아침을 먹어요
Achimeul meogeoyo
To say 'I eat breakfast' in Korean, you use 아침을 먹어요 (Achimeul meogeoyo).
This phrase is used to state that you are consuming your first meal of the day. You can use the word '날마다' (every day) as a time indicator alongside this phrase to say you eat breakfast every day.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of 아침, which literally means 'morning', followed by the object marker 을 to indicate that the morning (breakfast) is the thing being eaten.
Which one should you use?
The different forms of this phrase vary based on the level of formality and whether you are making a statement or asking a question. For example, 아침을 먹어? is the informal way to ask someone if they eat breakfast.
How does it change in a sentence?
The dictionary form of the phrase is 아침을 먹다. To express the continuous action of eating breakfast right now, you should use 아침을 먹고 있어요. You can also use the alternative phrase 저는 아침을 챙겨 먹어요. to express the same idea.
How do you pronounce it?
Achimeul meogeoyo
Did you know?
- Asking 아침 먹었어? 'Did you eat breakfast?' can function as a general greeting like 'Hello' rather than a literal question about your food intake.
- In Korean, the verb 먹다 'to eat' is used not only for food but also for 'taking' medicine, which is an unusual pairing for English speakers.
- While 'breakfast' in English often implies light fare, 아침을 먹다 traditionally refers to a substantial meal including rice and soup.
Examples in context
- 저는 날마다 아침을 먹습니다.I eat breakfast every day.
- 저는 집에서 아침을 먹어요.jeoneun jibe-seo achimeul meogeoyo.I eat breakfast at home.
- 보통 8시에 아침을 먹어요.botong yeodeol-sie achimeul meogeoyo.I usually eat breakfast at 8 o'clock.
Example conversation
Seoyeon asks Dohyeon about his morning routine.
- 서연 Seo-yeon도현 씨, 아침 먹었어요?Dohyeon ssi, achim meogeosseoyo?Dohyeon, did you eat breakfast?
- 도현 Do-hyeon아니요, 저는 보통 아침을 안 먹어요.Aniyo, jeoneun botong achimeul an meogeoyo.No, I usually don't eat breakfast.
- 서연 Seo-yeon그래요? 저는 꼭 아침을 먹어요.Geuraeyo? Jeoneun kkok achimeul meogeoyo.Really? I always eat breakfast.
- 도현 Do-hyeon서연 씨는 부지런하시네요.Seoyeon ssi-neun bujireon-hasineyo.Seoyeon, you are very diligent.
