잘 먹어요
jal meogeoyo
To say "I eat well" in Korean, you use 잘 먹어요 (jal meogeoyo).
This phrase is used to describe one's general habit of having a good appetite or eating nutritious meals.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of the adverb 잘 (well) and the verb 먹어요 (eat/eat in a polite form).
Which one should you use?
잘 먹고 있어 is an informal phrase that emphasizes you are currently eating well.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form 잘 먹습니다 is the highly formal version used in professional settings or when speaking to superiors. For close friends or people younger than you, use the informal 잘 먹어. 충분히 잘 먹고 있습니다 is a polite way to express that you are eating sufficiently well in formal situations.
How do you pronounce it?
jal meogeoyo
When do people say it?
While 잘 먹어요 describes a habit, Koreans use the future/volitional form 잘 먹겠습니다 as a polite set phrase to say 'Thank you for the meal' before eating.
Did you know?
- When someone says 잘 먹어요 to describe a child, it is often interpreted as a compliment to the parents' care. It implies the child is growing healthily because they are being well-fed.
- The word 잘 (well) can be used sarcastically in Korean. If someone is eating excessively or greedily, a speaker might say 잘 먹네 with a specific tone to mean 'You sure are pigging out'.
- The word 잘 is an abbreviation of the native Korean word 자루, which relates to the concept of 'well' or 'properly'.
Examples in context
- 저는 잘 먹어요.jeoneun jal meogeoyo.I eat well.
- 어릴 때부터 잘 먹어요.eoril ttaebuteo jal meogeoyo.I have eaten well since I was young.
- 입맛이 좋아서 잘 먹어요.immapsi johaseo jal meogeoyo.I have a good appetite, so I eat well.
Example conversation
Subin and Jihun are talking about their eating habits.
- 수빈 Su-bin지훈 씨는 편식해요?jihun ssineun pyeonsikhaeyo?Jihun, are you a picky eater?
- 지훈 Ji-hun아니요, 저는 가리지 않고 잘 먹어요.aniyo, jeoneun gariji ankko jal meogeoyo.No, I eat everything and eat well.
- 수빈 Su-bin정말요? 보기보다 훨씬 잘 먹네요.jeongmallyo? bogiboda hwolssin jal meogneyo.Really? You eat much better than you look.
- 지훈 Ji-hun네, 제가 식성이 좋거든요.ne, jega siksongi jogeodeunyo.Yes, I have a great appetite.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 잘, CC BY-SA 4.0.
