싫 jumps over to join 어, and it sounds like a soft "ruh".
3. 요 (yo): "yo".

Sound Changes to Listen For

These changes follow the National Institute of Korean Language standard pronunciation rules (표준 발음법, Article 12):

• ㅎ is silent before a vowel. 싫어요 is [시러요] and 싫어 is [시러]. Do not say an h sound.
• ㅎ + ㅅ becomes ㅆ. 싫습니다 is [실씀니다]: the ㅎ drops, the ㅅ becomes tense ㅆ, and ㅂ before ㄴ turns into ㅁ. See Korean tensification for tense sounds.

Once you can say it, the harder task is to choose a form that fits the moment.

When Should You Use 싫어요, and When Should You Not?

Use 싫어요 when you want to be clear and the listener is close enough to hear it. Do not use it alone with someone you must respect, because a bare refusal can sound harsh.

Situations Where It Fits

• A friend asks if you want to go hiking. Say 싫어요, 너무 힘들어요 (no, it is too hard).
• A child or sibling teases you. Say 싫어!
• A smell or a sound bothers you. Say 이 냄새 싫어요.

Situations to Avoid

• Someone cooked for you. Say 별로예요 gently, or say you are full, not 싫어요.
• A boss makes a suggestion. Say 다른 방법도 있을까요? (could there be another way?).
• Using 싫어요 about a person. It is much stronger when the object is a person. See I hate you in Korean before you use it.

Remember also that 싫어요 can describe a situation, not only an object: 비가 와서 싫어요 means "I don't like it because it is raining". Two short conversations show the contrast.

What Does I Don't Like It Sound Like in a Real Conversation?

In real speech, people add a reason or a softener, and they often start with 아니요 or 글쎄요 (well...). Notice how the reason makes the answer kind.

What to notice: 좀 별로예요 is a gentle no, and 너무 매워요 gives the reason.

What to notice: between siblings the bare 싫어 is normal, and it comes with a reason.

What Should You Know about the Culture behind I Don't Like It?

Korean culture values harmony, so people often avoid a direct no. A guest who dislikes a dish may say 괜찮아요 (I'm fine) or 조금만 먹을게요 (I'll just have a little) instead of 싫어요. The word 좀, meaning "a little", softens almost any complaint.

• Hedging is polite. 좀 그래요 (jom geuraeyo, literally "it's a bit like that") hints at a problem without naming it.
• Directness is for equals. 싫어요 is natural between friends and family and with children.
• Tone matters. A smile and a short reason change a sharp refusal into a normal answer.

An expert tip: 좀 별로예요 is the most useful phrase on this page. Two small words give an honest opinion and keep the relationship warm. Many learners only meet the bare 싫어요 in drama lines, which are usually dramatic.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make with I Don't Like It in Korean?

Most mistakes come from using the wrong strength or from negating twice.

Learners often assume 싫어요 is the Korean twin of "I don't like it". Actually, it is closer to "I don't want it" or "no way", and it carries more feeling than the English phrase. Use 별로예요 for a gentle opinion.

Is It the Same as Dislike or Hate?

Close, but not identical. The short answers below cover the other searches folded into this page.

• Dislike in Korean: 싫어하다 (sireohada), the verb, as in 저는 거짓말을 싫어해요 (I dislike lies). It needs an object.
• I hate it in Korean: 너무 싫어요 or 진짜 싫어요, with 너무 or 진짜 for strength.
• I don't like in Korean: 안 좋아해요 for a mild dislike, 싫어요 for a stronger one.

Now practise aloud.

Practice: Say It Aloud

Play the slow clip of 싫어요 three times and relax the ㅎ. Then choose a reply. Answers follow.

1. A friend offers you a coffee, and you never drink coffee.
2. A teacher asks if you like the textbook, and you want to be gentle.
3. Your little brother wants your snack.
4. How do you say that you dislike spicy food in general?

Answers

1. 저는 커피를 안 좋아해요.
2. 좀 별로예요.
3. 싫어!
4. 저는 매운 음식을 싫어해요.

The phrase flashcards drill these answers with audio.

Related Phrases to Learn Next

Say no gently and learn its positive twin.

• I like it in Korean: 좋아요 for the positive reaction.
• No thank you in Korean: 괜찮습니다 for declining offers kindly.
• I hate you in Korean: how strong dislike works when the object is a person.

This guide belongs to the Korean feelings phrases collection. What this page does not cover: formal complaints, reviews and every verb that means dislike. Choose the strength first, soften it when you can, and you can say I don't like it in Korean without surprising anyone.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you say I don't like it in Korean?

Say 싫어요 (sireoyo) for a polite, direct answer. For a softer answer, say 별로예요 (not really good) or 마음에 안 들어요 (it does not suit me). With friends, say 싫어. In formal settings, say 싫습니다. Add the thing in front, as in 이거 싫어요, so the listener knows what you mean.

How do you pronounce 싫어요?

Say [시러요], si-reo-yo. The spelling ends the first syllable with ㅀ, a cluster of ㄹ and ㅎ. Before a vowel, the ㅎ is silent and the ㄹ moves to the next syllable, as the 국립국어원 standard pronunciation rules (표준 발음법, Article 12) say. So 싫어요 sounds like 시러요, with no h sound.

What is the difference between 싫어요 and 싫어해요?

싫어요 is an adjective: it says that something is unwelcome to you right now, as in 이거 싫어요. 싫어해요 is a verb and needs an object: 저는 매운 음식을 싫어해요 means I dislike spicy food. Use 싫어요 for a reaction and 싫어해요 for a lasting dislike.

Is 싫어요 rude?

It is not rude, but it is direct. Korean often prefers a softer answer, so a shop assistant or older person may feel a sharp 싫어요 is too strong. Use 별로예요 or 좀 그래요 when you want to be kind. Among friends, 싫어 is normal, and children say it all the time.

How do you say I hate it in Korean?

Add 너무 or 진짜 for strength: 너무 싫어요 or 진짜 싫어요 (I really don't like it). A stronger word, 혐오스러워요, exists but is rare in daily talk. Most people just stress 싫어요 with a rising voice, so a strong 너무 싫어요 is enough for ordinary speech.

What is the most common mistake with I don't like it in Korean?

Learners put 안 in front of 싫어요, as in 안 싫어요. That is a double negative and means I don't dislike it. To say I do not like it, use 싫어요 alone, or 안 좋아해요 for a milder choice. Another common slip is saying the ㅎ out loud instead of [시러요].

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