Example Sentences#

1. 자전거 타고 나서 치맥 먹자.¹
   Let’s have some after biking.
   • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
   • -자 is an informal sentence ending used to suggest, propose, or encourage an action, often translated as ‘let’s’.
2. 포도가 너무 잘 익어서 가방에 넣을 수 없었기에, 맹인은 그 자리에서 라사로와 함께 포도를 나누어 먹기로 결심했다.²
   The grapes were so ripe that they couldn’t be put in the bag, so the blind man decided to share them on the spot with Lazaro.
   • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
   • -기 is a nominalizing suffix, turning the verb into a noun form.
   • -로 is a particle indicating method or means, marking a decision in this context.
3. 추운 겨울밤, 며칠 동안 아무것도 먹지 못한 호랑이는 배가 몹시 고팠습니다.³
   On a cold winter night, the tiger, having gone several days without eating anything, was extremely hungry.
   • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
   • 지 is part of the negation pattern -지 못하다, an expression used to indicate inability to perform the action or reach the state described in the preceding statement.
4. 서준: 뭐 먹을까?⁴
   Seojun: What shall we eat?
   • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
   • -을까 is a sentence ending used to ask for a suggestion or propose an action, often translated as ‘shall we…?’ or ‘how about…?’
5. 민준: 오케이, 그럼 이번 주말엔 한강에서 자전거 타고 치맥 먹는 걸로!¹
   Minjun: Okay, then this weekend, let’s ride bikes at the Han River and have chicken and beer!
   • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
   • -는 is a present tense modifier that turns the preceding statement into a phrase describing the following noun.
6. “라사로야, 오늘은 너와 이 포도를 똑같이 나누어 먹고 싶구나.²
   “Lazaro, today I want to share these grapes evenly with you.
   • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
   • -고 is a connective ending used to link two actions or states, meaning ‘and’, or to join the main verb to auxiliary verbs.
7. 그래서 먹을 것을 찾으려고 마을로 내려왔습니다.³
   So, he came down to the village to look for something to eat.
   • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
   • -을 is a modifier that turns the preceding statement into a phrase describing the following noun, conveying assumption, intention, or possibility and including future, potential, or unrealized actions and states.
8. 나 떡볶이 먹고 싶어.⁴
   I want to eat tteokbokki.
   • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
   • -고 is a connective ending used to link two actions or states, meaning ‘and’, or to join the main verb to auxiliary verbs.
9. 우리가 번갈아 가며 하나씩 먹자.²
   Let’s take turns eating one at a time.
   • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
   • -자 is an informal sentence ending used to suggest, propose, or encourage an action, often translated as ‘let’s’.
10. 밥 먹으러 와서 떡볶이만 먹을 거야?⁴
    You came here for a meal, and you’re just going to have tteokbokki?
    • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
    • -으러 is a connective ending used to express the purpose of an action and is exclusively used with movement verbs like 가다 (to go) or 오다 (to come) to indicate going or coming in order to do something.
11. 내가 하나 먹으면, 너도 하나만 먹는 거야.²
    If I eat one, you also eat one.
    • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
    • -으면 is a conditional ending meaning ‘if’.
12. 너 진짜 밥 안 먹고 사는 거 아니야?⁴
    Are you really living without eating proper meals?
    • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
    • -고 is a connective ending used to link two actions or states, meaning ‘and’, or to join the main verb to auxiliary verbs.
13. 라사로는 맹인의 제안을 받아들여 둘은 포도를 먹기 시작했다.²
    Lazaro accepted the blind man’s suggestion, and the two began eating the grapes.
    • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
    • -기 is a nominalizing suffix, turning the verb into a noun form.
14. 해진: 나도 떡볶이 좋아하지만, 불고기도 먹자.⁴
    Haejin: I like tteokbokki too, but let’s eat bulgogi as well.
    • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
    • -자 is an informal sentence ending used to suggest, propose, or encourage an action, often translated as ‘let’s’.
15. 하지만 얼마 지나지 않아 맹인은 두 개씩 집어먹기 시작했다.²
    But not long after, the blind man began eating two at a time.
    • 집어먹다 is a compound verb combining 집다 (to pick up) and 먹다 (to eat), meaning ‘to pick up and eat’.
    • -기 is a nominalizing suffix, turning the verb into a noun form.
16. 고기는 꼭 먹어야 해!⁴
    You gotta have some meat!
    • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
    • -어야 is a connective ending used to indicate that the action in the preceding clause is an essential condition or requirement for the action in the following clause.
17. 이를 눈치챈 라사로도 맹인을 따라 두 개씩, 세 개씩 먹기 시작했다.²
    Noticing this, Lazaro also began eating two at a time, then three at a time, following the blind man’s example.
    • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
    • -기 is a nominalizing suffix, turning the verb into a noun form.
18. 불고기 먹자.⁴
    Let’s eat bulgogi.
    • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
    • -자 is an informal sentence ending used to suggest, propose, or encourage an action, often translated as ‘let’s’.
19. 포도를 다 먹고 난 후, 맹인은 포도 줄기를 손에 쥐고 고개를 흔들며 말했다.²
    After finishing the grapes, the blind man held the grape stem in his hand, shook his head, and said:
    • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
    • -고 is a connective ending used to link two actions or states, meaning ‘and’, or to join the main verb to auxiliary verbs.
20. 서준: 불고기만 먹으면 좀 느끼할 것 같아.⁴
    Seojun: I think eating only bulgogi might be a bit too greasy.
    • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
    • -으면 is a conditional ending meaning ‘if’ or ‘when’.