What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 밥 (bap) meaning rice or meal, and 먹었어? (meogeosseo?) which is the past tense of "to eat".
Which one should you use?
To ask specifically about breakfast, you can use 아침 먹었어요? To ask about dinner, you can use the informal 저녁 먹었어? or the formal 저녁을 드셨나요? For a more general "did you have a meal?", you can use the informal 식사 했어? or the formal 밥을 드셨어요? and 식사하셨습니까?
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
When speaking to elders or in formal settings, use 식사 하셨어요? instead of 밥 먹었어? to show proper respect.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the past tense marker '-었-' to ask about a completed action (having already eaten).
How do you pronounce it?
bap meogeosseo?
When do people say it?
In Korean culture, asking if someone has eaten is often used as a warm greeting to show care and concern for their well-being rather than a literal inquiry about food. If someone asks you this informally, common responses include 응, 먹었어 (Yes, I ate) or 아니, 아직 (No, not yet).
Did you know?
- The word for 'rice' or 'meal', 밥, might actually have roots in baby talk. Some linguists suggest it shares a common origin with universal infant-directed terms for food like 'mamma', which eventually evolved into the standard word for cooked rice.
- In Korea, the phrase 밥 한번 같이 먹자 (let's have a meal together sometime) is often used as a polite way to end a conversation, similar to 'we should get coffee' in English, and is not always a concrete plan.
- The word 밥 is used in the term 밥줄 (rice line), which refers to one's source of income or a 'lifeline' that keeps a person employed.
Examples in context
- 친구야, 밥 먹었어?Chingu-ya, bap meogeosseo?Hey friend, did you eat?
Example conversation
Hyunwoo calls Jieun to check on her during her busy day.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo지은아, 밥 먹었어?Jieun-a, bap meogeosseo?Jieun, did you eat?
- 지은 Ji-eun아니, 아직 못 먹었어.Ani, ajik mot meogeosseo.No, I haven't eaten yet.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo같이 먹으러 갈까?Gati meogeureo galkka?Shall we go eat together?
- 지은 Ji-eun그래, 좋아!Geurae, joa!Sure, sounds good!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 밥, CC BY-SA 4.0.
