저녁 잘 먹었습니다
jeonyeok jal meogeosseumnida
The Korean phrase for "thank you for dinner" is 저녁 잘 먹었습니다 (jeonyeok jal meogeosseumnida).
저녁 잘 먹었습니다 is a phrase used specifically after you have finished eating to express gratitude to the person who provided the meal.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "dinner well ate (past tense)".
Which one should you use?
While 저녁 잘 먹었습니다 is said after the meal, the phrase 잘 먹겠습니다 (meaning "I will eat well") is the standard phrase said before starting the meal.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase 저녁 잘 먹었습니다 can be shortened to 저녁 잘 먹었어 when speaking to close friends or people younger than you.
How do you pronounce it?
jeonyeok jal meogeosseumnida
Did you know?
- While English speakers say 'thank you' to the person, Koreans use the verb 'to eat' (먹다) as the core of the gratitude. The compliment is directed at the act of eating the meal itself.
- If a senior pays for the dinner, a junior might follow 저녁 잘 먹었습니다 with an offer to buy coffee, as it is culturally expected to balance the generosity.
- The word 저녁 is a compound combining a root for 'getting dark' or 'that' with 녘, which refers to a direction or a specific time of day.
Examples in context
- 저녁 잘 먹었습니다.jeonyeok jal meogeossseumnida.Thank you for dinner.
- 정말 저녁 잘 먹었습니다.jeongmal jeonyeok jal meogeossseumnida.I really enjoyed the dinner, thank you.
- 오늘 저녁 잘 먹었습니다.oneul jeonyeok jal meogeossseumnida.Thank you for the dinner today.
Example conversation
Jihoon is finishing a meal at Minji's house.
- 지훈 Ji-hun정말 저녁 잘 먹었습니다, 민지 씨.jeongmal jeonyeok jal meogeossseumnida, Minji ssi.Thank you so much for dinner, Minji.
- 민지 Min-ji지훈 씨, 입맛에 맞으셨어요?Jihoon ssi, immase majeoss-eoyo?Jihoon, did you enjoy the food?
- 지훈 Ji-hun네, 너무 맛있었어요.ne, neomu masisseosseoyo.Yes, it was delicious.
- 민지 Min-ji다행이네요. 다음에 또 와요.dahaeng-ineyo. da-eume tto wayo.I'm glad. Please come again next time.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 잘, 저녁, CC BY-SA 4.0.
