What does 잘 먹었습니다 (jal meogeosseumnida) mean?
- 잘 먹었습니다jal meogeosseumnida
Thank you for the meal
Formal: strangers, work, customers
잘 먹었습니다 (jal meogeosseumnida) means "I ate well" and is how Koreans say "thank you for the meal" after eating. You say it to whoever cooked or paid. Its partner phrase, 잘 먹겠습니다, is said before eating.
Where it comes from
잘 means "well," and 먹었습니다 is the formal past form of 먹다, "to eat." So it literally says "I ate well."
How to use 잘 먹었습니다
Say it when you finish a meal at someone's home, when a boss or senior pays for dinner, or as you leave a small restaurant.
It is formal and respectful. With family or friends, 잘 먹었어요 (polite) or 잘 먹었어 (casual) is common.
To thank the person who paid, you can add 덕분에 (thanks to you): 덕분에 잘 먹었습니다.
Examples
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Finishing dinner at a friend's parents' home
Leaving a restaurant, to the owner
After a senior treated you to lunch
Other ways to say it
| Korean | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|
| 잘 먹었어요 | Thanks for the meal | Polite. |
| 잘 먹었어 | Thanks for the meal | Casual. |
| 잘 먹겠습니다 | I will eat well | Said before eating. |
| 맛있게 잘 먹었습니다 | That was delicious, thank you | Warmer version. |
| 덕분에 잘 먹었습니다 | Thanks to you, I ate well | To the person who paid. |
Questions learners ask
What is the difference between jal meokgesseumnida and jal meogeosseumnida?
잘 먹겠습니다 (I will eat well) is said before the meal. 잘 먹었습니다 (I ate well) is said after.
Do I say it at a restaurant?
Many people say it to the owner at small, family-run restaurants as they leave. At big chain restaurants a simple 감사합니다 is enough.