Learn Korean (TTMIK)

Lesson 12

In the previous lesson, we learned how to say “Please give me ...” or “I’d like to have ... please” in Korean. Do you remember the expression?

ju-se-yo = Please give me ... / I’d like to have ...

And you can use this expression (ju-se-yo) to order something in a restaurant or to ask for more side dishes while you are eating.

gim-bap ju-se-yo = Kimbap, please. (when ordering in a restaurant)

bul-go-gi ju-se-yo = Bulgogi, please. (when ordering in a restaurant)

gim-chi ju-se-yo = Please give us some kimchi here.

(when asking for some (more) side dishes in a restaurant)

In this lesson, let us have a look at how to say “It tastes good.” “It is delicious.” and also how to thank for a meal or food before and after the meal.

mat = taste

mat means “taste” in Korean. Now, do you remember how to say “there is” or “I have”?

Yes! i-sseo-yois the expression. So by putting mat and i-sseo-yo together, you get the ex­pression ma-si-sseo-yowhich means “It’s delicious.”

ma-si-sseo-yo = It’s tasty. It’s delicious.

Examples

i-geo ma-si-sseo-yo = This is delicious.

jeo ke-ik ma-si-sseo-yo = That cake is delicious.

sam-gyeop-sal ma-si-sseo-yo = Samgyupsal (Korean barbecue) is delicious.

mwo-ga ma-si-sseo-yo? = What’s delicious?

Now, do you also remember how to say “there isn’t” or “I don’t have” in Korean?

Yes, eop-seo-yois the expression. So by putting mat and eop-seo-yo together, you get the expression ma-deop-seo-yo, which means “It doesn’t taste good.”

mad-eop-seo-yo= It’s not tasty. It’s not delicious. It tastes awful.

Note that the pronunciation of the last letter in mat, which is s, changes according to the word that follows it. When it is NOT followed by any word, it’s pronounced as t, ending the word there. When it is followed by i-sseo-yo, it becomes an S sound, making 맛있어요(ma-si-sseo-yo) pro­nounced as ma-si-sseo-yo. When it is followed by deop-so-yo, it becomes a D sound, making 맛없어요(ma-deop-so-yo) pronounced as ma-deop-seo-yo.

Examples

i-geo ma-deop-seo-yo? = Does this taste awful?

i cha ma-deop-seo-yo= This tea tastes awful.

Now, you know how to say “It’s delicious.” and “It’s not delicious.” It’s time to learn a phrase that you can say to thank for a meal before and after you eat. This is very important especially if someone is treating you or if you are invited to someone’s house.

jal meok-ge-sseum-ni-da

jal meok-ge-sseum-ni-daliterally means “I am going to eat well.” or “I will eat well.” (Don’t worry about the grammar that is used here yet. Just learn this as a set phrase for the time being.) And this expression is used very frequently among Koreans when they are about to start eating a meal, usually regardless who’s paying for the meal. But in case someone in particular is paying for the meal for the other(s), the other(s) will say jal meok-ge-sseum-ni-da

to the person who’s buying. When you eat with your friends to whom you don’t use polite/formal language, and when you want to joke that your friend should buy you food, you can also say jal meo-geul-ge! which implies that you are thanking them because they are going to treat you.

**A/N

Maliwanag naman na siguro no? mehehe

Comment for any misunderstandings or whatever :))