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In this post we’ll look at some key vocabulary related to food and drink.
배고파요! baegopayo! I’m hungry!
Let’s start with some basic expressions you may want to use.
- 배고파요!
baegopayo!
I’m hungry. - 목 말라요.
mog mallayo.
I’m thirsty.
- 뭘 먹고 싶어요.
mwol meoggo shipeoyo.
I want something to eat. - 뭘 마시고 싶어요.
mwol mashigo shipeoyo.
I want something to drink. - 간식 먹고 싶어요.
ganshig meoggo shipeoyo.
I feel like a snack.
저녁 준비 되었어요. jeonyeog junbi doeeosseoyo. Dinner is ready!
The meals in Korean are 아침 식사achim shigsa breakfast, 점심 식사jeomshim shigsa lunch, and 저녁 식사jeonyeog shigsa dinner. A snack is 간식ganshig. Dessert is 후식 hushig.
- 아침 식사는 뭐예요?
achim shigsa-neun mwoyeyo?
What’s for breakfast? - 점심 식사는 뭐예요?
jeomshim shigsa-neun mwoyeyo?
What’s for lunch? - 저녁 식사는 뭐예요?
jeonyeog shigsa-neun mwoyeyo?
What’s for dinner? - 후식은 뭐예요?
hushig-eun mwoyeyo?
What’s for dessert? - 아침을 일찍 먹어요.
achim-eul iljjig meogeoyo.
I eat breakfast early. - 점심을 동료들과 먹어요.
jeomshim-eul donglyodeulgwa meogeoyo.
I eat lunch with colleagues. - 저녁을 가족들과 먹어요.
jeonyeog-eul gajogdeulgwa meogeoyo.
I eat dinner with my family.
뭐를 먹어요? mwo-reul meogeoyo? What are you eating?
Let’s see some basic vocabulary for food and beverages.
- 빵 ppang bread
- 쌀 ssal, 밥 bab rice
- 파스타 paseuta pasta
- 국수gugsu noodles
- 고기 gogi meat
- 닭 dag chicken
- 소고기 sogogi beef
- 돼지고기dwaejigogi pork
- 햄 haem ham
- 양고기 yanggogi lamb
- 생선 saengseon fish
- 해물 haemul seafood
- 새우 saeu shrimp
- 랍스터 labseuteo lobster
- 게 ge crab
- 오징어 ojing-eo squid
- 대합daehab clam
- 두부 dubu tofu
- 채소 chaesu vegetables
- 토마토 tomato tomato
- 양파 yangpa onion
- 마늘 maneul garlic
- 상추 sangchu lettuce
- 시금치 shigeumchi spinach
- 아스파라거스aseupalageoseu asparagus
- 양배추 yangbaechu cabbage
- 버섯 beoseot mushroom
- 오이 oi cucumber
- 피망 pimang pepper (as in bell)
- 고춧가루 gochugaru chili pepper
- 과일 gwail fruit
- 사과 sagwa apple
- 배 bae pear
- 복숭아 bogsunga peach
- 오렌지 oraenji orange
- 레몬 raemon lemon
- 포도 podo grape
- 딸기 ddalgi strawberry
- 바나나 banana banana
- 견과 gyeongwa nut
- 땅콩 ddangkong peanut
- 씨 sshi seed
- 밀 mil wheat
- 시리얼 shirieol cereal
- 소금 sogeum salt
- 후추 hocha pepper
- 참깨 chamkkae sesame
- 꿀 kkul honey
- 설탕 seoltang sugar
- 간장 ganchang soy sauce
- 고추장gochujang gochujang, fermented chili paste
- 계란 gyeran egg
- 우유 uyu milk
- 치즈 chiseu cheese
- 버터 beoteo butter
- 물 mul water
- 차 cha tea
- 커피 keopi coffee
- 와인 wain wine
- 맥주 maekju beer
- 두유 doyu soy milk
- 주스 juseu juice
- 아이스크림 aiseukeurim ice cream
- 케이크 keikeu cake
- 파이 pai pie
- 쿠키 kuki cookie
- 사탕 satang candy
- 먹다 meogda to eat
- 마시다 mashida to drink
- 요리하다 yorihada to cook
- 맛보다 matboda to taste
- 밥을 많이 먹어요.
bab-eul mani meogeoyo.
I eat a lot of rice. - 아침에 커피나 차를 마셔요?
achim-e keopi-na cha-reul masheoyo?
Do you drink tea or coffee in the morning? - 요리를 참 잘해요.
yori-reul cham jalhaeyo.
You cook very well!
냅킨 좀 주시겠어요? naebkin jom jusigesseoyo? Could I have a napkin, please?
Some important related vocabulary: 접시jeobshi plate, 그릇geuleut bowl, 칼kal knife, 수저sujeo spoon, 포크pokeu fork, 젓가락jeotgalag chopsticks, 컵keob cup, 유리컵yulikeob glass, 냅킨 naebkin napkin.
- 냅킨/포크/나이프/젓가락 주실래요?
naebkin/pokeu/naipeu/jeosgalag jusillaeyo?
Could I have a napkin/fork/knife/spoon/chopsticks? - 물한잔 주실래요?
mulhanjan jusillaeyo?
Could I have a glass of water? - 포크, 칼, 수저가 어디 있어요?
pokeu, kal, sujeoga eodi isseoyo?
Where are the forks, knives, and spoons? - 포크, 칼, 수저는 서랍에 있어요.
pokeu, kal, sujeoneun seolab-e isseoyo.
The forks, knives, and spoons are in the drawer. - 깨끗한 유리컵은 캐비닛에 있어요.
kkaekkeutan yulikeob-eun kaebinis-e iss-eoyo.
The clean glasses are in the cabinet. - 커피 컵은 선반에 있어요.
keopi keob-eun seonban-e isseoyo.
The coffee cups on are the shelf. - 나무 젓가락 아니면 쇠 젓가락을 쓰세요?
namu jeotgalag animyeon soe jeotgalag-eul sseuseyo?
Do you use wooden or metal chopsticks? - 냅킨 좀 주시겠어요?
naebkin jom jusigesseoyo?
Could I have a napkin, please?
음식이 어때요? eumshig-i eottaeyo? How’s your food?
Let’s close with some key vocabulary that you can use to talk about your food: 맛있어요 mashisseoyo delicious, 짜요jjayo salty, 달아요dalayo sweet, 써요sseoyo bitter, 시어요 shieoyo sour.
- 맛있어요.
mashisseoyo.
It’s delicious. - 이 음식은 훌륭해요.
eumshig-eun hullyunghaeyo.
This food is excellent. - 너무 뜨거워요.
neomu tteugeowoyo.
It’s too hot. - 너무 차요.
neomu chayo
It’s too cold. - 너무 달아요.
neomu dalayo.
It’s too sweet. - 너무 짜요.
neomu jjayo.
It’s too salty. - 싱거워요.
shinggeowoyo.
It’s tasteless/bland. - 너무 익었어요.
neomu inyeosseoyo.
It’s overcooked. - 덜 익었어요.
deol ingyeosseoyo.
It’s undercooked. - 기름져요.
gileumjyeoyo.
It’s oily/greasy.
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