맥도날드
Maekdonaldeu[mɛk̚t͈o̞na̠ɭdɯ]
McDonald's in Korean is 맥도날드 (Maekdonaldeu). Wiktionary also lists 맥날 (Maengnal).
Meaning: fast-food restaurant (name)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 맥도날드 | Maekdonaldeu | [mɛk̚t͈o̞na̠ɭdɯ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [me̞k̚t͈o̞na̠ɭdɯ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 맥날 | Maengnal | [mɛŋna̠ɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [me̞ŋna̠ɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The term refers to the fast-food restaurant chain. While 맥도날드 is the standard name, the shortened slang version 맥날 is also used.
Which one should you use?
맥도날드 is the full, standard name of the restaurant. 맥날 is a shortened slang version of the name.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
맥날 is informal slang used among younger generations or in casual conversation.
How do you pronounce it?
Maekdonaldeu
Did you know?
- The spelling 맥도날드 uses the Korean letter 드 (deu) at the end to represent the final 'd' sound, which is a consonant that cannot stand alone in native Korean syllables.
- The distinction between the full name 맥도날드 and the slang 맥날 is similar to how English speakers might use 'Macca's' in Australia, despite the two languages having different linguistic roots.
- While many English-origin names are adapted, the slang version 맥날 shows a specific Korean linguistic trend of 'syllable contraction' where the middle syllable is dropped to create a punchy, two-syllable word.
Examples in context
- 북한에는 맥도날드가 없습니다.There's no McDonald's in North Korea.This sentence is useful for noting the absence of 맥도날드 in North Korea.Tatoeba #13045214 by LeeSooHa, translation #13045210 by LeeSooHa
- 맥도날드에서 햄버거를 먹었어요.Maekdonaldeueseo haembeogeoreul meogeosseoyo.I ate a hamburger at McDonald's.
- 근처에 맥도날드가 있나요?Geuncheoe Maekdonaldeuga innayo?Is there a McDonald's nearby?
Example conversation
Subin and Dohyun are deciding where to eat lunch.
- 수빈 Su-bin오늘 점심 뭐 먹을래?Oneul jeomsim mwo meogeullae?What do you want to eat for lunch today?
- 도현 Do-hyeon그냥 맥도날드 갈까?Geunyang Maekdonaldeu galkka?Should we just go to McDonald's?
- 수빈 Su-bin좋아, 나도 배고파.Joa, nado baegopa.Sounds good, I'm hungry too.
- 도현 Do-hyeon그럼 지금 바로 가자.Geureom jigeum baro gaja.Then let's go right now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mcdonald's” translations and entries 맥도날드, 맥날, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
