Korean for Elementary Learners: Asking About Specific Ingredients Like Garlic
Learn to ask if a dish contains a specific ingredient, like garlic, and understand the answer in Korean.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you have a dietary restriction or simply dislike a particular ingredient, asking about it specifically is essential. In Korean, you can ask if a dish contains a certain ingredient by using the pattern '이거에 [ingredient] 들어가요?' (Igeo-e [ingredient] deureogayo?). This lesson will teach you how to ask about garlic and other ingredients, and how to understand the response. You'll also learn to say 'I can't eat' and 'I don't eat' to communicate your needs clearly. By the end, you'll be able to navigate menus and communicate with servers confidently.
By the end, you can…
- ask if a dish contains a specific ingredient like garlic.
- understand and respond to questions about ingredients.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
이거에 마늘 들어가요?
Does this have garlic?
i-geo-e ma-neul deu-reo-ga-yo?
Use this to ask if a dish contains garlic. '이거' means 'this', '에' is a particle indicating 'in/at', '마늘' is garlic, and '들어가요' means 'goes in' or 'contains'.
네, 들어가요.
Yes, it has it.
ne, deu-reo-ga-yo.
A simple affirmative response. You can also say '네, 마늘이 들어가요' to specify 'yes, it has garlic'.
아니요, 안 들어가요.
No, it doesn't have it.
a-ni-yo, an deu-reo-ga-yo.
Use '안' before the verb to negate. This means 'it doesn't go in' or 'it doesn't contain'.
저는 마늘을 못 먹어요.
I can't eat garlic.
jeo-neun ma-neul-eul mot meo-geo-yo.
Use this to explain that you cannot eat garlic due to allergy or preference. '못' means 'cannot'.
마늘 빼주세요.
Please remove the garlic.
ma-neul ppae-ju-se-yo.
Use this to request that garlic be left out of your dish. '빼주세요' means 'please take out/remove'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The key pattern is '[Ingredient] 들어가요?' which means 'Does it contain [ingredient]?' You can replace '마늘' (garlic) with other ingredients like '양파' (onion, yang-pa), '고수' (cilantro, go-su), or '땅콩' (peanut, ttang-kong). For example: '이거에 양파 들어가요?' (Does this have onion?). To answer, use '네, 들어가요' (Yes, it does) or '아니요, 안 들어가요' (No, it doesn't). If you want to specify, you can say '네, 마늘이 들어가요' or '아니요, 마늘이 안 들어가요'.
When to use it
Use these phrases when ordering food at a restaurant, reading a menu, or shopping for groceries. They are essential if you have allergies or dietary restrictions. For instance, if you are allergic to peanuts, ask '이거에 땅콩 들어가요?' (Does this have peanuts?). If the server says '네, 들어가요' (Yes, it does), you can respond with '저는 땅콩을 못 먹어요' (I can't eat peanuts) or '땅콩 빼주세요' (Please remove the peanuts). These phrases are polite and clear, suitable for everyday situations.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
이거에 마늘 들어가요?
Does this have garlic?i-geo-e ma-neul deu-reo-ga-yo?네, 마늘이 들어가요.
Yes, it has garlic.ne, ma-neul-i deu-reo-ga-yo.저는 마늘을 못 먹어요. 마늘 빼주세요.
I can't eat garlic. Please remove the garlic.jeo-neun ma-neul-eul mot meo-geo-yo. ma-neul ppae-ju-se-yo.알겠습니다. 마늘 빼드릴게요.
Okay. I'll remove the garlic for you.al-get-seum-ni-da. ma-neul ppae-deu-ril-ge-yo.A little context goes a long way
In Korean restaurants, it's common to ask about ingredients, but be polite. Using '주세요' (ju-se-yo) makes requests polite. If you have a severe allergy, it's helpful to carry a written note in Korean to avoid misunderstandings. Also, some dishes may have hidden ingredients like garlic powder or sauce, so double-check if necessary.
One thing to watch for
Saying '마늘 있어요?' (Is there garlic?) instead of '마늘 들어가요?'
Try this instead: '마늘 있어요?' means 'Do you have garlic?' (as in, do you possess garlic?), which is not what you want when asking about a dish. Use '들어가요?' to ask if an ingredient is included in the dish. For example, '이거에 마늘 들어가요?' is correct.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you ask if a dish contains onions?
Show a sample answer
이거에 양파 들어가요?
This uses the same pattern with '양파' (onion). Alternatively, you could say '양파가 들어가요?' but '이거에' clarifies 'in this'.
2What does '아니요, 안 들어가요' mean?
Show a sample answer
No, it doesn't contain it.
This is a negative response to the question about an ingredient. '안' negates '들어가요'.
3How would you say 'I can't eat peanuts'?
Show a sample answer
저는 땅콩을 못 먹어요.
This uses '땅콩' (peanut) with '못 먹어요' (can't eat). You could also say '저는 땅콩을 안 먹어요' if you don't eat them by choice.
Use '이거에 [ingredient] 들어가요?' to ask about specific ingredients, and respond with '네, 들어가요' or '아니요, 안 들어가요'. If needed, say '저는 [ingredient]을/를 못 먹어요' or '[ingredient] 빼주세요' to communicate your needs.
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