When you are traveling in Korea, you will encounter many delicious foods that will make you feel very hungry. Today we are going to learn how to say I’m hungry in Korean.
How to Say I’m Hungry in Korean
배고파요[bae-go-pa-yo]. This is the formal way to say that you are hungry and can be said to anyone of any age.
Sample Sentences Using I’m Hungry in Korean
Here are some sample sentences using your new word:
배가 고파요
I’m hungry
배가 너무 고파요
I’m very hungry
배고파
I’m hungry (in the informal way)
배불러요
I’m full
배가 고파 죽겠어요!
I’m dying of hunger!
NOTE: This last sentence would not be used in a very formal setting. As you can see, ‘yo’ is put at the end of the sentence, which essentially makes it formal; however, saying that you are ‘dying’ of hunger is more of a casual and less formal sentence, so you want to be careful who you say this to!
How to ask ‘Did you eat?’ in Korean
식사 하셨습니까? This is a very formal way of asking if someone ate. You would ask this question to an elder Korean.
How to say ‘Thank you for the Meal’ in Korean
After you have informed someone that you have a hunger and wish to eat, you would then want to say thank you to the person who served you. In order to do this, you would say:
잘 먹었습니다 Jalmok mo-got-seum-nida which means ‘Thank you for the meal’.
Keep in mind that when using your new word, you always must consider who you are speaking to.
If you are speaking with your friend, it is fine to use the informal way to speak; however, if you are speaking with someone older than you, you must use the formal or the honorific way of speaking. This is true for any interaction, even when saying good morning to someone.
Now that you are able to tell someone that you wish to eat, go out to your local Korean restaurant and practice this new, delicious sentence! Then be sure to also thank your server for the meal!
Happy Studying!
