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Study in the app →Korean · TOPIK Band 1 · Chapter 20
맛있어요! It's delicious!
Korean food and taste expressions. Food: 김치, 불고기, 비빔밥, 냉면, 고기, 과일, 야채. To describe taste, the adjectives "맛있다/맛없다" conjugate like verbs with "-어요" (not 이에요): 맛있어요, 맛없어요. When hungry or full: 배고프다 → 배고파요, 배부르다 → 배불러요. New words: 김치, 불고기, 비빔밥, 냉면, 고기, 과일, 야채, 맛있다, 맛없다, 배고프다, 배부르다. Culture corner: Korean table manners.
Dialogue
맛있이에요? 맛있어요?
- Jieun 마이클 씨, 김치 맛있어요? Michael, is the kimchi tasty?
- Michael 네, 김치 맛있이에요. Yes, the kimchi is delicious. (slip: 맛있다 is an adjective → 맛있어요, not 맛있 + 이에요)
- Jieun 형용사는 "-어요"예요: 맛있어요. "이에요"는 명사에 붙여요. Adjectives take "-어요": 맛있어요. "이에요" goes on nouns.
- Michael 아, 김치가 맛있어요. 그리고 불고기가 맛있어요. Ah, the kimchi is delicious. And the bulgogi is delicious.
Dialogue
배고파요 — I'm Hungry
- Minsu 지은 씨, 배고파요? Jieun, are you hungry?
- Jieun 네, 배고파요. 비빔밥을 먹어요. Yes, I'm hungry. I'll eat bibimbap.
- Minsu 비빔밥이 맛있어요? Is the bibimbap tasty?
- Jieun 네, 맛있어요! 지금은 배불러요. Yes, it's delicious! Now I'm full.
Vocabulary
| 汉字 | Pinyin | POS | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 김치 | gimchi | n. | kimchi |
| 불고기 | bulgogi | n. | bulgogi (grilled beef) |
| 비빔밥 | bibimbap | n. | bibimbap |
| 냉면 | naengmyeon | n. | naengmyeon (cold noodles) |
| 고기 | gogi | n. | meat |
| 과일 | gwail | n. | fruit |
| 야채 | yachae | n. | vegetable |
| 맛있다 | masitda | adj. | to be delicious (→ 맛있어요) |
| 맛없다 | madeopda | adj. | to be not tasty (→ 맛없어요) |
| 배고프다 | baegopeuda | adj. | to be hungry (→ 배고파요) |
| 배부르다 | baebureuda | adj. | to be full (→ 배불러요) |
Grammar
형용사도 "-어요" (이에요 ✗) Adjectives also take "-어요" (not 이에요)
한국어의 형용사(맛있다, 맛없다, 배고프다)는 영어와 달리 "이다(be)"가 필요 없어요. 동사처럼 "-아/어요"로 활용해요: 맛있다 → 맛있어요, 맛없다 → 맛없어요. "맛있어요"가 이미 "is delicious"라는 뜻이에요. 그래서 명사에 붙이는 "이에요"를 형용사에 붙이면 안 돼요 — "맛있이에요" ✗. 배가 고프거나 부를 때: 배고프다는 ㅡ가 빠져 "배고파요", 배부르다는 "배불러요"가 돼요. 예: 김치가 맛있어요. 저는 배고파요.
Korean adjectives (맛있다, 맛없다, 배고프다) do NOT need a separate "be", unlike English. They conjugate like verbs with "-아/어요": 맛있다 → 맛있어요, 맛없다 → 맛없어요. "맛있어요" already means "is delicious". So do not add the noun-copula "이에요" to an adjective — "맛있이에요" ✗. When hungry or full: 배고프다 drops ㅡ to become "배고파요", and 배부르다 becomes "배불러요". E.g. 김치가 맛있어요. 저는 배고파요.
- 김치가 맛있어요. Gimchi-ga masisseoyo. The kimchi is delicious.
- 이 냉면은 맛없어요. I naengmyeon-eun madeopseoyo. This naengmyeon is not tasty.
- 저는 배고파요. 밥을 먹어요. Jeoneun baegopayo. Bab-eul meogeoyo. I'm hungry. I'll eat rice.
- 불고기가 맛있어요. 그리고 과일이 맛있어요. Bulgogi-ga masisseoyo. Geurigo gwair-i masisseoyo. The bulgogi is delicious. And the fruit is delicious.
Culture
한국의 식사 예절 Korean table manners
In Korea, sharing a meal is not just about filling your stomach. When you pick up your spoon, who eats first, who pays — each small courtesy carries respect for age and relationships.
Spoon and chopsticks
A Korean table sets out a spoon and chopsticks together. Rice and soup are eaten with the spoon, side dishes with the chopsticks. Unlike China or Japan, it is polite to leave the rice bowl on the table rather than lifting it. And never stand your chopsticks upright in the rice — it recalls funeral rites.
Elders first, with two hands
The meal begins after the oldest person at the table picks up their spoon. You do not start before your elders. And when an elder pours you water or a drink, receive the cup with two hands; when you pour for an elder, hold the bottle with two hands too. Two hands is a sign of respect.
Who pays?
In Korea, one person often pays for the whole meal rather than splitting the bill. Usually the older person or the one who invited pays. Next time, the other treats you to coffee or the next meal, so it goes back and forth. Two people insisting "I'll pay!" is a very common, warm-hearted sight.
In short: wait until the elder lifts their spoon, leave the rice bowl on the table, give and receive with two hands, and be considerate about the bill. In Korea, a shared meal fills your stomach and builds relationships at the same time. Enjoy your meal — 맛있게 드세요!
hangul
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