Want to learn how to say drink in Korean? The most common verb is 마시다 (masida) – but how do you actually use it in real sentences? Knowing the dictionary form is one thing, but knowing how to say drink in Korean in a natural, conversational way is what makes you sound like a pro.
In this guide, I’ll show you 3 everyday ways to use 마시다 naturally, explain the grammar behind it, and give you simple sentence breakdowns. Whether you’re ordering drinks at a cafe or telling someone to drink water in Korean, you’ll know exactly what to say.
In this lesson, you will:
Learn the meaning and nuance of 마시다.
Understand how to conjugate to drink in Korean (Present, Past, Future).
Practice with real-world examples (Formal, Casual, Commands).
Learn related phrases like drink water and how to say drink up in Korean.
Table of Contents
How to Use 마시다 in Daily Conversations
When you want to talk about your daily habits or what you are doing right now, you need the present tense. This is the most fundamental way to use drink in Korean.
✅ Example 1: Present Tense (Polite)
Original Korean Sentence
저는 커피를 마셔요.
Pronunciation Guide
저는 (jeo-neun) 커피를 (keo-pi-reul) 마셔요 (ma-syeo-yo).
Meaning and Context
저 (I; in a humble way) 는 (topic marker; I’m going to talk about me) 커피 (coffee) 를 (object marker; my object is coffee) 마시 (to drink) 어요 (polite ending; I’m telling you polite and friendly).
English Translation
I drink coffee.
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✅ You can also say:
물을 마셔요. – I drink water. (Drink water in Korean is the most basic phrase you’ll use daily!)
차를 마셔요. – I drink tea.
Talking About the Past: “I Drank”
To describe something you already finished, you need the past tense to drink in Korean conjugation. Koreans use this constantly when talking about their morning routines or what they had at a cafe.
✅ Example 2: Past Tense (Polite)
Original Korean Sentence
아침에 우유를 마셨어요.
Pronunciation Guide
아치메 (a-chi-me) 우유를 (u-yu-reul) 마셧써요 (ma-syeot-sseo-yo).
Meaning and Context
아침 (morning) 에 (in) 우유 (milk) 를 (object particle; my object is milk) 마시 (to drink) 었 (past tense) 어요 (I’m telling you polite and friendly).
English Translation
I drank milk in the morning.
Literal Translation
(I) drank milk in morning.
Think 먹다 just means “to eat”? Discover 10 diverse ways Koreans use this super useful verb!
✅ Try it yourself:
주스를 마셨어요. – I drank juice.
물을 너무 많이 마셨어요. – I drank too much water.
Giving Orders and Using Commands: “Drink Up!”
Sometimes you need to tell someone to drink something, whether it’s offering a guest some tea or telling a friend to drink up in Korean.
✅ Example 3: Casual Command
Original Korean Sentence
이거 마셔!
Pronunciation Guide
이거 (i-geo) 마셔 (ma-syeo)!
Meaning and Context
이 (this) 거 (thing; colloquial form of 이것) 마시 (to drink) 어 (casual command ending; I’m telling you to do this)!
English Translation
Drink this!
Literal Translation
Drink this thing!
✅ Other command examples:
물을 마셔! – Drink water!
약을 꼭 마셔! – Be sure to take the medicine! (In Korea, liquid medicine is often “drunk.”)
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Summary of Conjugation: To Drink in Korean
To make it easy for you to master to drink in Korean conjugation, here is a quick reference table. You can use this to build your own sentences for any situation.
| Tense / Form | Conjugation | Example |
| Present (polite) | 마셔요 | 커피를 마셔요. |
| Past (polite) | 마셨어요 | 물을 마셨어요. |
| Future | 마실 거예요 | 내일 마실 거예요. |
| Casual command | 마셔! | 이거 마셔! |
| Formal command | 마시세요 | 물을 마시세요. |
“Drink Up” in Korean: Natural Expressions
If you are at a party or with friends and want to say drink up in Korean, just saying “drink” isn’t enough. You want to sound like a native.
물 마셔요. – Drink water.
물 좀 마시세요. – Please drink some water (Formal/Polite).
물 많이 마셔! – Drink lots of water! (Casual).
💡 Pro Tip: When you want someone to drink it all (drink up), just say:
“다 마셔!” (Da ma-syeo!) – Drink it all!
Putting It All Together: A Real Conversation
Let’s see how drink in Korean works in a real dialogue between friends.
✅ Example: Conversation Practice
Original Korean Sentence
민지: 아침에 뭐 마셨어?
아멜리아: 물이랑 오렌지 주스를 마셨어요!
Pronunciation Guide
민지: 아치메 (a-chi-me) 뭐 (mwo) 마셧써 (ma-syeot-sseo)?
아멜리아: 무리랑 (mu-ri-rang) 오렌지 (o-ren-ji) 주스를 (ju-seu-reul) 마셧써요 (ma-syeot-sseo-yo)!
Meaning and Context
민지: 아침 (morning) 에 (in) 뭐 (what) 마시 (to drink) 었 (past tense) 어 (I’m asking you casually)?
아멜리아: 물 (water) 이랑 (and) 오렌지 (orange) 주스 (juice) 를 (my object is water and orange juice) 마시 (to drink) 었 (past tense) 어요 (I’m telling you polite and friendly)!
English Translation
What did you drink this morning?
I drank water and orange juice!
Literal Translation
What drank in morning?
(I) drank water and orange juice!
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FAQs (What You Might Still Wonder About)
1. Is 마시다 only used for drinking liquids in Korean?
Mostly, yes. 마시다 is used for drinking liquids like water, tea, coffee, and alcohol. However, it can also be used metaphorically — for example, 공기를 마시다 means “to breathe air,” and 담배를 마시다 (although less common) can imply “inhale smoke.” So its use can extend beyond just liquids in poetic or figurative contexts.
2. What is the difference between 마시다 and 드시다 in Korean?
드시다 is the honorific form of both 마시다 (to drink) and 먹다 (to eat). You use 드시다 when referring to someone older or when showing respect, such as in formal or polite situations. Example: 할아버지께서 물을 드셨어요. – My grandfather drank water.
3. Can 마시다 be used in written Korean as well as spoken Korean?
Yes, 마시다 is used in both spoken and written Korean. In more formal writing (essays, news articles), you’ll see the base form 마시다, but in dialogue or casual writing, conjugated forms like 마셔요 or 마셨다 are common.
4. What are some common Korean expressions or idioms with 마시다?
Here are a few: 물을 마시듯 하다 – to do something very easily (like drinking water) 술을 마시면 얼굴이 빨개져요 – I turn red when I drink alcohol These show that 마시다 appears in many common Korean expressions.
5. Is it okay to use 마시다 when talking to friends?
Yes, 마시다 is perfectly natural with friends. You’d use casual conjugations like 마셔 or 마셨어. However, tone still matters — if you say 마셔! too sharply, it can sound like a command. Use a friendly tone or add 좀 for softness (e.g., 물 좀 마셔 – Drink some water, okay?).
6. How can I practice 마시다 with native Korean content?
Try watching Korean dramas or listening to Korean YouTube videos where people eat and drink (like mukbangs or vlogs). You’ll often hear natural phrases like 이거 마셔요 or 커피 마실래요? You can also use apps like Anki to review flashcards with example sentences.
Final words
Now you know exactly how to say drink in Korean using 마시다 in every key situation. You’ve mastered:
Daily life habits (drink water in Korean)
Past events (to drink in Korean conjugation)
Natural commands (drink up in Korean)
But don’t stop here! Most courses just teach you boring grammar rules. My system helps you Stop Studying and Start Training through stories and muscle memory.
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