In Korean, asking whether someone has eaten can work as a warm everyday greeting, not only as a question about food. In this workshop you will practice a short exchange: one person asks, the other answers, and then the first person may invite the other to eat together. You will hear each line, learn what it means in English, and then use it in three short tasks. You can play both roles, so you can speak alone with the audio. Listen for the difference between a simple yes answer and a not-yet answer, and notice how the invitation follows naturally after the answer.
The Opening Question
The first line you will hear is a common meal greeting. It means "Have you eaten?" or "Did you eat?" «밥 먹었어요?». You can say this to a friend, a family member, or someone you know well. It is friendly and casual. When you hear it, you do not need to give a long answer. A short answer is enough. The same question also appears in a short dialogue, where one speaker opens with it «밥 먹었어요?». In that scene, the question starts a conversation that may lead to eating together. Practice saying the line slowly, then a little faster. Keep your voice warm and light, as if you are greeting someone you like.
Two Simple Answers
After the question, you can answer in more than one way. If you have already eaten, you can say a short yes answer: "Yes, I ate." «네, 먹었어요.». If you have not eaten yet, you can say: "I haven't eaten yet." «아직 안 먹었어요.». Both answers are short and useful. In the dialogue, the second speaker answers with the not-yet line «아직 안 먹었어요.». That answer often leads to the next step: an invitation. Listen to the difference between the two answers. One closes the food topic gently, and the other leaves room for a shared meal. Practice both answers so you can choose the one that is true for you.
From Answer to Invitation
When someone says they have not eaten yet, you can invite them to eat together. The invitation line means "Do you want to eat together?" or "Shall we eat together?" «같이 먹을래요?». In the dialogue, the first speaker hears the not-yet answer and then asks: "Then do you want to eat together?" «그럼 같이 먹을래요?». The other speaker accepts and asks what to eat: "Yes, sounds good. What shall we eat?" «네, 좋아요. 뭐 먹을까요?». Notice the friendly flow: question, answer, invitation, acceptance. You can practice this flow alone by playing both roles. Say the question, then answer as the other person, then invite, then accept. This helps you feel the rhythm of a real short exchange.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
밥 먹었어요?
Have you eaten? / Did you eat?
bap meogeosseoyo?
네, 먹었어요.
Yes, I ate.
ne, meogeosseoyo.
아직 안 먹었어요.
I haven't eaten yet.
ajik an meogeosseoyo.
같이 먹을래요?
Do you want to eat together? / Shall we eat together?
gachi meogeullaeyo?
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
밥 먹었어요?
Have you eaten?아직 안 먹었어요.
I haven't eaten yet.그럼 같이 먹을래요?
Then do you want to eat together?네, 좋아요. 뭐 먹을까요?
Yes, sounds good. What shall we eat?Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided Exchange: Ask and Answer
Imagine a friend greets you at lunchtime. You will play both roles. First, you are the person who asks the meal greeting. Then you are the person who answers.
Your task: Listen to the opening question «밥 먹었어요?». Repeat it out loud. Then listen to the not-yet answer «아직 안 먹었어요.» and repeat that out loud. Now do the exchange without the audio: say the question, pause, then say the not-yet answer. After that, switch roles and do it again.
Reply Comprehension: Choose the Right Answer
Imagine two short situations. In the first, you have already eaten. In the second, you have not eaten yet. You will hear the meal greeting and choose the answer that fits each situation.
Your task: Listen to the meal greeting «밥 먹었어요?». For situation one, choose the yes answer «네, 먹었어요.». For situation two, choose the not-yet answer «아직 안 먹었어요.». Say each answer out loud after you choose it. Then listen to the invitation «그럼 같이 먹을래요?» and decide whether it fits after the not-yet answer or after the yes answer.
Recall and Role Swap: Full Short Dialogue
Imagine a short friendly scene with two people. One person asks the meal greeting. The other answers that they have not eaten yet. Then the first person invites them to eat together, and the other accepts.
Your task: Using the dialogue lines, practice the full exchange in order. Start with the opening question «밥 먹었어요?», then the not-yet answer «아직 안 먹었어요.», then the invitation «그럼 같이 먹을래요?», and then the acceptance with the food question «네, 좋아요. 뭐 먹을까요?». Say all four lines out loud. Then swap roles and say the exchange again, so you speak the other person's lines.
Common questions
Can I use the meal greeting with anyone?
The greeting is friendly and casual, so it fits people you know well, such as friends or family. With someone you do not know well, a simple polite greeting may feel safer. The recordings show a warm, everyday exchange, so practice the tone as friendly and light.
What if I have already eaten?
You can use the short yes answer «네, 먹었어요.». It means "Yes, I ate." It closes the food topic gently. If you have not eaten yet, use the not-yet answer «아직 안 먹었어요.». That answer often leads to an invitation, such as «같이 먹을래요?» or «그럼 같이 먹을래요?», so choose the answer that matches your real situation.
Sources and further reading
- korean: have you eaten meal greetingChecked September 2026
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Take today's Korean into a conversation with a Yapr AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr