맛있었어요
masisseosseoyo
In Korean, "it was delicious" is said as 맛있었어요 (masisseosseoyo).
This phrase is used to compliment a meal after eating it. To emphasize your appreciation, you can use 정말 맛있었습니다 (really delicious), 너무 맛있었습니다 (so delicious), 진짜 맛있었어 (genuinely delicious) or 완전 맛있었어 (totally delicious) depending on the level of formality.
Meaning: phrase said to compliment a meal after eating it (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 맛, meaning "taste" and 있었어요, meaning "existed/was", so it literally means "taste existed".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
맛있었습니다 is used in very formal settings, such as a business dinner or when speaking to a much higher-ranking person. 맛있었어 is a casual version used in informal settings with friends or people of the same age or younger.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "it is delicious" (present tense) instead of "it was delicious" (past tense), use 맛있어요.
How do you pronounce it?
masisseosseoyo
When do people say it?
While 맛있었어요 compliments the taste, Koreans often say 잘 먹었습니다 to express gratitude to the host or cook after finishing a meal.
Did you know?
- The word 맛 is a root in many Korean idioms, such as 맛이 갔다, which literally means 'the taste has gone' but is used as slang to say someone has lost their mind.
- Koreans sometimes use 맛있게 드세요 (please eat deliciously) as a way to say 'enjoy your meal', treating 'deliciously' as a manner of eating.
- In some casual settings, if a meal is particularly incredible, young people might use the slang 존맛 to say it was 'extremely delicious', though it is quite blunt.
Examples in context
- 정말 맛있었어요.jeongmal masisseosseoyo.It was really delicious.
- 오늘 점심 맛있었어요.oneul jeomsim masisseosseoyo.Lunch was delicious today.
- 음식이 참 맛있었어요.eumsigi cham masisseosseoyo.The food was very delicious.
Example conversation
At a small restaurant after finishing a meal.
- 서연 Seo-yeon도현 씨, 오늘 점심 맛있었어요?Dohyeon ssi, oneul jeomsim masisseosseoyo?Dohyeon, was lunch delicious today?
- 도현 Do-hyeon네, 정말 맛있었어요.ne, jeongmal masisseosseoyo.Yes, it was really delicious.
- 서연 Seo-yeon다행이네요. 저도 맛있었어요.dahaeng-ineyo. jeodo masisseosseoyo.I'm glad. It was delicious for me too.
- 도현 Do-hyeon다음에 또 와요.daeume tto wayo.Let's come again next time.
