맛있어요
6
It's delicious
Phrase in 30 Seconds
맛있어요 is the essential way to say 'it's delicious' or 'this tastes good' in polite, everyday Korean.
- Means: 'It is delicious' or 'The taste exists' literally.
- Used in: Restaurants, dinner parties, or when snacking with friends.
- Don't confuse: With '멋있어요' (meosisseoyo), which means 'cool' or 'handsome'.
Explanation at your level:
मतलब
Used to describe food or drink that tastes good.
सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि
It is common to make a slight 'slurping' or 'mmat' sound while eating to show the food is delicious. Saying '맛있어요' while chewing (politely) is seen as a sign of genuine enjoyment. In Mukbang culture, creators use high-quality microphones to capture 'delicious' sounds. They often use the word 'Masit-ne' (맛있네) to talk to themselves about the flavor. When an elder asks if the food is good, always use the formal '맛있습니다' or '맛있어요' and never the casual '맛있어'. Korean-Americans often use 'Masisseo' as a loanword even when speaking English to describe authentic 'home-style' Korean food.
The 'Yo' Rule
Always keep the 'yo' at the end when talking to people you don't know well. Dropping it to 'Masisseo' can seem rude.
Don't be too quiet
In Korea, saying 'Masisseoyo' is a way of being a good guest. Don't just eat in silence!
मतलब
Used to describe food or drink that tastes good.
The 'Yo' Rule
Always keep the 'yo' at the end when talking to people you don't know well. Dropping it to 'Masisseo' can seem rude.
Don't be too quiet
In Korea, saying 'Masisseoyo' is a way of being a good guest. Don't just eat in silence!
Add 'Jin-jja'
Say 'Jin-jja masisseoyo' (It's really delicious) to sound more natural and enthusiastic.
The Empty Plate
Finishing your plate and saying 'Masisseoyo' is the best way to show the chef you loved the food.
खुद को परखो
Choose the correct polite form to say 'It's delicious' to a waiter.
식당에서: '이 비빔밥 정말 _______.'
맛있어요 is the standard polite form used with strangers or in public places.
Fill in the blank with the past tense of '맛있어요'.
어제 먹은 피자가 정말 ______.
Since the sentence starts with '어제' (yesterday), you must use the past tense.
Match the phrase to the correct situation.
Which phrase would you use when looking at a photo of food before eating it?
맛있겠어요 means 'It looks delicious' or 'It must be delicious'.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 커피가 어때요? B: ________.
B is confirming that the coffee is good.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स
Formality Levels
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल
10 सवालUsually no. For water, we say 'Siwon-haeyo' (It's refreshing). But for flavored drinks like juice or tea, 'Masisseoyo' is perfect.
Yes, but 'Masitseumnida' is slightly better in a formal office setting.
Koreans usually still say 'Masisseoyo' to be polite, or 'Gwaenchannayo' (It's okay/fine).
Use 'Masit-get-seoyo' (맛있겠어요).
It contains a swear word root, so only use it with very close friends or in casual internet comments.
The concept is linked to {味|미}, but 'Mat' itself is a native Korean word.
No, for a good smell, use 'Naemsae-ga joayo' (The smell is good).
'Masitda' is the dictionary form/written form. 'Masisseoyo' is the spoken polite form.
You can say 'Choego-yeyo!' (최고예요!) along with 'Masisseoyo'.
If the medicine actually tastes good (like cherry syrup), yes, but it's rare!
संबंधित मुहावरे
맛없다
contrastTo taste bad
꿀맛
similarHoney taste
잘 먹겠습니다
builds onI will eat well
별미
specialized formA special delicacy
맛점
slangDelicious lunch
कहाँ इस्तेमाल करें
At a Restaurant
Waiter: 음식은 입에 맞으세요? (Is the food to your liking?)
You: 네, 정말 맛있어요! (Yes, it's really delicious!)
Friend's House
Friend: 이거 내가 만들었어. 좀 먹어봐. (I made this. Try some.)
You: 와, 진짜 맛있어! 너 요리 잘한다. (Wow, really delicious! You're a good cook.)
Street Food Stall
You: 떡볶이 일 인분 주세요. (One serving of tteokbokki, please.)
You: (After eating) 사장님, 너무 맛있어요! (Boss, it's so delicious!)
First Date
Date: 여기 파스타가 유명해요. (The pasta here is famous.)
You: 정말이네요. 소스가 아주 맛있어요. (You're right. The sauce is very delicious.)
Office Lunch
Boss: 김 대리, 오늘 점심 어때? (Manager Kim, how is lunch today?)
You: 부장님, 여기 국밥이 정말 맛있습니다. (Director, the soup here is truly delicious.)
Posting on Instagram
Caption: 오늘 점심은 비빔밥! #맛있어요 #먹스타그램 (Bibimbap for lunch today! #delicious #foodstagram)
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Ma-SISS-eoyo' as 'My SISTER's cooking is delicious!'
Visual Association
Imagine a person taking a bite of a steaming bowl of ramen, their eyes widening, and giving a big thumbs up while saying 'Ma-siss-eoyo!'
Rhyme
Mat-it-da, feels so good-a!
Story
You walk into a Korean restaurant. The smell of BBQ fills the air. You take a bite of the beef, and it's so good you feel like a 'Master' of 'Sizzling' food. You shout 'MA-SISS-eoyo!' to the chef.
Word Web
चैलेंज
Go to a Korean restaurant or watch a Mukbang video. Every time you see someone eat, say '맛있어요' out loud with different emotions (surprise, joy, satisfaction).
In Other Languages
Está rico / delicioso
Spanish distinguishes between 'ser' and 'estar' for food; Korean uses one form.
C'est bon / C'est délicieux
French uses 'good' (bon) more often than 'delicious' (délicieux) in casual settings.
Es schmeckt gut
German requires a subject 'Es' (it), while Korean often drops the subject.
美味しい (Oishii)
Japanese 'Oishii' can be used as a standalone exclamation more naturally than the full 'Masisseoyo'.
لذيذ (Ladhidh)
In Arabic, you might more commonly say 'Teslam ideyk' (Bless your hands) to the cook instead of just 'delicious'.
好吃 (Hǎochī)
Chinese has a separate word for drinks (Hǎohē - good to drink), while Korean uses '맛있어요' for both.
Está gostoso
Like Spanish, it uses the temporary 'to be' (está).
맛나부러 (Mat-na-bu-reo)
It sounds much more rustic and enthusiastic than the standard Seoul version.
Easily Confused
The vowels 'ㅏ' (a) and 'ㅓ' (eo) sound similar to beginners.
Remember: 'A' for Apple (food) = 맛있어요. 'EO' for 'Oh! He's cool' = 멋있어요.
Both end in '있어요' (exists).
맛 (Mat) = Taste. 재미 (Jaemi) = Fun.
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल (10)
Usually no. For water, we say 'Siwon-haeyo' (It's refreshing). But for flavored drinks like juice or tea, 'Masisseoyo' is perfect.
Yes, but 'Masitseumnida' is slightly better in a formal office setting.
Koreans usually still say 'Masisseoyo' to be polite, or 'Gwaenchannayo' (It's okay/fine).
Use 'Masit-get-seoyo' (맛있겠어요).
It contains a swear word root, so only use it with very close friends or in casual internet comments.
The concept is linked to {味|미}, but 'Mat' itself is a native Korean word.
No, for a good smell, use 'Naemsae-ga joayo' (The smell is good).
'Masitda' is the dictionary form/written form. 'Masisseoyo' is the spoken polite form.
You can say 'Choego-yeyo!' (최고예요!) along with 'Masisseoyo'.
If the medicine actually tastes good (like cherry syrup), yes, but it's rare!
