마시다
masida[ma̠ɕʰida̠]
To say drink in Korean, use 마시다 (masida), the standard verb for drinking. If unsure, use 마시다. Wiktionary also lists 드시다 (deusida) and 먹다 (meokda).
Meaning: consume liquid through the mouth (verb)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 마시다 | masida | [ma̠ɕʰida̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 드시다 | deusida | [tɯɕʰida̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | honorific |
| 먹다 | meokda | [mʌ̹k̚t͈a̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
마시다 is the most neutral way to talk about drinking liquids such as water or juice.
Which one should you use?
드시다 is an honorific verb used to show respect to the person who is drinking or eating. 먹다, which means to eat, is often used in casual speech for drinking alcohol. A drink as a noun is 음료 or 음료수, and an alcoholic drink is 술.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
드시다 is honorific and shows respect for someone of higher status. 마셔 is the informal way to say drink, and 마십시오 is a polite form.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
It is written in Latin letters as masida.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers may think 먹다 is only for solid food, but Koreans commonly use it for drinking alcohol in casual settings.
Did you know?
- Korean has no single word for 'thirst', but instead uses a phrase meaning 'the throat is dry' to express the need to drink. To say you are thirsty, you describe the physical sensation of your throat rather than a general feeling of thirst.
- In Korea, it is customary to use both hands when receiving or pouring a drink for someone else to show respect. If you are drinking with a superior, it is polite to turn your head slightly away from them while taking a sip.
- The word 마시다 was recorded as early as 1103 in the 계림유사, a historical text written in Chinese characters to describe the Korean language. This proves the word existed long before the creation of the modern alphabet.
Examples in context
- 맛있는 차가 없는데 커피라도 드시겠어요?Would you like to drink coffee or something, since we don't have any good tea?드시겠어요 is the honorific form, politely asking if the guest would like coffee.
- 술을 먹다To drink wine먹다 is used here with alcohol, a common casual way to say drink.
- 물을 마시다To drink water마시다 is the standard verb, here used with water.
- 음료수 한 잔 드시겠어요?Would you like a drink?
Example conversation
Seoyeon and Jihoon are at a cafe.
- 서연 Seo-yeon지훈 씨, 뭐 마시다 가려고 해요?Jihoon ssi, mwo masida garyeogo haeyo?Jihoon, what are you planning to drink before you go?
- 지훈 Ji-hun저는 시원한 아이스 아메리카노를 마실게요.Jeoneun siwonhan aiseu amerikano-reul masilgeyo.I will drink a cool iced americano.
- 서연 Seo-yeon좋아요. 저도 같은 걸로 마시다 갈게요.Joayo. Jeodo gateun geollo masida galgeyo.Great. I will drink the same thing before I go.
- 지훈 Ji-hun그럼 같이 주문하러 가요.Geureom gat-i jumunhareo gayo.Then let's go order together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “drink” translations and entries 마시다, 드시다, 먹다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 드시다, 마시다, 먹다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
