What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 뭐 (what), 먹다 (to eat) and the grammar ending -을까? which expresses a suggestion or a question about a future intention. Literally, it translates to "what eat shall (I/we)?"
Which one should you use?
While 뭐 먹을까? asks for a suggestion for the speaker (often implying 'we'), the phrase 뭐 먹을래? specifically asks the listener about their preference or intention, meaning "what do you want to eat?"
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
It should only be used with friends or people younger than you. For a more formal and polite way to ask for food suggestions, you can use 음식 추천해 주실래요? (Could you recommend a dish?).
How does it change in a sentence?
You can adjust the politeness of this question by changing the ending. Adding the suffix -요 to create 뭐 먹을까요? makes the question polite and suitable for use with people you are not close to or those older than you. Additionally, adding 주세요 at the end of a request makes it more polite.
How do you pronounce it?
mwo meogeulkka?
Did you know?
- Because the word 먹다 (to eat) is so central to social bonding, Koreans often ask 밥 먹었어? (Did you eat?) as a general greeting similar to 'How are you?' In this context, the speaker is not actually asking about your meal but is showing care for your well-being.
- While 뭐 먹을까? asks about food, the Korean language has a specialized way of talking about 'eating' that extends to non-food items. For example, the phrase 마음 먹다 (to eat one's heart) is an idiom that means 'to make up one's mind' or 'to decide'.
- When deciding 뭐 먹을까?, Koreans may use a specific category called 안주 (anju), which refers to food specifically designed to be eaten while drinking alcohol. This type of food is viewed as a distinct culinary category from standard meals.
Examples in context
- 점심에 무엇을 먹을까 고민이에요. 음식 추천해 주실래요?I'm wondering what to eat for lunch. Could you recommend a dish?
- 오늘 저녁 뭐 먹을까?What should we eat for dinner tonight?
- 오늘 점심 뭐 먹을까?oneul jeomsim mwo meogeulkka?What should I eat for lunch today?
- 우리 배고픈데 뭐 먹을까?uri baegopeunde mwo meogeulkka?We are hungry, so what should we eat?
Example conversation
Ji-eun and Ji-hun are deciding on a meal during a lunch break.
- 지은 Ji-eun지훈아, 우리 점심에 뭐 먹을까?Ji-hun-a, uri jeomsime mwo meogeulkka?Ji-hun, what should we eat for lunch?
- 지훈 Ji-hun음, 비빔밥 어때?eum, bibimbap eottae?Hmm, how about bibimbap?
- 지은 Ji-eun좋아! 그거 먹자.joa! geugeo meokja.Good! Let's eat that.
- 지훈 Ji-hun그럼 근처 식당으로 가자.geureom geuncheo sikdang-euro gaja.Then let's go to the nearby restaurant.
