Food and Dining¶
Quick Reference
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Staples | 밥 (rice), 국 (soup), 김치 (kimchi) |
| Main Dishes | 불고기, 비빔밥, 김치찌개, 삼겹살 |
| Drinks | 물, 커피, 차, 주스, 맥주, 소주 |
| Tastes | 맛있다, 달다, 짜다, 맵다, 시다 |
| Restaurant | 주문하다, 계산하다, 메뉴, 포장 |
Basic Food Terms¶
Staple Foods¶
| Korean | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 밥 | Rice / Meal | Also means "meal" in general |
| 국 | Soup | Clear soup |
| 찌개 | Stew | Thicker than 국 |
| 김치 | Kimchi | Fermented vegetables |
| 빵 | Bread | From English "bread" |
| 면 | Noodles | General term |
| 밥 | Cooked rice | Staple food |
Examples: - 밥 먹었어요? (Did you eat? - common greeting) - 국이 뜨거워요. (The soup is hot.) - 김치가 매워요. (The kimchi is spicy.)
Korean Dishes¶
Popular Main Dishes¶
| Korean | Description |
|---|---|
| 비빔밥 | Mixed rice with vegetables and sauce |
| 불고기 | Marinated grilled beef |
| 갈비 | Grilled ribs (usually beef or pork) |
| 삼겹살 | Pork belly (grilled) |
| 김치찌개 | Kimchi stew |
| 된장찌개 | Soybean paste stew |
| 냉면 | Cold noodles |
| 잡채 | Stir-fried glass noodles |
| 떡볶이 | Spicy rice cakes |
| 김밥 | Seaweed rice rolls |
| 치킨 | Fried chicken (Korean style) |
| 라면 | Instant ramen noodles |
Examples: - 불고기를 먹고 싶어요. (I want to eat bulgogi.) - 떡볶이가 너무 매워요. (Tteokbokki is too spicy.) - 삼겹살 2인분 주세요. (Two servings of pork belly, please.)
Side Dishes¶
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 반찬 | Side dishes (general term) |
| 김치 | Kimchi (most common side) |
| 깍두기 | Cubed radish kimchi |
| 무 | Pickled radish |
| 콩나물 | Bean sprouts |
| 시금치 | Spinach |
Ingredients and Proteins¶
Proteins¶
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 고기 | Meat (general) |
| 소고기 | Beef |
| 돼지고기 | Pork |
| 닭고기 | Chicken |
| 생선 | Fish |
| 계란 | Egg |
| 두부 | Tofu |
| 해산물 | Seafood |
Vegetables¶
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 야채 | Vegetables |
| 당근 | Carrot |
| 양파 | Onion |
| 마늘 | Garlic |
| 배추 | Napa cabbage |
| 오이 | Cucumber |
| 토마토 | Tomato |
| 감자 | Potato |
| 고추 | Pepper (chili) |
Examples: - 고기를 안 먹어요. (I don't eat meat.) - 생선을 좋아해요. (I like fish.) - 야채가 많이 들어가요. (It has a lot of vegetables.)
Drinks¶
Common Beverages¶
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 물 | Water |
| 커피 | Coffee |
| 차 | Tea |
| 녹차 | Green tea |
| 주스 | Juice |
| 우유 | Milk |
| 탄산음료 | Carbonated drink / Soda |
| 맥주 | Beer |
| 소주 | Soju (Korean liquor) |
| 막걸리 | Rice wine |
| 와인 | Wine |
Examples: - 물 좀 주세요. (Please give me some water.) - 커피 한 잔 주세요. (One cup of coffee, please.) - 맥주 마실래요? (Do you want to drink beer?)
Tastes and Descriptions¶
Basic Taste Adjectives¶
| Korean | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 맛있다 | Delicious | 맛있어요 |
| 맛없다 | Not delicious | 맛없어요 |
| 달다 | Sweet | 달아요 |
| 짜다 | Salty | 짜요 |
| 맵다 | Spicy | 매워요 |
| 시다 | Sour | 셔요 |
| 쓰다 | Bitter | 써요 |
| 싱겁다 | Bland | 싱거워요 |
Examples: - 이 음식은 맛있어요. (This food is delicious.) - 너무 매워요. (It's too spicy.) - 좀 짜요. (It's a bit salty.) - 안 매워요? (Isn't it spicy?)
Temperature and Texture¶
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 뜨겁다 | Hot (temperature) |
| 차갑다 | Cold |
| 따뜻하다 | Warm |
| 시원하다 | Cool, refreshing |
| 부드럽다 | Soft, tender |
| 바삭하다 | Crispy |
| 질기다 | Chewy, tough |
Examples: - 국이 뜨거워요. (The soup is hot.) - 시원한 물 주세요. (Please give me cold/refreshing water.) - 고기가 부드러워요. (The meat is tender.)
Restaurant Vocabulary¶
Ordering¶
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 주문하다 | To order |
| 메뉴 | Menu |
| 주문할게요 | I'll order |
| 이거 주세요 | Please give me this |
| ...개 주세요 | Please give me X items |
| ...인분 | Serving for X people |
Examples: - 메뉴판 좀 주세요. (Please give me the menu.) - 주문할게요. (I'll order now.) - 비빔밥 2인분 주세요. (Two servings of bibimbap, please.) - 이거 하나 주세요. (One of this, please.)
During the Meal¶
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 잘 먹겠습니다 | I will eat well (before eating) |
| 잘 먹었습니다 | I ate well (after eating) |
| 맛있게 드세요 | Enjoy your meal (polite) |
| 물 좀 주세요 | Please give me water |
| 더 주세요 | Please give me more |
| 반찬 더 주세요 | More side dishes, please |
Paying¶
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 계산하다 | To pay / calculate bill |
| 계산해 주세요 | Check, please |
| 얼마예요? | How much is it? |
| 카드 돼요? | Do you take cards? |
| 현금 | Cash |
| 영수증 | Receipt |
| 포장 | Takeout / to-go |
Examples: - 계산해 주세요. (Check, please.) - 카드로 할게요. (I'll pay by card.) - 포장해 주세요. (Please pack it to go.)
Meal Times¶
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 아침 | Morning / Breakfast |
| 점심 | Lunch |
| 저녁 | Evening / Dinner |
| 간식 | Snack |
| 야식 | Late-night snack |
Examples: - 아침 먹었어요? (Did you eat breakfast?) - 점심 뭐 먹을래요? (What do you want to eat for lunch?) - 저녁에 만날까요? (Shall we meet in the evening?)
Common Phrases¶
Expressing Preferences¶
- 좋아해요 (I like it)
- 싫어해요 (I dislike it)
- 못 먹어요 (I can't eat it)
- 안 먹어요 (I don't eat it)
- 배불러요 (I'm full)
- 배고파요 (I'm hungry)
- 목말라요 (I'm thirsty)
Examples: - 매운 음식을 좋아해요. (I like spicy food.) - 고기를 못 먹어요. (I can't eat meat.) - 배불러요. 더 못 먹어요. (I'm full. I can't eat more.)
Dietary Restrictions¶
- 채식주의자 (vegetarian)
- 비건 (vegan)
- 알레르기 (allergy)
- 고기 안 먹어요 (I don't eat meat)
- 해산물 알레르기가 있어요 (I have a seafood allergy)
Practice¶
-
How do you say "This food is delicious" in Korean?
-
Order two servings of pork belly at a restaurant.
-
How do you ask for the check?
-
What do you say before eating?
-
Translate: "The soup is too spicy."
-
How do you say "I like kimchi" in Korean?
-
Ask for cold water at a restaurant.
-
How do you say "I'm full" in Korean?
-
Order one coffee and ask if they take cards.
-
Tell the server you don't eat meat and ask what they recommend.