점심 먹었어요? [jeomsim meogeotsseoyo?]

This expression means “Do you have lunch?” Interestingly, this kind of questions is used a common greeting in Korea. It’s a kind of Korean culture. Koreans more concern on their neighbor’s and friend’s ordinary life. Around meal time, Korean often greets each other between close persons with the kind of above expressions. We need to use an honorific expression depending on the situation or interlocutor’s age. Instead of ‘먹었어요’, just use ‘드셨어요’.

 

In the morning

팀장 : 안녕?                                                     Hello.

팀원 : 안녕하세요? 팀장님.                         Hello.

팀장 : 오늘 아침 좀 피곤하네요.                 I’m a little tired this morning.

팀원 : 아침 드셨어요?                                    Did you have a breakfast?

팀장 : 간단히요.                                               A little. (Simply)

 

간단히 means ‘simply’ but in the sentence, the person is saying that he grabbed a bite to eat.

 

Just after lunch time, while you are coming back to office,

제니 : 점심 먹었어요?

마이클 : 네. 먹었어요. 제니씨는요?

제니 : 네, 저도 먹었어요.

 

In the above dialogue, 제니 and 마이클 ask each other “Did you have lunch?” instead of “Hello” or “Hi” To the question, you don’t need to explain what you had for lunch like “I ate spaghetti with coke and had some cookies for dessert.” You may answer the question in detail if the interlocutor is really close to you. “네, 스파게티와 콜라를 먹고 후식으로 쿠키를 먹었어요.” However, the kind of greetings is just similar with “Hello” or “Hi”

아침 먹었어요?         Did you have breakfast?

점심 먹었어요?         Did you have lunch?

저녁 먹었어요?         Did you have dinner?

 

Generally, “Did you have a meal?” is that “밥 먹었어요?” Honorific expression of it is that “식사 하셨어요?”

When you have got the question, you don’t need to be embarrassed or to explain everything oh what you had. Anyway, just remember the expression, “밥 먹었어요?” or “식사 하셨어요?”, is a common natural greeting in Korea J

 

Sarah Yong (Korean teacher)