라면 먹고 갈래?
ramyeon meokgo gallae?
In Korean, 'do you want to eat ramen?' is expressed as 라면 먹고 갈래? (ramyeon meokgo gallae?) when used as a suggestive invitation.
In a romantic or flirtatious context, this phrase is a common euphemism used to invite someone into one's home for a sexual encounter.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 라면 먹고 갈래? literally translates to 'Do you want to eat ramen and go?'
Which one should you use?
If you want to include yourself and others in the invitation, you can use the informal 우리 라면 먹을래? meaning 'do you want to eat ramen with us?' or the formal 저희랑 라면을 드실래요?
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the polite suffix '-yo' to the end to create 라면 먹고 갈래요? makes the invitation more polite.
How do you pronounce it?
ramyeon meokgo gallae?
When do people say it?
This phrase is the Korean cultural equivalent of the English expression 'Netflix and chill?'
Did you know?
- Because this phrase is a well-known euphemism, saying it to a stranger or an acquaintance can be interpreted as an unintended sexual advance.
- While the phrase sounds casual, the word 라면 actually has its roots in the Japanese word 'rāmen', which itself traces back to the Chinese 'lāmiàn'.
- In modern Korean dating culture, if someone genuinely wants to offer food without the sexual connotation, they may specify a place outside the home to avoid this misunderstanding.
Examples in context
- 라면 먹고 갈래?ramyeon meokgo gallae?Do you want to come in and eat ramen?
- 우리 집에 라면 먹고 갈래?uri jibe ramyeon meokgo gallae?Do you want to come to my place for ramen?
- 정말 라면 먹고 갈래?jeongmal ramyeon meokgo gallae?Do you really want to come in for ramen?
Example conversation
Ji-hun and Ji-eun are walking home together after a date.
- 지훈 Ji-hun오늘 정말 즐거웠어. 라면 먹고 갈래?oneul jeongmal jeulgeowosseo. ramyeon meokgo gallae?I had a great time today. Do you want to eat ramen?
- 지은 Ji-eun지금 라면이 먹고 싶다는 거야?jigeum ramyeoni meokgo sipdaneun geoya?Do you actually want to eat ramen right now?
- 지훈 Ji-hun응, 우리 집으로 가자.eung, uri jibeuro gaja.Yes, let's go to my place.
- 지은 Ji-eun좋아, 같이 가자.joa, gachi gaja.Okay, let's go together.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 갈래, 라면, CC BY-SA 4.0.
