ko-grammar/docs/howtostudykorean/theme/eating.md

vocabulary

vocabulary

nouns verbs adjectives meals 반찬 soups meat ko en examples 김치 kimchi ko en 김치에 재료가 많이 들어가요 There are a lot of ingredients in **kimchi** ko en notes examples 밥 rice (or a "meal" or "food") <p>밥 literally means "cooked rice," but Korean people commonly use it to mean "a meal" in general, regardless of whether the meal actually contains rice.</p> ko en 밥 먹자! Let's **eat**! ko en 밥 먹었어? Have you **eaten**? (informal) ko en 저는 아침식사로 **밥**을 먹었어요 I ate **rice** for breakfast ko en 저는 **밥**을 많이 먹었어요 I ate a lot of **food (rice)** ko en 저는 **밥**을 먹고 갈 거에요 I will **eat** and then go ko en examples 반찬 side dish ko en 반찬을 남기지 마세요 Don't leave any **ban-chan (side dishes)** ko en 반찬을 먹을 만큼만 가져가세요 Only take the amount of **side-dishes** that you will eat ko en notes examples 식사 meal <p>식사 is also used when people order some sort of soup/stew at a restaurant. For example, at a Korean BBQ restaurant you might say "식사만 할 거예요," meaning "I'm just going to have [this type of] meal."</p> ko en 식사 할 거에요? Will you **eat**? ko en 식사 하셨어요? Have you **eaten**? (formal) ko en examples 물 water ko en 물 주세요 **Water**, please ko en 물을 갖다 주세요 Please go and get me **water** ko en 물을 이 컵에 따라 주세요 Please pour **water** into this cup ko en 물은 셀프입니다 **Water** is self-serve ko en examples 음료수 beverage ko en notes 어떤 **음료수**를 좋아해요? What **beverage** do you like? Generated by Claude ko en notes **음료수**를 냉장고에서 꺼내 줄래요? Can you take a **beverage** out of the fridge for me? Generated by Claude ko en examples 맥주 beer ko en 맥주 2잔 주세요 Two glasses of **beer**, please ko en notes examples 소주 a type of Korean traditional alcohol <p>[A strong, clear distilled liquor, similar in strength to vodka; probably the most commonly consumed alcoholic drink in Korea]</p> ko en 소주를 좀 더 따라 줄까요? Shall I pour you a bit more **soju**? ko en 소주 2병 주세요 Please give me two bottles of **soju** ko en notes examples 막걸리 a type of Korean traditional alcohol <p>[A milky, lightly sparkling rice wine, lower in alcohol content than 소주]</p> ko en 막걸리를 좋아해요? Do you like **makgeolli**? ko en examples 콜라 cola (Coke/Pepsi) ko en notes **콜라** 한 잔 주세요 One glass of **cola**, please Generated by Claude ko en notes 저는 **콜라**보다 사이다를 더 좋아해요 I like cider more than **cola** Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 사이다 "cider" (this tastes similar to Sprite/7-Up) <p>[Not alcoholic cider — 사이다 is a clear, carbonated soft drink similar to Sprite/7-Up]</p> ko en notes **사이다** 있어요? Do you have **cider (Sprite-like soda)**? Generated by Claude ko en notes 이 **사이다**는 너무 달아요 This **cider (soda)** is too sweet Generated by Claude ko en examples 고기 meat ko en 저는 어제 **고기**를 2번 먹었어요 I ate **meat** twice yesterday ko en examples 돼지고기 pork ko en 저는 지난 번에 **돼지고기**를 먹었어요 We ate **pork** last time ko en examples 소고기 beef ko en notes 저는 **소고기**를 안 먹어요 I don't eat **beef** Generated by Claude ko en notes **소고기**가 너무 비싸요 **Beef** is too expensive Generated by Claude ko en examples 해물 seafood ko en notes **해물**을 좋아해요? Do you like **seafood**? Generated by Claude ko en notes 이 식당은 **해물**이 유명해요 This restaurant is famous for its **seafood** Generated by Claude ko en examples 재료 ingredients ko en 김치에 **재료**가 많이 들어가요 There are a lot of **ingredients** in kimchi ko en notes examples 국내산 some product/food from Korea <p>~산 is attached after a country name to indicate the origin of a food product (e.g. "호주산" = "from Australia"). If the product is from Korea, "국내산" (domestic) is used instead of "한국산."</p> ko en 소고기 – 호주산 Beef – Australia ko en 돼지고기 – 미국산 Pork – America ko en 김치 – 국내산 Kimchi – Korea (domestic) ko en examples 식당 restaurant ko en 그 **식당**이 어디에 있는 지 알아요? Do you know where that **restaurant** is? ko en **식당**은 은행 옆에 있어요 The **restaurant** is next to the bank ko en 그 **식당**이 오래되었어요 That **restaurant** is old ko en examples 맛집 delicious restaurant ko en **맛집**을 핸드폰으로 검색해보자 Let's search for a good **restaurant** on my phone ko en examples 젓가락 chopstick ko en notes **젓가락**으로 먹을 수 있어요? Can you eat with **chopsticks**? Generated by Claude ko en notes **젓가락**이 하나만 있어요 There is only one **chopstick** Generated by Claude ko en examples 숟가락 spoon ko en notes **숟가락**을 갖다 주세요 Please bring me a **spoon** Generated by Claude ko en notes **숟가락**으로 국을 드세요 Eat the soup with a **spoon** Generated by Claude ko en examples 포크 fork ko en notes **포크**가 있어요? Do you have a **fork**? Generated by Claude ko en notes 저는 **포크**로 먹는 걸 더 좋아해요 I prefer eating with a **fork** Generated by Claude ko en examples 접시 plate ko en **접시**를 치워 주세요 Please clear the **plates** (from the table) ko en examples 그릇 bowl ko en notes 이 **그릇**은 너무 작아요 This **bowl** is too small Generated by Claude ko en notes **그릇**을 하나 더 주세요 Please give me one more **bowl** Generated by Claude ko en examples 탁자 table ko en notes **탁자** 위에 물이 있어요 There is water on the **table** Generated by Claude ko en notes 이 **탁자**는 4명이 앉을 수 있어요 Four people can sit at this **table** Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 상 small traditional Korean table that folds out <p>[A low, often foldable table used when sitting on the floor to eat, as opposed to 탁자, which refers to a more general/modern table]</p> ko en notes **상**을 펴 주세요 Please fold out the **table** Generated by Claude ko en notes **상** 위에 반찬이 많아요 There are a lot of side dishes on the **table** Generated by Claude ko en examples 냄비 pot ko en notes **냄비**에 물을 끓여요 I'm boiling water in the **pot** Generated by Claude ko en notes 이 **냄비**는 너무 뜨거워요 This **pot** is too hot Generated by Claude ko en examples 냉장고 refrigerator ko en notes **냉장고**에 물이 있어요 There is water in the **refrigerator** Generated by Claude ko en notes **냉장고**를 열어 주세요 Please open the **refrigerator** Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 김치냉장고 kimchi refrigerator <p>Many Korean households have a separate refrigerator dedicated just to kimchi, called 김치냉장고, kept at a different temperature/humidity ideal for storing and fermenting kimchi.</p> ko en notes **김치냉장고**에 김치가 많아요 There is a lot of kimchi in the **kimchi fridge** Generated by Claude ko en notes 우리 집에는 **김치냉장고**가 있어요 We have a **kimchi fridge** at our house Generated by Claude ko en examples 냉동실 freezer ko en notes 고기를 **냉동실**에 넣어 주세요 Please put the meat in the **freezer** Generated by Claude ko en notes **냉동실**이 꽉 찼어요 The **freezer** is full Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 메뉴 menu <p>Korean people use 메뉴 to refer to the food that can be served at a restaurant/other place, not to the physical booklet listing the food. In English, "menu" usually refers to the physical booklet, which in Korean is called "메뉴판."</p> ko en 오늘 점심 **메뉴**가 뭐야? What is today's lunch **menu**? ko en examples 먹다 to eat ko en 다 **먹을** 수 있어요? Can you **eat** it all? ko en 더 **먹고** 싶어요? Do you want to **eat** more? ko en 같이 **먹자**! Let's **eat** together! ko en 저는 아직 안 **먹었어요** I haven't **eaten** yet ko en 많이 **드세요**! **Eat** a lot (enjoy your meal) (formal) ko en examples 마시다 to drink ko en 뭐 **마실래요**? What shall we **drink**? ko en examples 요리하다 to cook ko en notes 저는 김치찌개를 **요리했어요** I **cooked** kimchi stew Generated by Claude ko en notes **요리할** 줄 알아요? Do you know how to **cook**? Generated by Claude ko en examples 따르다 to pour ko en 소주를 좀 더 **따라** 줄까요? Shall I **pour** you a bit more soju? ko en 물을 이 컵에 **따라** 주세요 Please **pour** water into this cup ko en notes examples 주다 to give <p>~아/어 주세요 ("please give [me the favor of]...") is extremely common when politely requesting something, so many example sentences with 주다 look like requests rather than the literal verb "to give."</p> ko en 물 **주세요** Water, please ko en 맥주 2잔 **주세요** Two glasses of beer, please ko en 소스를 더 **주세요** Please **give** me more sauce ko en 조금 더 **주세요** Just a little bit more, please ko en 맛있는 것을 사 **줄게요** I will buy you something delicious ko en notes examples 주문하다 to order <p>[More formal/neutral sounding than 시키다; commonly used when speaking about the act of ordering itself, e.g. at a counter]</p> ko en **주문할게요** I'm going to **order** now ko en **주문했어요**? Did you **order**? ko en notes examples 시키다 to order <p>[Often used interchangeably with 주문하다 when ordering food, but 시키다 can also mean "to make someone do something"]</p> ko en 뭐 **시켰어요**? What did you **order**? ko en 더 **시킬까요**? Shall we **order** more? ko en notes examples 계산하다 to pay <p>[Literally "to calculate"; used specifically for paying a bill, e.g. at a restaurant or store]</p> ko en **계산이요** Said when you want to pay for your meal at a restaurant ko en notes examples 내다 to pay <p>[Used when talking about who pays/covers the cost, as opposed to 계산하다, which is used for the act of settling the bill]</p> ko en 제가 **낼게요** I'll **pay** ko en 점심을 누가 **냈어요**? Who **paid** for lunch? ko en examples 비싸다 expensive ko en notes 이 식당은 너무 **비싸요** This restaurant is too **expensive** Generated by Claude ko en notes 소고기가 **비싸요** Beef is **expensive** Generated by Claude ko en examples 싸다 cheap ko en notes 이 김밥은 정말 **싸요** This kimbab is really **cheap** Generated by Claude ko en notes 더 **싼** 식당이 있어요? Is there a **cheaper** restaurant? Generated by Claude ko en examples 배고프다 hungry (sometimes said as 배가 고프다) ko en 아직 **배고파요**? Are you still **hungry**? ko en examples 배부르다 full (sometimes said as 배가 부르다) ko en notes 저는 너무 **배불러요** I am too **full** Generated by Claude ko en notes **배불러서** 더 못 먹어요 I'm too **full**, I can't eat any more Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 맛있다 delicious <p>The word "맛" means "taste." So 맛있다 (or 맛이 있다) literally means "to have taste," and 맛없다 (or 맛이 없다) literally means "to not have taste."</p> ko en 이 게 **맛있어요** This is **delicious** ko en 제일 **맛있는** 게 뭐에요? What is the most **delicious** thing? ko en **맛있게** 드세요! Bon Appétit (formal) ko en notes examples 맛없다 not delicious <p>Literally "to not have taste" (맛이 없다). See notes on 맛있다.</p> ko en notes 이 음식은 좀 **맛없어요** This food is a bit **not delicious** Generated by Claude ko en notes 어제 먹은 것은 **맛없었어요** What I ate yesterday was **not delicious** Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 짜다 salty <p>[In English, "salty" is usually only used when something literally has too much salt. In Korean, 짜다 is used much more broadly to describe anything over-seasoned, so it's heard far more often than its English counterpart.]</p> ko en notes 이 국은 너무 **짜요** This soup is too **salty** Generated by Claude ko en notes 반찬이 좀 **짜요** The side dishes are a bit **salty** Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 느끼하다 greasy <p>[Describes food, or the feeling after eating food, that is heavy/doughy/oily — commonly spaghetti, pizza, bread, or anything with a lot of cheese/wheat. Eating something pickled is a common way to counteract this feeling, which is why pickles are often served with pizza or pasta in Korea.]</p> ko en notes 이 피자는 너무 **느끼해요** This pizza is too **greasy** Generated by Claude ko en notes 스파게티를 먹으면 좀 **느끼해요** When I eat spaghetti, I feel a bit **greasy** Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 고소하다 nutty <p>[Describes a nutty taste/aroma, most commonly associated with sesame oil (참기름); hard to translate perfectly into English]</p> ko en notes 참기름 냄새가 **고소해요** The sesame oil smells **nutty** Generated by Claude ko en notes 이 반찬은 **고소한** 맛이 나요 This side dish has a **nutty** taste Generated by Claude ko ko_text en notes examples 아침(식사) 아침 breakfast <p>아침 also means "morning" (hence 아침식사 literally means "morning meal"), but context always makes clear whether the speaker means "morning" or "breakfast." For example:</p> <p>저는 아침에 일찍 일어났어요 = I woke up early in the morning</p> <p>저는 아침을 먹었어요 = I ate breakfast</p> <p>The same applies to 점심 and 저녁.</p> ko en 저는 **아침식사**로 밥을 먹었어요 I ate rice for **breakfast** ko en 저는 **아침**에 일찍 일어났어요 I woke up early in the **morning** ko en 저는 **아침**을 먹었어요 I ate **breakfast** ko ko_text en notes examples 점심(식사) 점심 lunch <p>Like 아침, 점심 can stand alone (without 식사 attached) to mean "lunch," and context makes it clear whether "lunch" is meant. Unlike 아침, 점심 does not separately mean "midday" the way 아침 means "morning" — in everyday use, 점심 simply refers to the meal.</p> ko en **점심**으로 뭐 먹고 싶어요? What do you want to eat for **lunch**? ko en **점심**을 먹었어? Did you eat **lunch**? ko en **점심**으로 뭐 먹었어요? What did you eat for **lunch**? ko en **점심**은 어땠어요? How was **lunch**? ko en **점심**을 누가 냈어요? Who paid for **lunch**? ko ko_text en notes examples 저녁(식사) 저녁 dinner <p>Like 아침, 저녁 can be used alone (without 식사 attached) to mean "dinner." 저녁 also means "evening," and just as with 아침, context makes it clear whether the speaker means "evening" or "dinner." For example:</p> <p>저는 저녁에 운동해요 = I exercise in the evening</p> <p>저는 저녁을 먹었어요 = I ate dinner</p> ko en notes **저녁**으로 뭐 먹을래요? What shall we eat for **dinner**? Generated by Claude ko en notes 저는 **저녁**을 아직 안 먹었어요 I haven't eaten **dinner** yet Generated by Claude ko en notes examples (배추)김치 (cabbage) kimchi <p><img src="https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/banchan3.jpg"></p> <p>There are many types of kimchi, but when Korean people just say "김치" without specifying, they usually mean the kimchi made from Korean cabbage (배추). The full name "배추김치" is rarely necessary — "김치" alone is understood to mean this type.</p> ko en **김치**에 재료가 많이 들어가요 There are a lot of ingredients in **kimchi** ko en notes **김치**가 너무 매워요 The **kimchi** is too spicy Generated by Claude ko en notes 저는 **김치**를 매일 먹어요 I eat **kimchi** every day Generated by Claude ko en examples 김 seaweed ko en notes **김**을 밥이랑 같이 먹어요 I eat **seaweed** together with rice Generated by Claude ko en notes **김**이 바삭바삭해요 The **seaweed** is crispy Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 깍두기 diced radish kimchi <p>[Made from radish cut into small cubes; one of the most common banchan alongside 배추김치]</p> ko en notes **깍두기**도 좀 주세요 Please also give me some **diced radish kimchi** Generated by Claude ko en notes 이 식당 **깍두기**가 맛있어요 This restaurant's **diced radish kimchi** is delicious Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 무생채 sliced radish kimchi <p><img src="https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/banchan4.jpg"></p> <p>[Made from thinly sliced radish that is seasoned but not fermented, unlike most other kimchi; has a fresher, more salad-like texture]</p> ko en notes **무생채**는 안 매워요 **Sliced radish kimchi** is not spicy Generated by Claude ko en notes **무생채**를 만들어 봤어요 I tried making **sliced radish kimchi** Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 오이김치 cucumber kimchi <p>[Made from cucumber, usually stuffed with a spicy radish/chive filling; lighter and more refreshing than cabbage kimchi]</p> ko en notes 여름에는 **오이김치**를 자주 먹어요 I often eat **cucumber kimchi** in the summer Generated by Claude ko en notes **오이김치**가 시원해요 **Cucumber kimchi** is refreshing Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 총각김치 radish kimchi <p>[Made with whole small "chonggak" radishes, often including the green tops, usually left whole or cut in half. Compare with 열무김치, which uses young summer radish, and 깍두기, which uses diced radish.]</p> ko en notes **총각김치**는 무가 통째로 들어가요 **Chonggak kimchi** has the whole radish in it Generated by Claude ko en notes **총각김치**를 먹어 본 적 있어요? Have you ever tried **chonggak radish kimchi**? Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 열무김치 radish kimchi <p>[Made with young summer radish (열무), which has soft leaves and thin roots. Often eaten with cold noodles (열무국수) in summer. Compare with 총각김치, which uses a different, more mature radish.]</p> ko en notes **열무김치**는 여름에 인기가 많아요 **Yeolmu kimchi** is very popular in summer Generated by Claude ko en notes **열무김치**국수를 먹고 싶어요 I want to eat **yeolmu kimchi** noodles Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 나물 seasoned herbs/vegetables <p>[A general term for banchan made from herbs or vegetables that are blanched/cooked and then seasoned, typically with sesame oil, garlic, and salt. 콩나물 무침 is one specific example of 나물.]</p> ko en notes 저는 **나물**을 좋아해요 I like **seasoned vegetables** Generated by Claude ko en notes 이 **나물**은 고소해요 This **seasoned vegetable dish** is nutty Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 콩나물 무침 seasoned beansprout <p>[A specific type of 나물 made from soybean sprouts (콩나물), seasoned typically with sesame oil, garlic, and salt]</p> ko en notes **콩나물 무침**을 만들어 줄게요 I'll make you some **seasoned beansprouts** Generated by Claude ko en notes **콩나물 무침**이 아주 고소해요 The **seasoned beansprouts** are very nutty Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 국 soup (with one main ingredient and a lot of water) <p>[More of a soup with one main ingredient and a lot of water, compared to 찌개 and 탕]</p> ko en notes **미역국**을 먹었어요 I ate seaweed **soup** Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 찌개 stew (less water, lots of things boiled together) <p>[More of a stew with less water than 국, and lots of ingredients boiled together]</p> ko en notes **김치찌개**를 시켰어요 I ordered kimchi **stew** Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 탕 "tang" (watery, but boiled for a long time with a lot of stuff in it) <p>[Watery like 국, but boiled for a long time and containing a lot of ingredients, often meat/bones]</p> ko en notes **삼계탕**을 여름에 먹어요 I eat samgyetang (chicken ginseng **soup**) in the summer Generated by Claude ko en examples 미역국 seaweed soup ko en notes 생일에는 **미역국**을 먹어요 We eat **seaweed soup** on birthdays Generated by Claude ko en notes **미역국**이 몸에 좋아요 **Seaweed soup** is good for your body Generated by Claude ko en examples 만둣국 dumpling soup ko en notes 설날에 **만둣국**을 먹어요 We eat **dumpling soup** on Lunar New Year Generated by Claude ko en notes **만둣국**이 따뜻해요 **Dumpling soup** is warm Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 삼계탕 chicken soup with ginseng <p>[Often eaten in the summer, believed to help restore energy during hot weather]</p> ko en notes 더운 날에는 **삼계탕**을 먹어요 We eat **samgyetang** on hot days Generated by Claude ko en notes **삼계탕**에는 인삼이 들어가요 **Samgyetang** contains ginseng Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 닭볶음탕 stir fried chicken pot <p><img src="https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/dalkbokkeumtang.jpg"></p> ko en notes **닭볶음탕**은 좀 매워요 **Dakbokkeumtang** is a bit spicy Generated by Claude ko en notes **닭볶음탕**을 만들 줄 알아요? Do you know how to make **dakbokkeumtang**? Generated by Claude ko en examples 해물탕 spicy seafood stew ko en notes **해물탕**에 새우가 들어가요 There is shrimp in the **spicy seafood stew** Generated by Claude ko en notes **해물탕**을 나눠 먹자 Let's share the **spicy seafood stew** Generated by Claude ko en examples 된장찌개 bean paste stew ko en notes **된장찌개**는 짜요 **Doenjang stew** is salty Generated by Claude ko en notes 저는 **된장찌개**를 자주 먹어요 I often eat **doenjang stew** Generated by Claude ko en examples 김치찌개 kimchi stew ko en notes **김치찌개**를 끓여 줄게요 I'll cook **kimchi stew** for you Generated by Claude ko en notes **김치찌개**가 너무 매워요 **Kimchi stew** is too spicy Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 감자탕 pork vertebrae stew <p><img src="https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/kamjatang.jpg"></p> <p>감자 also means "potato" in Korean, so many foreigners (and even some younger Korean people) incorrectly assume that 감자탕 should contain potatoes. You'll often see potatoes in 감자탕, but this is reportedly a modern phenomenon caused by people ordering 감자탕 and arguing that there should be potatoes in their "potato stew."</p> ko en notes **감자탕**에는 감자가 없을 수도 있어요 **Gamjatang** might not have any potatoes in it Generated by Claude ko en notes **감자탕**을 먹으러 가자 Let's go eat **gamjatang** Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 부대찌개 Army soup <p>During the Korean war, the US military used to give extra food to Korean people on the street. This usually consisted of things like hot-dogs and other similar items, so Korean people at the time took all the ingredients and made a stew out of it.</p> ko en notes **부대찌개**에는 소시지랑 햄이 들어가요 **Budae-jjigae** has sausage and ham in it Generated by Claude ko en notes **부대찌개**를 라면이랑 같이 먹어요 I eat **budae-jjigae** together with ramen Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 삼겹살 pork belly (similar to bacon, but thicker) <p><img src="https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/samgyupsal.jpg"></p> ko en **삼겹살** 2개랑 밥 2공기 주세요 Two orders of **Samgyupsal**, and two orders of rice, please ko en notes examples 오겹살 pork belly (but there are five layers of fat instead of three) <p>[Compare with 삼겹살, which has three layers of fat/meat; 오겹살 has five layers, making it slightly fattier]</p> ko en notes **오겹살**은 삼겹살보다 더 기름져요 **Ogyeopsal** is fattier than samgyeopsal Generated by Claude ko en notes **오겹살**을 구워 먹자 Let's grill and eat some **ogyeopsal** Generated by Claude ko en examples 목살 pork neck ko en notes **목살**은 좀 덜 기름져요 **Pork neck** is a bit less greasy Generated by Claude ko en notes 저는 **목살**을 제일 좋아해요 I like **pork neck** the most Generated by Claude ko en examples 갈비 ribs ko en notes **갈비**를 먹으러 가자 Let's go eat **ribs** Generated by Claude ko en notes **갈비**는 좀 비싸요 **Ribs** are a bit expensive Generated by Claude ko en notes examples LA 갈비 short ribs <p>[Cut across the bone so several small round bones appear in each strip, unlike traditional 갈비 which is cut along the bone; named after Los Angeles, where this cut became popular]</p> ko en notes **LA 갈비**는 뼈가 여러 개 보여요 **LA galbi** has several bones visible in it Generated by Claude ko en notes **LA 갈비**를 양념에 재워 놨어요 I marinated the **LA galbi** Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 닭갈비 stir-fried chicken <p>[Despite containing "갈비" (ribs) in the name, 닭갈비 doesn't contain ribs at all — it's stir-fried marinated chicken, usually with vegetables and rice cakes]</p> ko en notes **닭갈비**는 맵고 맛있어요 **Dakgalbi** is spicy and delicious Generated by Claude ko en notes 춘천은 **닭갈비**로 유명해요 Chuncheon is famous for **dakgalbi** Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 불고기 meat marinated in sweet soy sauce <p><img src="https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/bulgogi2.jpg"></p> ko en notes **불고기**는 좀 달아요 **Bulgogi** is a bit sweet Generated by Claude ko en notes **불고기**를 상추에 싸 먹어요 I eat **bulgogi** wrapped in lettuce Generated by Claude ko en examples 김치볶음밥 Kimchi fried rice ko en notes **김치볶음밥**을 만들어 줄게요 I'll make **kimchi fried rice** for you Generated by Claude ko en notes **김치볶음밥**에 계란을 넣었어요 I put an egg in the **kimchi fried rice** Generated by Claude ko en examples 김밥 A roll of rice and other ingredients wrapped in seaweed ko en 김밥 1줄 주세요 One (line) of **kimbab** please ko en 김밥은 얼마예요? How much is (the) **kimbab**? ko en notes examples 떡 Rice cakes <p>Rice cakes (떡) are soft and doughy, and are not the same as the dry, crunchy rice cakes that are common in the West.</p> ko en notes **떡**은 쫄깃쫄깃해요 **Rice cakes** are chewy Generated by Claude ko en notes 저는 **떡**을 명절에 먹어요 I eat **rice cakes** during holidays Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 떡볶이 Spicy rice cakes <p><img src="https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/ddokbokki.jpg"></p> ko en notes **떡볶이**가 너무 매워요 **Tteokbokki** is too spicy Generated by Claude ko en notes **떡볶이**를 김밥이랑 같이 먹어요 I eat **tteokbokki** together with kimbab Generated by Claude ko en notes examples 비빔밥 Mixed rice with vegetables <p><img src="https://www.howtostudykorean.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/bibimbap.jpg"></p> ko en notes **비빔밥**을 잘 비벼야 돼요 You have to mix the **bibimbap** well Generated by Claude ko en notes **비빔밥**에 고추장을 넣어요 I put gochujang in the **bibimbap** Generated by Claude

(Theme) Unit 1: #3 – Eating

Introduction

Boasting some of the most delicious choices of food in the world, it is always good to learn common vocabulary and sentences related to food.

Below is a list of vocabulary you may find useful during a meal or in a restaurant setting.

Vocabulary

Nouns

김치 = kimchi

밥 = rice (or a “meal” or “food”)

반찬 = side dish

식사 = meal

물 = water

음료수 = beverage

맥주 = beer

소주 = a type of Korean traditional alcohol

막걸리 = a type of Korean traditional alcohol

콜라 = cola (Coke/Pepsi)

사이다 = “cider” (this tastes similar to Sprite/7-Up)

고기 = meat

돼지고기 = pork

소고기 = beef

해물 = seafood

재료 = ingredients

국내산 = some product/food from Korea

식당 = restaurant

맛집 = delicious restaurant

젓가락 = chopstick

숟가락 = spoon

포크 = fork

접시 = plate

그릇 = bowl

탁자 = table

상 = small traditional Korean table that folds out

냄비 = pot

냉장고 = refrigerator

김치냉장고 = kimchi refrigerator

냉동실 = freezer

메뉴 = menu

Korean people use the word “menu” (메뉴) to refer to the food that can be served at a restaurant/other place. For example, at a school, you might hear students say “오늘 점심 메뉴가 뭐야?” Here, they are asking “What is the menu.” In English, we use “menu” to refer to the actual book that has different foods written on it. In Korean, this is referred to as “메뉴판.”

Various types of foods are talked about later in the lesson.

Verbs

먹다 = to eat

마시다 = to drink

요리하다 = to cook

따르다 = to pour

주다 = to give

주문하다 = to order

시키다 = to order

계산하다 = to pay

내다 = to pay

Adjectives

비싸다 = expensive

싸다 = cheap

배고프다 = hungry

(sometimes said as 배가 고프다)

배부르다 = full (not hungry)

(sometimes said as 배가 부르다)

맛있다 = delicious

맛없다 = not delicious

The word “맛” in Korean is “taste.” Therefore, by saying “맛있다” (or 맛이 있다) and “맛없다” (or 맛이 없다) you are literally saying that something has taste or does not have taste.

There are some words in Korean that we don’t have a good word for in English:

짜다 = “salty”

In English, I would only ever say this word if something literally has too much salt on it. In Korea, they use this word to refer to anything that has been over-spiced, which is, in effect putting too much salt in something. Therefore, while it might be rare to hear somebody say that something is “too salty” in English, you will hear it every day in Korean.

느끼하다 = “greasy”

Korean people use this word to describe the food, or the feeling after eating a type of food that is very doughy. The biggest culprit of this in Korea would probably be spaghetti, but other things like Pizza, bread, doughnuts or other things with lots of cheese/wheat will make Korean people feel “느끼해.” The best way to combat this feeling in Korea is to eat something pickled, which means that pickles often come as a side dish when you order pizza or pasta.

고소하다 = “nutty”

Korean people use this word to describe the feeling/taste when you eat something that tastes “nutty.” It is hard to explain this perfectly, but the most common time you will hear this word is when somebody eats sesame oil (참기름).

Meals

아침(식사) = breakfast

점심(식사) = lunch

저녁(식사) = dinner

While the word for “breakfast” can be seen as “아침식사,” it is very common to refer to it simply as “아침.” Note that this word also means morning (hence, 아침식사 means “morning meal), but the context always makes it clear if you are referring to the morning, or breakfast. For example:

• 저는 아침에 일찍 일어났어요 = I woke up early in the morning
• 저는 아침을 먹었어요 = I ate breakfast

The same thing can be said for 점심 and 저녁.

For help memorizing these words, try using our Memrise tool.

Now let’s look at some specific sentences that you may find useful when in a restaurant setting:

Sentences

While eating

건배! = Cheers!

어때요? = How is it?

이 게 맛있어요 = This is delicious

그 게 안 매워요? = Is it not spicy?

아직 배고파요? = Are you still hungry?

더 먹고 싶어요? = Do you want to eat more?

다 먹을 수 있어요? = Can you eat it all?

더 시킬까요? = Shall we order more?

소주를 좀 더 따라 줄까요? = Shall I pour you a bit more soju?

막걸리를 좋아해요? = Do you like 막걸리?

편히 앉아 = Sit comfortably

In Korea, it is common to sit on the floor during a meal. It is polite to first kneel in an uncomfortable way, and then be told to sit down comfortably.

Deciding What to Eat/Before Eating

뭐 먹을래요? = What shall we eat?

뭐 먹을까요? = What shall we eat?

뭐 마실래요? = What shall we drink?

밥 먹자! = Let’s eat!

점심으로 뭐 먹고 싶어요? = What do you want to eat for lunch?

그 식당이 어디에 있는 지 알아요? = Do you know where that restaurant is?

맛집을 핸드폰으로 검색해보자 = Let’s search for a good restaurant on my phone

식당은 은행 옆에 있어요 = The restaurant is next to the bank

그 식당이 오래되었어요 = That restaurant is old

주문할게요 = I’m going to order now

주문했어요? = Did you order?

뭐 시켰어요? = What did you order?

맛있는 것을 사 줄게요 = I will buy you something delicious

제일 맛있는 게 뭐에요? = What is the most delicious thing?

김밥 1줄 주세요 = One (line) of kimbab please

김밥 is in the shape of a line, so the counter they use for it is “줄” (which means “line”)

김밥은 얼마예요? = How much is (the) kimbab?

같이 먹자! = Let’s eat together!

저는 아직 안 먹었어요 = I haven’t eaten yet

저는 아무것도 먹고 싶지 않아요 = I don’t want to eat anything/I want to eat nothing

어떤 종류 음식을 먹고 싶어요? = What type of food do you like the most?

딴 것(을) 먹을래요? = Shall we eat something else?

You wouldn’t say this while eating and suggesting to eat something else. Rather, you would say this if you are trying to decide what to eat, and your friend suggests something you don’t like. As if you were saying “let’s eat something else instead.”

식사 할 거에요? = Will you eat?

The word “식사” is also used when people have some sort of soup/stew at a restaurant. For example, you might walk into a Korean BBQ restaurant, and only want to get a soup/stew. At this point, you can say “식사만 할 거에요.” This would often translate to “I’m just going to have a meal,” but in this context, it indicates that you are going to have this specific type of meal.

Asking for Something While Eating

여기요! = Excuse me!

(If you want someone to come to help you with something at a restaurant)

물 주세요 = Water, please

맥주 2잔 주세요 = Two glasses of beer, please

물을 갖다 주세요 = Please go and get me water

물을 이 컵에 따라 주세요 = Please pour water into this cup

삼겹살 2개랑 밥 2공기 주세요 = Two orders of Samgyupsal, and two orders of rice, please

소스를 더 주세요 = Please give me more sauce

소주 2병 주세요 = Please give me two bottles of soju

조금 더 주세요 = Just a little bit more, please

판을 바꿔 주세요 = Please change the pan

(This is common when eating Korean BBQ because the meat eventually burns the pan a little bit, so you need to change it for a new one)

After eating

잘 먹었습니다 = “I ate well”

If somebody buys/provides/cooks you with a meal, it is polite to say this after you are finished to show your thanks. It is also common in Korean to say this to people who you ate the meal with, even if they had no role in buying/providing/cooking the meal. For example, if you and all of your friends are at a restaurant, right before getting up to leave, they might all say this to each other. They would probably also say the same thing to the owner/cook/whoever when they leave the restaurant as well.

• 잘 먹었어? = “Did you eat well?
• 많이 먹었어? = “Did you eat a lot?”

Both of these are commonly said by older people in Korean to younger people (or people of the same age) to ask if they had a good meal.

점심은 어땠어요? = How was lunch?

점심을 먹었어? = Did you eat lunch?

무엇을 먹었어? = What did you eat?

식사 하셨어요? = Have you eaten? (formal)

밥 먹었어? = Have you eaten? (informal)

점심으로 뭐 먹었어요? = What did you eat for lunch?

저는 아침식사로 밥을 먹었어요 = I ate rice for breakfast

불을 빼 주세요 = Please take out the fire (common in a BBQ restaurant)

나는 그만 먹을래 = I’m done eating (I’m finished eating)

저는 밥을 많이 먹었어요 = I ate a lot of food (rice)

접시를 치워 주세요 = Please clear the plates (from the table)

계산이요 = Said when you want to pay for your meal at a restaurant

제가 낼게요 = I’ll pay

점심을 누가 냈어요? = Who paid for lunch?

저는 밥을 친구랑 저의 어머니랑 먹었어요 = I ate with my mom and my friend

2(이)차를 갈까요? = Shall we do round two?

(After a meal, it is very common for Korean people continue their outing with friends/coworkers by going to another restaurant or bar. They call this “Round two”)

General

많이 드세요! = Eat a lot (enjoy your meal) (formal)

많이 먹어! = Eat a lot (enjoy your meal) (informal)

맛있게 드세요! = Bon Appétit (formal)

김치에 재료가 많이 들어가요 = There are a lot of ingredients in kimchi

저는 어제 고기를 2번 먹었어요 = I ate meat twice yesterday

저는 지난 번에 돼지고기를 먹었어요 = We ate pork last time

저는 밥을 5시에 먹을 거에요 = I will eat at 5:00

저는 사흘 동안 밥을 안 먹었어요 = I didn’t eat rice for 3 days

저는 2주일 동안 한식을 안 먹었어요 = I didn’t eat Korean food for two weeks

저는 아침식사로 밥을 먹었어요 = I ate rice for breakfast

저는 보통 점심식사로 과일만 먹어요 = I usually only eat fruit for lunch

저는 빵을 친구랑 먹었어요 = I ate bread with a friend

저는 밥을 먹고 갈 거에요 = I will eat and then go

저는 엄마가 밥을 먹은 지 안 먹은 지 몰라요 = I don’t know if mom ate or not

밥을 먹은 지 5분 됐다 = I have been eating for 5 minutes

Things you might see written in a restaurant

어서 오십시오 = Come in!

물은 셀프입니다 = Water is self-serve

반찬을 남기지 마세요 = Don’t leave any ban-chan (side dishes)

반찬을 먹을 만큼만 가져가세요 = Only take the amount of side-dishes that you will eat

Korean restaurants display the country of origin of their food products. If the product came from Korea, you will see “국내산.” For any other country, the country name is placed before “~산.” For example:

• 소고기 – 호주산 = Beef – Australia
• 돼지고기 – 미국산 = Pork – America
• 김치 – 국내산 = Kimchi – Korea (domestic)

What do Korean People Eat?

Korean people traditionally eat rice with every meal. These days, with the continual influx of Westernized restaurants and eating habits, this doesn’t happen all of the time, but it is still the norm. The word rice (밥) is often used to refer to a meal in general, regardless of if the meal actually had rice in it or not. For example, if you just wanted to ask somebody if they ate, you could ask them:

• 밥을 먹었어? = Did you eat (rice)?

Rice is the staple food at the table, and each meal will consist of various different types of 반찬. “반찬” typically translates to “side-dishes” in English, but they are not a typical side-dish in the way western people think. To me, a side dish is something you order (and pay more for) when you go to a restaurant – like an appetizer or something like that. In Korea, 반찬 are pre-made foods that are often able to be stored for a long time (due to fermentation). At home, Korean people store all of their 반찬 in dozens of Tupperware containers in the refrigerator.

반찬

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The most common 반찬 of all (both in Korea and worldwide) is 김치. Korean people have so many Tupperware containers full of 김치 at their house, most people have a separate refrigerator (that looks like a deep freezer) that holds only 김치.

During a Korean meal, various 반찬 are spread across a table – in what looks to be an enormous amount of food.

Various side dishes (반찬) on a traditional Korean table (상) at a Korean house

During the meal, Korean people will eat their bowl of rice and have a few pieces from their various 반찬 along with their rice. At home, at the end of a meal, these 반찬 go back into their Tupperware containers and put back into the refrigerator for the next meal. At a Korean restaurant, you will be given anywhere between 1 and 15 (or so) different 반찬 to graze over with your meal. You can typically order more of any 반찬 you want as long as you keep eating it. Whatever you don’t finish at a restaurant will be thrown away.

Here are some examples of some common 반찬 you will find in Korea. The translations of these are meaningless in English mostly because we would never eat something like this in a Western Culture. Pay more attention to the Korean word and how it looks instead of trying to understand what the thing might be based on the English word:

(배추)김치 = (cabbage) kimchi

There are many types of kimchi, but the one that most people are referring to when they just say “kimchi” is the one made from Korean cabbage (배추). Although it can be called “배추김치,” saying “김치” usually is sufficient.

김 = seaweed

깍두기 = diced radish kimchi

무생채 = sliced radish kimchi

오이김치 = cucumber kimchi

총각김치 = radish kimchi

열무김치 = radish kimchi

나물 = seasoned herbs/vegetables

콩나물 무침 = seasoned beansprout

Listing out all the 반찬 and explaining what each one is would take forever. There are hundreds of different types, and they all can’t really be explained in English.

In addition to the rice and 반찬, there are various soups (국) and meats (고기) that Korean people enjoy.

Soups

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There are three different things that Western people might call “soup.” You will see many different foods ending with 국, 찌개 or 탕. The difference between them confuses me even to this day. If you ask a Korean person what the difference between 국, 찌개, and 탕 is they will say

“탕 is 탕, 국 is 국 and 찌개 is 찌개.”

Really, they are all very similar and it’s best to just know each individual food by its respective name and not worry about the difference between these three.

Nonetheless,

• 국 = this is more of a soup with one main ingredient and a lot of water
• 찌개 = this is more of a stew with less water and lots of things boiled up together
• 탕 = this is watery, but boiled for a long time and there is a bunch of stuff in it

Below are some of the more common and popular soups, stews, or whatever you want to call them:

미역국 = seaweed soup

만둣국 = dumpling soup

삼계탕 = chicken soup with ginseng

닭볶음탕 = stir fried chicken pot

해물탕 = spicy seafood stew

된장찌개 = bean paste stew

김치찌개 = kimchi stew

감자탕 = pork vertebrae stew

감자 also means “potato” in Korea, so many foreigners (and even some younger Korean people) incorrectly assume that 감자탕 should contain potatoes. You’ll often see potatoes in 감자탕, but I’ve heard that this is a modern phenomenon caused by people ordering 감자탕 and arguing that there is no potatoes in their “potato stew.”

부대찌개 = Army soup

(During the Korean war, the US military used to give extra food to Korean people on the street. This usually consisted of things like hot-dogs and stuff like that, so Korean people at the time took all the ingredients and made a stew out of it)

Meat

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Korean meat is often fried in-front of you, and you typically do it yourself. This style of food is usually translated to “Korean BBQ” in English. Having a room full of people Barbequing their own meat in an enclosed restaurant usually results in a lot of smoke, and meat-smelling clothes by the end of the night.

Below are some of the more common and popular meats you will find Korean people eating:

삼겹살 = pork belly (similar to bacon, but thicker)

오겹살 = pork belly (but there are five layers of fat instead of three)

목살 = pork neck

갈비 = ribs

LA 갈비 = short ribs

닭갈비 = stir-fried chicken

불고기 = meet marinated in sweet soy sauce

삼겹살 with 반찬

In addition to those, below are some other common foods you will find in Korea:

김치볶음밥 = Kimchi fried rice

김밥 = A roll of rice and other ingredients wrapped in seaweed

떡 = Rice cakes

(Rice cakes are soft and doughy and are not the same as the dry rice cakes that we are used to in the West)

떡볶이 = Spicy rice cakes

비빔밥 = Mixed rice with vegetables

Mmm… so much delicious food.

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Have something you want to include? Want to know how to say a sentence in Korean? Post in the thread designated to this specific lesson in our Forum, and we will add it to this lesson.