How to say “Thank you for the meal” in Korean
- 잘 먹었습니다jal meogeotseumnida
Thank you for the meal (I ate well)
"Thank you for the meal" in Korean is 잘 먹었습니다 (jal meogeotseumnida), said after eating. Before you start eating, Koreans say 잘 먹겠습니다 (jal meokgetseumnida), "I will eat well." Both thank the person who cooked or paid.
Ways to say it
| Korean | Level | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 잘 먹었습니다 jal meogeotseumnida | Formal | After the meal. Say it to the host, the person who paid, or the restaurant owner as you leave. |
| 잘 먹었어요 jal meogeosseoyo | Polite | A softer polite version after eating, good for friends' parents or coworkers. |
| 잘 먹었어 jal meogeosseo | Casual | To a friend who treated you or cooked for you. |
| 잘 먹겠습니다 jal meokgetseumnida | Formal | Before eating. Say it when the food arrives, especially if someone else is paying or cooked it. |
| 잘 먹을게요 jal meogeulgeyo | Polite | A friendlier way to say the same thing before eating. Casual form: 잘 먹을게. |
Examples
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Leaving a small restaurant
Your mom puts dinner on the table
A friend paid for dinner
Tips
Remember the timing: 겠 (will) is for before eating and 었 (did) is for after. Mixing them up is a common learner mistake, but people will still understand you.
Even when you pay for yourself, saying 잘 먹었습니다 to the owner on the way out of a small restaurant is polite and makes people smile.
In real speech the endings sound like "meo-geot-sseum-ni-da" and "meok-get-sseum-ni-da." The ㅂ in 습니다 sounds like m.
Questions learners ask
What do Koreans say before eating?
They say 잘 먹겠습니다 (jal meokgetseumnida), meaning "I will eat well." It thanks whoever prepared or paid for the meal.
How should the host reply to 잘 먹겠습니다?
Common replies are 맛있게 드세요 (enjoy your meal) or 많이 드세요 (eat a lot). With friends, 많이 먹어 is enough.