💬 Phrases A2

잘 먹겠습니다

jal meokgesseumnida

Said before eating (I will eat well)

What it means

Said before eating a meal to express gratitude to the person who prepared it. 잘 means well, 먹겠 comes from 먹다 (to eat), and -습니다 is a formal ending.

After finishing, say 잘 먹었습니다 (jal meogeosseumnida — I ate well, thank you). Both phrases show appreciation for the meal and the cook.

Skipping this phrase can seem abrupt in Korean culture. Even in casual settings, saying 잘 먹겠습니다 before eating shows good manners.

잘 먹겠습니다! 정말 맛있어 보여요. Jal meokgesseumnida! Jeongmal massisseo boyeoyo. I'll eat well! It looks really delicious.

어머니, 잘 먹겠습니다. Eomeoni, jal meokgesseumnida. Thank you, Mom. I'll eat well.

친구들이 다 같이 잘 먹겠습니다 했어요. Chingudeuri da gachi jal meokgesseumnida haesseoyo. All the friends said it together before eating.

밥상에 앉으면 먼저 잘 먹겠습니다 해요. Bapsange anjeumyeon meonjeo jal meokgesseumnida haeyo. When you sit at the dinner table, you say this first.

When is this used?

After finishing, say 잘 먹었습니다 (jal meogeosseumnida — I ate well, thank you). Both phrases show appreciation for the meal and the cook.

What's a common mistake?

Skipping this phrase can seem abrupt in Korean culture. Even in casual settings, saying 잘 먹겠습니다 before eating shows good manners.

Get one free Korean lesson every day — straight to your inbox.

Free forever · No spam · Unsubscribe anytime