How is this Korean phrase made?
On my audio disk it says "have you had lunch?" is "점심 드셨어요?"

"점심" means "lunch" and "었어요" is the past tense ending.
But what does "드시" mean?

Question

How is this Korean phrase made?
On my audio disk it says "have you had lunch?" is "점심 드셨어요?"

"점심"  means "lunch" and "었어요" is the past tense ending.
But what does "드시" mean?

Answer

As 최현진 commented above, "드시다" is the honorific of "먹다(=to eat/have)", and "드셨다" is the past form of "드시다".

e.g.
드시다
☞ 드시 + 었(past tense marker) + 다.
☞ 드 + 셨(=시+었) + 다 (-시-, honorific marker)
☞ 드셨 + 어요("아/어/여+요" is a spoken form of the ending "-다")
☞ 드셨어요? (questioning)

\^o^/

Answer

Korean use honorifics when we speak to elders. So, 드시 is formal honorific of eating. So, we talk to friends like this, "점심 먹었어?" It means "have you had lunch?" between friends.

Answers · 2

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