What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 밥 (rice/meal), 먹으러 (in order to eat) and 가 (go).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The way you express this depends on your relationship with the listener. Use 밥 먹으러 가자 for a casual suggestion among close friends or to subordinates. For a more formal tone, you can use 밥(을) 먹으러 가세요 or the even more polite 밥(을) 먹으러 가십시오 to say 'Please go eat'. If you want to sound more respectful or formal, you can replace the word for rice/meal with the more formal term 식사, as in 식사하러 가요 (let's go have a meal).
How does it change in a sentence?
You can make the phrase polite by adding 요 to the end, resulting in 밥 먹으러 가요, which is suitable for speaking to people you are not close with or who are older than you. In the formal phrase 밥(을) 먹으러 가세요, the particle 을 is optional and can be omitted. Additionally, 밥(을) 드실 시간이에요 can be used to say 'It's time for you to go eat'.
How do you pronounce it?
bap meogeureo ga
Did you know?
- Because Korean culture highly values food, asking someone 'Have you eaten rice?' (밥 먹었어?) is a common way to say 'How are you?' or 'Hello'.
- The word 밥 (rice/meal) may have its roots in early human baby-talk, similar to how 'mama' or 'papa' are used for parents in many cultures.
- In Korean culture, it is common to offer to buy a meal as a way of showing gratitude or apology, making phrases like 밥 살게 ('I'll buy you a meal') a key social tool.
Examples in context
- 언제 밥 먹으러 갈 거야?When are you going to go eat?
- 밥 먹으러 갈 때 나한테 말해줘Let me know when you're going to go eat
- 밥 먹으러 가자.bap meogeureo gaja.Let's go eat.
- 배고프니까 밥 먹으러 가.baegopeunikka bap meogeureo ga.Go eat since you're hungry.
- 이제 밥 먹으러 가자.ije bap meogeureo gaja.Let's go eat now.
Example conversation
Two friends are finishing their study session.
- 지훈 Ji-hun민지야, 공부 다 했어?Minji-ya, gongbu da haesseo?Minji, are you done studying?
- 민지 Min-ji응, 이제 끝났어.eung, ije kkeunnasseo.Yes, I'm finished now.
- 지훈 Ji-hun그럼 우리 밥 먹으러 가.geureom uri bap meogeureo ga.Then let's go eat.
- 민지 Min-ji그래, 좋아!geurae, joa!Sure, sounds good!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 가, 밥, CC BY-SA 4.0.
