Trying local foods is one of the most exciting parts of traveling. It is possible that local food is not to your taste, however, or it contains ingredients that you cannot eat. Today, we will learn Korean words and phrases for food allergies, dietary restrictions, and preferences. The examples use polite speech suitable for speaking to restaurant staff. Bracketed readings use Revised Romanization.
저는 OO 알레르기가 있어요. [I AM ALLERGIC TO XXX]
If you are allergic to an ingredient, you can say, “저는 OO 알레르기가 있어요.” The word 알레르기 comes from the German word “allergie.”
저는 새우 알레르기가 있어요. [I AM ALLERGIC TO SHRIMP]
- 저는 [jeoneun] = as for me
- 새우 [saeu] = shrimp
- 알레르기가 [allereugiga] = an allergy
- 있어요 [isseoyo] = have / there is (polite form of 있다)
WORDS FOR COMMON ALLERGENS
Here are words for common allergens:
- 달걀 [dalgyal] = egg
- 우유 [uyu] = milk
- 게 [ge] = crab
- 새우 [saeu] = shrimp
- 생선 [saengseon] = fish
- 땅콩 [ttangkong] = peanut
- 견과류 [gyeongwaryu] = nuts
- 콩 [kong] = beans, including soybeans
- 밀 [mil] = wheat
저는 OO을(를) 못 먹어요. [I CANNOT EAT XXX]
If you cannot eat something, you can say “저는 OO을(를) 못 먹어요.”
저는 매운 음식을 못 먹어요. [I CANNOT EAT SPICY FOODS]
- 저는 [jeoneun] = I
- 매운 [maeun] = spicy
- 음식을 [eumsigeul] = foods
- 못 [mot] = cannot / be unable to
- 먹어요 [meogeoyo] = to eat
저는 닭발을 못 먹어요. [I CANNOT EAT CHICKEN FEET]
- 저는 [jeoneun] = I
- 닭발을 [dakbareul] = chicken feet
- 못 [mot] = cannot / be unable to
- 먹어요 [meogeoyo] = to eat
WORDS FOR KOREAN FOODS
Here are some Korean foods you may want to ask about:
- 순대 [sundae] = blood sausage
- 곱창 [gopchang] = pig / cow intestines
- 돼지껍데기 [dwaejikkeopdegi] = pork skin
- 번데기 [beondegi] = pupa; in this food context, silkworm pupae
- 닭발 [dakbal] = chicken feet
- 홍어 [hongeo] = skate
저는 OO을(를) 좋아해요. [I LIKE XXX]
You can say “저는 OO을(를) 좋아해요” when you like a specific food. Use 을 after a consonant and 를 after a vowel.
저는 삼겹살을 좋아해요.
- 저는 [jeoneun] = I
- 삼겹살을 [samgyeopsareul] = pork belly (with object particle)
- 좋아해요 [joahaeyo] = to like
저는 매운 음식을 좋아해요.
- 저는 [jeoneun] = I
- 매운 [maeun] = spicy
- 음식을 [eumsigeul] = foods
- 좋아해요 [joahaeyo] = to like
Words for popular Korean foods
Here are words for popular Korean foods:
- 삼겹살 [samgyeopsal] = pork belly
- 비빔밥 [bibimbap] = bibimbap
- 치킨 [chikin] = Korean fried chicken
- 삼계탕 [samgyetang] = ginseng chicken soup
- 김밥 [gimbap] = seaweed rice rolls
- 김치찌개 [gimchijjigae] = kimchi stew
저는 OO이(가) 좋아요. [I LIKE XXX]
The meaning of 저는 OO이(가) 좋아요 is similar to 저는 OO을(를) 좋아해요. 좋아요 is the polite form of the adjective 좋다, while 좋아해요 comes from the verb 좋아하다. In this pattern, 좋아요 expresses liking or preference; it does not mean that the food is healthy for you.
저는 소고기가 좋아요. [I like beef]
- 저는 [jeoneun] = as for me
- 소고기가 [sogogiga] = beef (with subject particle)
- 좋아요 [joayo] = good
저는 달콤한 음식이 좋아요. [I like sweet foods]
- 저는 [jeoneun] = as for me
- 달콤한 [dalkomhan] = sweet
- 음식이 [eumsigi] = food (with subject particle)
- 좋아요 [joayo] = good
저는 OO을(를) 싫어해요. [I DO NOT LIKE XXX]
You can say “저는 OO을(를) 싫어해요” when you do not like a specific food.
저는 오리 고기를 싫어해요. [I do not like duck meat]
- 저는 [jeoneun] = I
- 오리 [ori] = duck
- 고기를 [gogireul] = meat (with object particle)
- 싫어해요 [sireohaeyo] = to dislike
저는 매운 음식을 싫어해요. [I do not like spicy foods]
- 저는 [jeoneun] = I
- 매운 [maeun] = spicy
- 음식을 [eumsigeul] = foods
- 싫어해요 [sireohaeyo] = to dislike
저는 OO이(가) 싫어요. [I DISLIKE XXX]
The meaning of 저는 OO이(가) 싫어요 is similar to 저는 OO을(를) 싫어해요. 싫어요 is the polite form of the adjective 싫다, while 싫어해요 comes from the verb 싫어하다. This expresses dislike, not a medical restriction.
저는 닭고기가 싫어요. [I dislike chicken]
- 저는 [jeoneun] = as for me
- 닭고기가 [dakgogiga] = chicken (with subject particle)
- 싫어요 [sireoyo] = dislike / find unpleasant (polite)
저는 단 음식이 싫어요. [I dislike sweet foods]
- 저는 [jeoneun] = as for me
- 단 [dan] = sweet
- 음식이 [eumsigi] = food (with subject particle)
- 싫어요 [sireoyo] = dislike / find unpleasant (polite)
저는 A보다는 B이(가) 더 좋아요. [I PREFER B TO A]
If you want to express a preference for foods, you can say “저는 A보다는 B이(가) 더 좋아요.”
저는 돼지고기보다는 소고기가 더 좋아요. [I prefer beef to pork]
- 저는 [jeoneun] = as for me
- 돼지고기보다는 [dwaejigogibodaneun] = than pork
- 소고기가 [sogogiga] = beef (with subject particle)
- 더 [deo] = more
- 좋아요 [joayo] = good
저는 찌개보다는 구이가 더 좋아요. [I prefer grilled dishes to stews]
- 저는 [jeoneun] = as for me
- 찌개보다는 [jjigaebodaneun] = rather than stew
- 구이가 [guiga] = grilled dishes (with subject particle)
- 더 [deo] = more
- 좋아요 [joayo] = good
저는 채식주의자예요. [I AM A VEGETARIAN]
If you want to let people know you are a vegetarian, you can say, “저는 채식주의자예요.”
저는 채식주의자예요. [I AM A VEGETARIAN]
- 저는 [jeoneun] = I
- 채식주의자 [chaesikjuuija] = vegetarian
- 예요 [yeyo] = am / is / are (polite form after a vowel)
저는 날생선을 안 먹어요. [I DO NOT EAT RAW FISH]
Many Korean foods include raw seafood, sometimes even live octopus. If you are not into it, you can say, “저는 날생선을 안 먹어요.”
저는 날생선을 안 먹어요. [I DO NOT EAT RAW FISH]
- 저는 [jeoneun] = I
- 날생선을 [nalsaengseoneul] = raw fish (with object particle)
- 안 [an] = not
- 먹어요 [meogeoyo] = to eat
Words for seafood and seafood dishes
Here are words for seafood and seafood dishes. Oysters and clams can be served raw or cooked; sushi does not always contain raw fish.
- 굴 [gul] = oyster
- 산낙지 [sannakji] = live small octopus; also a dish made with freshly cut octopus
- 조개 [jogae] = clam
- 초밥 [chobap] = sushi
- 회 [hoe] = sliced raw fish or seafood
- 날생선 [nalsaengseon] = raw fish
저는 술을 안 마셔요. [I do not drink alcoholic beverages]
You may be offered alcohol at a meal. If you do not drink alcohol, you can say, “저는 술을 안 마셔요.”
저는 오늘 술 안 마셔요. [I’m not drinking today]
- 저는 [jeoneun] = I
- 오늘 [oneul] = today
- 술 [sul] = alcoholic beverage
- 안 [an] = not
- 마셔요 [masyeoyo] = to drink
저는 보드카 안 마셔요 [I do not drink vodka]
- 저는 [jeoneun] = I
- 보드카 [bodeuka] = vodka
- 안 [an] = not
- 마셔요 [masyeoyo] = to drink
Words for alcoholic beverages
Here are words for alcoholic beverages:
- 소주 [soju] = soju
- 맥주 [maekju] = beer
- 막걸리 [makgeolli] = makgeolli
- 보드카 [bodeuka] = vodka
- 와인 [wain] = wine
- 위스키 [wiseuki] = whisky
- 테킬라 [tekilla] = tequila
- 사케 [sake] = sake
저는 고기를 안 먹어요. [I do not eat meat]
Some Korean dishes contain meat, and meat-based stock may be present even when meat is not visible. If you do not eat meat, you can say, “저는 고기를 안 먹어요.”
저는 고기를 안 먹어요.
- 저는 [jeoneun] = I
- 고기를 [gogireul] = meat (with object particle)
- 안 [an] = not
- 먹어요 [meogeoyo] = to eat
저는 양고기를 안 먹어요.
- 저는 [jeoneun] = I
- 양고기를 [yanggogireul] = lamb or mutton (with object particle)
- 안 [an] = not
- 먹어요 [meogeoyo] = to eat
Words for different kinds of meat
To indicate different kinds of meat, you can add 고기 (meat) after the name of an animal.
- 소고기 [sogogi] -> 소 (cow) + 고기 (meat) = beef
- 닭고기 -> 닭 (chicken) + 고기 (meat) = chicken
- 양고기 -> 양 (sheep) + 고기 (meat) = lamb or mutton
- 돼지고기 -> 돼지 (pig) + 고기 (meat) = pork
Conclusion
Today we learned 11 expressions to talk about your food preferences and dietary restrictions. I hope these expressions will help you try new Korean foods at local Korean restaurants, or when you visit Korea next time!
For more useful Korean vocabulary, check out: