Korean for Learning About Holiday Foods: Asking 'What do people eat here on holidays?'
Learn to ask Koreans what foods are eaten on holidays, using the question '여기서 명절에 뭐 먹어요?' and follow-up phrases to discover local customs.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you want to learn about holiday food traditions in Korea, the most direct way is to ask someone. This lesson teaches you how to ask 'What do people eat here on holidays?' in Korean, along with follow-up questions to keep the conversation going. You will practice the question '여기서 명절에 뭐 먹어요?' (yeogiseo myeongjeore mwo meogeoyo?) and related phrases. By the end, you will be able to ask about holiday foods, respond to answers, and show interest in what you learn. This is not about explaining customs yourself, but about using Korean to learn from others.
By the end, you can…
- ask what people eat on holidays in Korean.
- ask follow-up questions about specific holiday foods.
- express interest and ask for more details about holiday food customs.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
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여기서 명절에 뭐 먹어요?
What do people eat here on holidays?
yeo-gi-seo myeong-jeo-re mwo meo-geo-yo?
Use this to ask about holiday foods in a specific place. '여기서' means 'here', '명절에' means 'on holidays', '뭐 먹어요?' means 'what do you eat?'.
명절 음식이 뭐예요?
What are holiday foods?
myeong-jeol eum-si-gi mwo-ye-yo?
A more general question about what foods are considered holiday foods. Use when you want to know the names of typical dishes.
설날에 뭐 먹어요?
What do you eat on Seollal (Lunar New Year)?
seol-la-re mwo meo-geo-yo?
Ask specifically about Seollal, one of the biggest Korean holidays. You can replace '설날' with '추석' (Chuseok) to ask about that holiday.
그 음식은 어떻게 만들어요?
How do you make that food?
geu eum-si-geun eo-tteo-ke man-deu-reo-yo?
Use this follow-up to ask about the preparation of a specific holiday dish someone mentioned. '그 음식' means 'that food'.
왜 그 음식을 먹어요?
Why do you eat that food?
wae geu eum-si-geul meo-geo-yo?
Ask about the reason or meaning behind a holiday food. This shows deeper interest in the culture.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern '명절에 뭐 먹어요?' (myeong-jeo-re mwo meo-geo-yo?) means 'What do you eat on holidays?' You can replace '명절' with a specific holiday name, such as '설날' (Seollal) or '추석' (Chuseok). For example, '추석에 뭐 먹어요?' (chu-seo-ge mwo meo-geo-yo?) means 'What do you eat on Chuseok?' To ask about a place, add '여기서' at the beginning: '여기서 추석에 뭐 먹어요?' (yeo-gi-seo chu-seo-ge mwo meo-geo-yo?) means 'What do people eat here on Chuseok?' This pattern is polite and suitable for most conversations.
When to use it
Use these questions when you are genuinely curious about Korean holiday food customs. They work well with friends, acquaintances, or even strangers in a casual but polite setting. For example, if you are invited to a Korean home during Chuseok, you can ask '추석에 뭐 먹어요?' to learn about the special foods. If someone mentions a dish, follow up with '그 음식은 어떻게 만들어요?' to show interest. Avoid using these questions in very formal situations; instead, use the polite formal style '무엇을 먹습니까?' (mu-eo-seul meok-seum-ni-kka?) if needed.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
여기서 명절에 뭐 먹어요?
What do people eat here on holidays?yeo-gi-seo myeong-jeo-re mwo meo-geo-yo?설날에는 떡국을 먹어요. 추석에는 송편을 먹어요.
On Seollal we eat tteokguk. On Chuseok we eat songpyeon.seol-la-re-neun tteok-gu-geul meo-geo-yo. chu-seo-ge-neun song-pyeo-neul meo-geo-yo.떡국은 어떻게 만들어요?
How do you make tteokguk?tteok-gu-geun eo-tteo-ke man-deu-reo-yo?떡국은 쌀떡을 넣고 끓인 국이에요. 보통 소고기 육수에 끓여요.
Tteokguk is a soup made by boiling rice cakes. It's usually boiled in beef broth.tteok-gu-geun ssal-tteo-geul neo-ko kkeu-rin gu-gi-e-yo. bo-tong so-go-gi yuk-su-e kkeu-ryeo-yo.A little context goes a long way
In Korea, holidays like Seollal and Chuseok are times when families gather and share specific foods. Asking about these foods is a friendly way to show interest in Korean culture. However, be mindful that not everyone follows the same traditions; some may have family-specific customs. Use polite language and listen actively. Also, '명절' typically refers to these two major holidays, but it can include others like Daeboreum. If you're unsure, you can ask '어떤 명절이에요?' (eo-tteon myeong-jeo-ri-e-yo?) meaning 'Which holiday is it?'.
One thing to watch for
Using '뭐 먹어?' (mwo meo-geo?) without the polite ending '-요' when asking someone you don't know well.
Try this instead: Use the polite form '뭐 먹어요?' (mwo meo-geo-yo?) or the more formal '무엇을 먹습니까?' (mu-eo-seul meok-seum-ni-kka?) in formal situations. For example, '여기서 명절에 뭐 먹어요?' is polite and safe for most interactions.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you ask 'What do you eat on Chuseok?' in Korean?
Show a sample answer
추석에 뭐 먹어요?
This uses the pattern '추석에' (on Chuseok) + '뭐 먹어요?' (what do you eat?). It's polite and direct. You could also say '추석에 무엇을 먹어요?' for a slightly more formal tone.
2What is a polite follow-up question to ask how a holiday dish is made?
Show a sample answer
그 음식은 어떻게 만들어요?
This means 'How do you make that food?' It shows interest and keeps the conversation going. You can replace '그 음식' with the specific dish name, e.g., '떡국은 어떻게 만들어요?'.
3How would you ask 'Why do you eat that food on holidays?' in Korean?
Show a sample answer
왜 그 음식을 명절에 먹어요?
This combines '왜' (why), '그 음식을' (that food), '명절에' (on holidays), and '먹어요?' (eat?). It's a natural way to ask about the meaning behind a tradition.
To learn about holiday foods in Korean, ask '여기서 명절에 뭐 먹어요?' and follow up with '어떻게 만들어요?' or '왜 먹어요?' to deepen the conversation. Always use polite endings.
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