Learn Hardcore Korean: jeoneun seupocheureul johahaeyo.

저 means “I” in polite/formal speech. Adding the particle 는 turns 저 into the topic of the sentence: “As for me….” Without 는, you’d just have the pronoun with no indication of its grammatical role. In Korean, particles like 는 and 가 mark how a noun functions in a sentence.

Why is there a 를 after 스포츠?

를 is the object-marking particle. Since 스포츠 (“sports”) is what is being liked (the direct object of 좋아해요), you add 를 to show that relationship: 스포츠를 좋아해요 = “(I) like sports.”

What’s the difference between 좋다 and 좋아하다?

좋다 is an adjective meaning “to be good” or “to be liked.” You use it when something itself is good: 스포츠가 좋아요 literally “Sports are good.”
좋아하다 is a verb that means “to like” (literally “to do liking”). When you talk about a person liking something, you conjugate 좋아하다, e.g. 스포츠를 좋아해요.

Why is the verb 좋아해요 and not 좋아요?

좋아해요 comes from the verb 좋아하다 (“to like”) in the present polite form.
좋아요 is the present form of the adjective 좋다 (“to be good”). If you said 스포츠가 좋아요, you’d be saying “Sports are good,” which is fine but focuses on the quality of sports rather than your action of liking them.

Can I drop 저는 and just say 스포츠를 좋아해요?

Yes. Korean often omits subject/topic when the context is clear. 스포츠를 좋아해요 still means “I like sports” if it’s obvious who you’re talking about. However, including 저는 makes it explicit and is good for clarity, especially in the beginning of a conversation.

What level of politeness is 좋아해요?

좋아해요 is in the polite/plain style (also called 존댓말). It’s appropriate for most everyday situations with strangers or acquaintances.

For more formal speech you could use 좋아합니다 (deferential).
For casual with close friends, you could say 좋아해 (반말).

Why is 스포츠 borrowed from English instead of a pure Korean word?

Many modern terms, especially for things like sports, computers, music genres, etc., are borrowed from English or other languages and adapted to Korean pronunciation. These are called loanwords (외래어). There isn’t a common native-Korean alternative for “sports,” so 스포츠 is used.

Could I say 저는 운동을 좋아해요 instead of 스포츠를 좋아해요?

Yes. 운동 is the native Korean word for “exercise” or “physical activity.”

스포츠 often carries the nuance of organized games or athletics (like soccer, basketball).
운동 is broader and can include jogging, weightlifting, stretching, etc. Choose based on what you mean.