뭐 먹고 있어요?
mwo meokgo isseoyo?
The English phrase "what are you eating?" is translated into Korean as 뭐 먹고 있어요? (mwo meokgo isseoyo?)
This phrase is a question used to ask someone about the food they are currently consuming.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 뭐 (what), 먹고 (eating) and 있어요 (is/are/am), which together form the progressive aspect 'is eating'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a casual or informal setting, such as speaking to close friends or people younger than you, you can drop the polite ending 요 to say 뭐 먹고 있어? In very formal settings or when addressing someone of much higher social status, you should use the highly formal version 무엇을 드시고 계십니까? or 무엇을 드시고 계세요? which utilizes honorific verbs.
How does it change in a sentence?
The present progressive form 뭐 먹고 있어요? can be replaced with the simple present 뭐 먹어요? to ask the same question in a more concise way.
How do you pronounce it?
mwo meokgo isseoyo?
Did you know?
- In Korea, asking 뭐 먹어? (what are you eating?) or 밥 먹었어? (did you eat?) is often used as a general greeting similar to 'how are you' or 'hello'.
- The honorific verb 드시다 used in the formal version of this phrase comes from 들다, which means both 'to eat' and 'to lift'.
- The word 밥 (rice/meal) is so central to Korean culture that the idea of 'eating' is almost always synonymous with eating rice, even if the meal is not rice.
Examples in context
- 뭐 드시고 계세요? 고기 먹고 있어요?What are you eating? Are you eating meat?
- 뭐 먹고 있어? 김치 반찬 먹고 있어?What are you eating? Are you eating kimchi side dishes?
- 지금 뭐 먹고 있어요?jigeum mwo meokgo isseoyo?What are you eating right now?
- 혼자서 뭐 먹고 있어요?honjaseo mwo meokgo isseoyo?What are you eating by yourself?
Example conversation
Seoyeon walks into the breakroom and sees Dohyeon eating.
- 서연 Seo-yeon도현 씨, 뭐 먹고 있어요?Dohyeon ssi, mwo meokgo isseoyo?Dohyeon, what are you eating?
- 도현 Do-hyeon샌드위치 먹고 있어요.saendeuwichi meokgo isseoyo.I am eating a sandwich.
- 서연 Seo-yeon맛있어 보여요.masisseo boyeoyo.It looks delicious.
- 도현 Do-hyeon네, 정말 맛있어요.ne, jeongmal masisseoyo.Yes, it is really tasty.
