응, 먹었어
eung, meogeosseo
In Korean, 'yes, I ate' is expressed as 응, 먹었어 (eung, meogeosseo).
This phrase is an informal way to confirm that you have already eaten.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of the informal 'yes' (응) and the past tense of 'to eat' (먹었어), which literally translates to 'yes, ate'.
Which one should you use?
While 응, 먹었어 is used with close friends or younger people, the polite version 네, 먹었어요 is more appropriate for elders or strangers.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
It should not be used toward superiors or people you are not close with.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb 먹었어 is the informal, non-polite past tense form of 먹다 (to eat).
How do you pronounce it?
eung, meogeosseo
Did you know?
- The verb 먹다 is used in many idiomatic Korean expressions that have nothing to do with food, such as 'eating' a shock or 'eating' a grudge.
- Because food security was historically precarious in Korea, asking about eating became a deep-rooted cultural proxy for 'I care about your well-being'.
- The word 응 is likely an imitative sound, making it a linguistic relative to the English 'mhm' or the Japanese うん.
Examples in context
- 네, 제가 밥을 먹었습니다.Yes, I had a meal.
- 응, 먹었어.eung, meogeosseo.Yes, I ate.
- 아까 밥 먹었어? 응, 먹었어.akka bap meogeosseo? eung, meogeosseo.Did you eat earlier? Yes, I ate.
Example conversation
Subin and Jihun are talking on the phone during a break.
- 수빈 Su-bin지훈아, 점심 먹었어?Jihun-a, jeomsim meogeosseo?Jihun, did you eat lunch?
- 지훈 Ji-hun응, 먹었어. 너는?eung, meogeosseo. neoneun?Yes, I ate. How about you?
- 수빈 Su-bin나도 방금 먹었어.nado banggeum meogeosseo.I also just ate.
- 지훈 Ji-hun다행이다.dahaeng-ida.That's a relief.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 응, CC BY-SA 4.0.
