If you’re learning Korean, you’ve probably come across the verb 먹다. This versatile word means to eat in English. In this blog, we’ll explore how to use 먹다 in different tenses, sentence endings, and contexts.
1. 먹다 Meaning in English
In Korean, 먹다 means to eat. It’s a fundamental verb used in daily life, whether you’re talking about enjoying a meal, snacking, or even metaphorical expressions.
2. Conjugations of 먹다 (to eat)
Here’s how 먹다 meaning in English changes based on tense and formality:
먹다 Meaning in English: Present Tense Example (현재형):
Original Korean Sentence
나는 밥을 먹어요.
Pronunciation Guide
나는 (na-neun) 바블 (ba-beul) 머거요 (meo-geo-yo).
Meaning and Context
나 (I) 는 (I’m going to talk about me) 밥 (meal or rice) 을 (my object is rice) 먹 (to eat) 어요 (I’m telling you polite and friendly).
English Translation
I eat rice (meal).
Learning Korean through examples like this is helpful, but imagine understanding it naturally through stories! Check out my Story Courses to make learning Korean easy and fun!Go to Korean Course
먹다 Meaning in English: Past Tense Explained with Examples (과거형):
Original Korean Sentence
친구가 어제 김치를 먹었어요.
Pronunciation Guide
친구가 (chin-gu-ga) 어제 (eo-je) 김치를 (gim-chi-reul) 머것써요 (meo-geot-sseo-yo).
Meaning and Context
친구 (friend) 가 (I’m going to talk about my friend) 어제 (yesterday) 김치 (Kimchi; Fermented cabbage) 를 (my object is Kimchi) 먹 (to eat) 었 (past tense) 어요 (I’m telling you polite and friendly).
English Translation
My friend ate Kimchi yesterday.
Literal Translation
(My) friend ate Kimchi yesterday.
먹다 Meaning in English: Future Tense Conjugations (미래형):
Original Korean Sentence
나는 내일 초밥을 먹을 거예요.
Pronunciation Guide
나는 (na-neun) 내일 (nae-il) 초바블 (cho-ba-beul) 머글 (meo-geul) 꺼예요 (ggeo-ye-yo).
Meaning and Context
나 (I) 는 (my topic is myself) 내일 (tomorrow) 초 (vinegar) 밥 (rice) 을 (my object is sushi) 먹 (to eat) 을 거 (will) 예요 ( I’m telling you polite and friendly).
English Translation
I will eat sushi tomorrow.
먹다 Meaning in English: How to Give Commands in Korean (명령형):
Original Korean Sentence
빨리 먹어!
Pronunciation Guide
빨리 (bbal-ri) 머거 (meo-geo)!
Meaning and Context
빨리 (quickly) 먹 (to eat) 어 (I’m telling you to do this)!
English Translation
Eat quickly!
Honorific Form of 먹다 (존댓말):
Original Korean Sentence
할머니께서 과일을 드셨어요.
Pronunciation Guide
할머니께서 (hal-meo-ni-gge-seo) 과이를 (gwa-i-reul) 드셧써요 (deu-syeot-sseo-yo).
Meaning and Context
할머니 (grandmother) 께서 (honorific and formal version of 가/이) 과일 (fruit) 을 (my object is fruit) 드시 (to eat; in a honorific way) 었 (past tense) 어요 (I’m telling you polite and friendly).
Pronunciation Patterns for Conjugations
⊳ 시 + 었 = 셨
When rapidly pronounced, ‘시’ and ‘었’ naturally combine to form ‘셨’.
English Translation
Grandmother ate fruit.
Meaning of 먹다: Progressive Form Explained with Examples (현재 진행):
Original Korean Sentence
나는 지금 과자를 먹고 있어요.
Pronunciation Guide
나는 (na-neun) 지금 (ji-geum) 과자를 (gwa-ja-reul) 먹꼬 (meok-ggo) 잇써요 (it-sseo-yo).
Meaning and Context
나 (I) 는 (I’m going to talk about me) 지금 (now) 과자 (snack) 를 (my object is snacks) 먹 (to eat) 고 있 (~ing) 어요 (am; I’m telling you polite and friendly).
English Translation
I am eating snacks now.
How to Say Eat in Korean: Expressing Desire in Korean with Examples (소망):
Original Korean Sentence
나는 떡국을 먹고 싶어요.
Pronunciation Guide
나는 (na-neun) 떡꾸글 (ddeok-ggu-geul) 먹꼬 (meok-ggo) 시퍼요 (si-peo-yo).
Meaning and Context
나 (I) 는 (my topic is myself) 떡 (rice cake) 국 (soup) 을 (my object is tteokguk) 먹 (to eat) 고 싶 (want to) 어요 (I’m telling you polite and friendly).
English Translation
I want to eat tteokguk (rice cake soup).
Meaning of 먹다: Prohibition in Korean Grammar (금지):
Original Korean Sentence
밤에 너무 많이 먹지 마세요.
Pronunciation Guide
바메 (ba-me) 너무 (neo-mu) 마니 (ma-ni) 먹찌 (meok-jji) 마세요 (ma-se-yo).
Meaning and Context
밤 (night) 에 (at) 너무 (too) 많이 (much) 먹 (to eat) 지 마 (don’t) 세요 (please).
English Translation
Don’t eat too much at night.
Literal Translation
Please, don’t eat too much at night.
How to Say Eat in Korean: Expressing Necessity with 먹다 (필요성):
Original Korean Sentence
나는 지금 밥을 먹어야 해요.
Pronunciation Guide
나는 (na-neun) 지금 (ji-geum) 바블 (ba-beul) 머거야 (meo-geo-ya) 해요 (hae-yo).
Meaning and Context
나 (I) 는 (my topic is myself) 지금 (now) 밥 (meal) 을 (my object is meal) 먹 (to eat) 어야 하 (need to) 해요 (I’m telling you polite and friendly).
Pronunciation Patterns for Conjugations
⊳ 하 is changed to 해
English Translation
I need to eat now.
Literal Translation
I need to eat meal now.
What Does 먹다 Mean in English? How to Express Intention in Korean Grammar (의도):
Original Korean Sentence
내 남편은 오늘 저녁에 치킨을 먹으려고 해요.
Pronunciation Guide
내 (nae) 남펴는 (nam-pyeo-neun) 오늘 (o-neul) 저녀게 (jeo-nyeo-ge) 치키늘 (chi-ki-neul) 머그려고 (meo-geu-ryeo-go) 해요 (hae-yo).
Meaning and Context
내 (my) 남편 (husband) 은 (my topic is my husband) 오늘 (today) 저녁 (evening) 에 (in) 치킨 (chicken) 을 (my object is chicken) 먹 (to eat) 으려고 하 (to plan to) 해요 (I’m telling you polite and friendly).
Pronunciation Patterns for Conjugations
⊳ 하 is changed to 해
English Translation
My husband is planning to eat chicken tonight.
Literal Translation
My husband plan to eat chicken in today evening.
Learning Korean through examples like this is helpful, but imagine understanding it naturally through stories! Check out my Story Courses to make learning Korean easy and fun!Go to Korean Course
Conclusion
Mastering 먹다 Meaning in English is essential for Korean learners. Its frequent use in both literal and idiomatic contexts makes it a key part of the language. Practice the conjugations and expressions, and try using them in your daily life!
