Korean for Guests: Say 'Thank You for Having Me' and Praise the Meal
Learn Korean phrases to thank a host for their hospitality and compliment the food at a home meal, focusing on hospitality rather than cooking skill.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you are invited to a Korean home, thanking your host for having you and praising the meal are two separate social acts. This lesson teaches elementary Korean phrases for both. You will learn how to say 'Thank you for having me' and how to compliment the food in a way that appreciates the host's effort and hospitality, not just the cooking technique. We will use polite informal speech (해요체) suitable for guests.
By the end, you can…
- thank a host for inviting me to their home.
- compliment the meal in a way that appreciates hospitality.
- use the pattern 잘 먹었습니다 and related phrases appropriately.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
초대해 주셔서 감사합니다.
Thank you for inviting me.
cho-dae-hae ju-syeo-seo gam-sa-ham-ni-da
Polite formal. Use when arriving or in a thank-you message after the visit.
와 주셔서 감사합니다.
Thank you for coming. (Said by the host to a guest.)
wa ju-syeo-seo gam-sa-ham-ni-da
Said by the host to a guest. Literally 'thank you for coming,' it thanks the guest for making the visit. Not used by the guest to the host.
잘 먹었습니다.
Thank you for the meal. (I ate well.)
jal meo-geot-seum-ni-da
Set phrase after a meal. Shows gratitude to the host. Very common.
정말 맛있었어요.
It was really delicious.
jeong-mal ma-si-sseo-sseo-yo
Polite informal. Compliments the food directly. Use during or after the meal.
대접해 주셔서 감사합니다.
Thank you for your hospitality.
dae-jeo-pae ju-syeo-seo gam-sa-ham-ni-da
Formal. Focuses on the host's generous treatment, not just the food.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern -해 주셔서 감사합니다 means 'Thank you for doing [verb] for me.' Attach it to a verb stem: 초대해 주셔서 감사합니다 (thank you for inviting me), 대접해 주셔서 감사합니다 (thank you for your hospitality). The verb 주셔서 is the honorific form of 주다 (to give). Use this pattern to thank someone for a specific action done for you. Note that 와 주셔서 감사합니다 is a separate fixed phrase said by the host to a guest, meaning 'thank you for coming.' Here 와 is the plain form of 오다 (to come), and the whole phrase is the host's way of thanking the guest for the visit.
When to use it
Use 잘 먹었습니다 when you finish eating, especially when leaving the table or saying goodbye. It literally means 'I ate well,' but functions as 'thank you for the meal.' Use 정말 맛있었어요 during the meal to compliment the taste. Use 대접해 주셔서 감사합니다 in more formal situations or when you want to emphasize the host's hospitality. If you are the host, you can say 와 주셔서 감사합니다 to thank your guest for coming. Context decides who says what.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
초대해 주셔서 감사합니다.
Thank you for inviting me.cho-dae-hae ju-syeo-seo gam-sa-ham-ni-da와 주셔서 감사합니다. 들어오세요.
Thank you for coming. Please come in.wa ju-syeo-seo gam-sa-ham-ni-da. deu-reo-o-se-yo.정말 맛있었어요. 잘 먹었습니다.
It was really delicious. Thank you for the meal.jeong-mal ma-si-sseo-sseo-yo. jal meo-geot-seum-ni-da.대접해 주셔서 감사합니다. 또 오세요.
Thank you for your hospitality. Please come again.dae-jeo-pae ju-syeo-seo gam-sa-ham-ni-da. tto o-se-yo.A little context goes a long way
In Korean, praising the meal often includes thanking the host for their effort and hospitality. Saying 잘 먹었습니다 after a meal is a standard polite ritual. It is not just about the food; it acknowledges the host's care. Using the honorific -시- (as in 주셔서) shows respect to the host. If you are close friends, you might use casual speech, but with acquaintances or elders, stay with 해요체 or formal style.
One thing to watch for
Using 요리 잘하시네요 (You cook well) as the main compliment.
Try this instead: While 요리 잘하시네요 is not wrong, it focuses on cooking skill. To emphasize hospitality, use 대접해 주셔서 감사합니다 or 잘 먹었습니다. For example, after a meal say 잘 먹었습니다 rather than only 요리 잘하시네요. This shows gratitude for the host's care, not just the food.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You are leaving a Korean friend's home after dinner. What do you say to thank them for the meal?
Show a sample answer
잘 먹었습니다.
잘 먹었습니다 is the set phrase for thanking someone for a meal. You could also add 정말 맛있었어요. Both are appropriate.
2How do you say 'Thank you for inviting me' in polite formal Korean?
Show a sample answer
초대해 주셔서 감사합니다.
This uses the pattern -해 주셔서 감사합니다 with the verb 초대하다 (to invite). It is polite and formal.
3Your host says 와 주셔서 감사합니다 to you. What does it mean?
Show a sample answer
Thank you for coming.
This is the host's fixed phrase thanking a guest for visiting. It is not said by the guest; the guest says 초대해 주셔서 감사합니다 or 잘 먹었습니다.
Use 잘 먹었습니다 after a meal and 대접해 주셔서 감사합니다 to thank your host for their hospitality. Remember that praising the meal in Korean often means thanking the host for their care, not just the cooking.
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