밥 먹고 싶어요
bap meokgo sipeoyo
The English phrase "I want food" is expressed in Korean as 밥 먹고 싶어요 (bap meokgo sipeoyo).
This phrase is a statement used to express a desire to eat a meal. While the word 밥 (bap) literally means "cooked rice", it is the standard way to refer to a meal or food in general in this context.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 밥 먹고 싶어요 literally translates to "rice eat want".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For very formal settings or when speaking to a large audience, you can use 밥 먹고 싶습니다. If you are speaking to close friends or people younger than you, you can drop the polite ending to say 밥 먹고 싶어.
How does it change in a sentence?
The grammatical structure -고 싶어요 is attached to the stem of a verb to express that the speaker wants to perform that action.
How do you pronounce it?
bap meokgo sipeoyo
Did you know?
- The word 밥 (bap) is so central to Korean culture that it is often used as a way to say 'hello' or 'how are you'. Instead of asking how you are, someone might ask if you 'have eaten rice' to show they care about your well-being.
- The word 밥 can be used to describe a person's 'bread and butter' or their primary source of income, such as in the expression 밥줄 ('lifeline/income').
- If you use the word 밥 (bap) when talking to a much older person or a superior, you should use the honorific form 진지 (jinji) instead to show proper respect.
Examples in context
- 너무 배고파서 밥 먹고 싶어요.neomu baegopaseo bap meokgo sipeoyo.I am so hungry that I want to eat food.
- 지금 바로 밥 먹고 싶어요.jigeum baro bap meokgo sipeoyo.I want to eat food right now.
- 따뜻한 밥 먹고 싶어요.ttatteuthan bap meokgo sipeoyo.I want to eat warm food.
Example conversation
Two friends are walking together in the afternoon.
- 도현 Do-hyeon민지 씨, 밥 먹고 싶어요?minji ssi, bap meokgo sipeoyo?Minji, do you want to eat food?
- 민지 Min-ji네, 저도 정말 밥 먹고 싶어요.ne, jeodo jeongmal bap meokgo sipeoyo.Yes, I really want to eat food too.
- 도현 Do-hyeon그럼 근처 식당에 갈까요?geureom geuncheo sikdang-e galkkayo?Then shall we go to a nearby restaurant?
- 민지 Min-ji좋아요. 빨리 가요!joayo. ppalli gayo!Sounds good. Let's go quickly!
