Discussing health and wellness, including diet methods, is common in Korea. This guide provides essential Korean phrases for asking about someone’s diet plan, seeking advice, or sharing experiences related to weight management. Learning these expressions will help you engage in conversations about dieting naturally and respectfully.
Table Of Content
Core Expression
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Expression: 다이어트 방법
Pronunciation: da-i-eo-teu bang-beop
Meaning: Diet method (The most direct way to refer to a diet plan or technique)
Basic Questions About Dieting
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Expression: 다이어트 하세요?
Pronunciation: da-i-eo-teu ha-se-yo?
Meaning: Are you on a diet? -
Expression: 어떤 다이어트 하세요?
Pronunciation: eo-tteon da-i-eo-teu ha-se-yo?
Meaning: What kind of diet are you on? -
Expression: 다이어트 방법 좀 알려주세요.
Pronunciation: da-i-eo-teu bang-beop jom al-lyeo-ju-se-yo.
Meaning: Please tell me about your diet method. -
Expression: 살 빼는 비결이 뭐예요?
Pronunciation: sal ppae-neun bi-gyeol-i mwo-ye-yo?
Meaning: What’s your secret to losing weight? -
Expression: 다이어트 효과 있었어요?
Pronunciation: da-i-eo-teu hyo-gwa is-seot-seo-yo?
Meaning: Was the diet effective? / Did you see results from the diet? -
Expression: 얼마나 감량하셨어요?
Pronunciation: eol-ma-na gam-ryang-ha-syeot-seo-yo?
Meaning: How much weight did you lose? -
Expression: 다이어트 할 때 뭐가 제일 힘들었어요?
Pronunciation: da-i-eo-teu hal ttae mwo-ga je-il him-deul-eot-seo-yo?
Meaning: What was the hardest part about dieting? -
Expression: 운동도 같이 하셨어요?
Pronunciation: un-dong-do ga-chi ha-syeot-seo-yo?
Meaning: Did you exercise as well? -
Expression: 식단 조절은 어떻게 하셨어요?
Pronunciation: sik-dan jo-jeol-eun eo-tteo-ke ha-syeot-seo-yo?
Meaning: How did you manage your diet (meals)? -
Expression: 다이어트 팁 좀 공유해주세요.
Pronunciation: da-i-eo-teu tip jom gong-yu-hae-ju-se-yo.
Meaning: Please share some diet tips.
Asking About Specific Diet Methods
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Expression: 저탄고지 다이어트 해보셨어요?
Pronunciation: jeo-tan-go-ji da-i-eo-teu hae-bo-syeot-seo-yo?
Meaning: Have you tried the low-carb, high-fat (keto) diet? -
Expression: 간헐적 단식은 어때요?
Pronunciation: gan-heol-jeok dan-sik-eun eo-ttae-yo?
Meaning: How about intermittent fasting? -
Expression: 칼로리 계산해서 드세요?
Pronunciation: kal-lo-ri gye-san-hae-seo deu-se-yo?
Meaning: Do you eat by calculating calories? -
Expression: 주로 어떤 음식을 드셨어요?
Pronunciation: ju-ro eo-tteon eum-sik-eul deu-syeot-seo-yo?
Meaning: What kind of food did you mainly eat? -
Expression: 피해야 할 음식이 있었나요?
Pronunciation: pi-hae-ya hal eum-sik-i is-seot-na-yo?
Meaning: Were there any foods you had to avoid? -
Expression: 단백질 위주로 식사하셨어요?
Pronunciation: dan-baek-jil wi-ju-ro sik-sa-ha-syeot-seo-yo?
Meaning: Did you focus on protein-based meals? -
Expression: 다이어트 보조제도 드셨어요?
Pronunciation: da-i-eo-teu bo-jo-je-do deu-syeot-seo-yo?
Meaning: Did you also take diet supplements? -
Expression: 하루에 몇 끼 드셨어요?
Pronunciation: ha-ru-e myeot kki deu-syeot-seo-yo?
Meaning: How many meals did you eat per day? -
Expression: 물은 얼마나 마셨어요?
Pronunciation: mul-eun eol-ma-na ma-syeot-seo-yo?
Meaning: How much water did you drink? -
Expression: 샐러드만 드신 건 아니죠?
Pronunciation: sael-leo-deu-man deu-sin geon a-ni-jyo?
Meaning: You didn’t just eat salads, right?
Asking About Personal Experience and Advice
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Expression: 어떻게 살 빼셨어요?
Pronunciation: eo-tteo-ke sal ppae-syeot-seo-yo?
Meaning: How did you lose weight? -
Expression: 다이어트 성공 비결 좀 알려주세요.
Pronunciation: da-i-eo-teu seong-gong bi-gyeol jom al-lyeo-ju-se-yo.
Meaning: Please tell me the secret to your diet success. -
Expression: 저도 다이어트 시작하려고 하는데, 조언 좀 해주세요.
Pronunciation: jeo-do da-i-eo-teu si-jak-ha-ryeo-go ha-neun-de, jo-eon jom hae-ju-se-yo.
Meaning: I’m planning to start a diet too, please give me some advice. -
Expression: 다이어트 기간은 얼마나 걸렸어요?
Pronunciation: da-i-eo-teu gi-gan-eun eol-ma-na geol-lyeot-seo-yo?
Meaning: How long did your diet period last? -
Expression: 요요 현상은 없었어요?
Pronunciation: yo-yo hyeon-sang-eun eop-seot-seo-yo?
Meaning: Did you experience any yo-yo effect (weight regain)? -
Expression: 체중 유지 비결은 뭐예요?
Pronunciation: che-jung yu-ji bi-gyeol-eun mwo-ye-yo?
Meaning: What’s the secret to maintaining your weight? -
Expression: 다이어트 하면서 가장 도움이 된 것은 무엇인가요?
Pronunciation: da-i-eo-teu ha-myeon-seo ga-jang do-um-i doen geos-eun mu-eos-in-ga-yo?
Meaning: What was the most helpful thing while dieting? -
Expression: 어떤 운동을 추천하세요?
Pronunciation: eo-tteon un-dong-eul chu-cheon-ha-se-yo?
Meaning: What kind of exercise do you recommend? -
Expression: 다이어트 식단 짜는 팁이 있을까요?
Pronunciation: da-i-eo-teu sik-dan jja-neun tib-i is-seul-kka-yo?
Meaning: Do you have any tips for planning a diet menu? -
Expression: 다이어트할 때 동기 부여는 어떻게 하셨어요?
Pronunciation: da-i-eo-teu-hal ttae dong-gi bu-yeo-neun eo-tteo-ke ha-syeot-seo-yo?
Meaning: How did you stay motivated while dieting?
Korean Culture Notes
Appearance Consciousness: Appearance, including body weight, can be a common topic of conversation in Korea. While often well-intentioned, comments about weight might seem direct to those from other cultures. Understanding this context is helpful, but remember it’s always okay to steer the conversation elsewhere if you feel uncomfortable.
Trendy Diets: Like many places, Korea experiences waves of trendy diets (e.g., intermittent fasting, low-carb high-fat, detox juices). People often share information and experiences about these popular methods.
Emphasis on ‘S-Line’ and ‘V-Line’: Korean beauty standards often emphasize specific body shapes like the ‘S-line’ (curvy figure) for women and a ‘V-line’ (slim jawline) for the face. Dieting goals are sometimes linked to achieving these ideals.
Holistic Approach: While specific diets are popular, there’s also an understanding of holistic health. Many people combine dietary changes with exercise, traditional Korean remedies (like healthy teas), or even skincare routines as part of their overall wellness and ‘diet’ plan.
Sharing Food Culture: Dieting can sometimes clash with Korea’s strong food-sharing culture. It’s common to share dishes when eating out. People on strict diets might need to politely explain their restrictions.
Real Conversation Example
Situation: Minji recently lost weight, and her friend Sora is curious about how she did it.
Characters:
- A: Sora
- B: Minji
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Expression: A: 민지 씨, 요즘 살 많이 빠진 것 같아요! 비결이 뭐예요?
Pronunciation: min-ji ssi, yo-jeum sal ma-ni ppa-jin geot ga-ta-yo! bi-gyeol-i mwo-ye-yo?
Meaning: Minji, it looks like you’ve lost a lot of weight recently! What’s your secret? -
Expression: B: 아, 네. 조금 다이어트 했어요. 식단 조절이랑 운동을 병행했어요.
Pronunciation: a, ne. jo-geum da-i-eo-teu haet-seo-yo. sik-dan jo-jeol-i-rang un-dong-eul byeong-haeng-haet-seo-yo.
Meaning: Ah, yes. I went on a bit of a diet. I combined diet management and exercise. -
Expression: A: 와, 대단하다! 식단은 어떻게 조절하셨어요? 특별한 다이어트 방법이 있었어요?
Pronunciation: wa, dae-dan-ha-da! sik-dan-eun eo-tteo-ke jo-jeol-ha-syeot-seo-yo? teuk-byeol-han da-i-eo-teu bang-beob-i is-seot-seo-yo?
Meaning: Wow, that’s amazing! How did you manage your diet? Was there a special diet method? -
Expression: B: 특별한 건 없었고, 그냥 저녁 6시 이후로는 안 먹고 탄수화물을 좀 줄였어요. 그리고 매일 30분씩 걸었어요.
Pronunciation: teuk-byeol-han geon eop-seot-go, geu-nyang jeo-nyeok yeo-seot-si i-hu-ro-neun an meok-go tan-su-hwa-mul-eul jom jul-yeot-seo-yo. geu-ri-go mae-il sam-sip-bun-ssik geol-eot-seo-yo.
Meaning: Nothing too special, I just didn’t eat after 6 PM and reduced my carbohydrate intake a bit. And I walked for 30 minutes every day. -
Expression: A: 그렇군요. 저도 다이어트 시작해야 하는데, 팁 좀 더 알려주세요!
Pronunciation: geu-reo-kun-yo. jeo-do da-i-eo-teu si-jak-hae-ya ha-neun-de, tip jom deo al-lyeo-ju-se-yo!
Meaning: I see. I need to start a diet too, please give me some more tips! -
Expression: B: 음, 꾸준히 하는 게 제일 중요한 것 같아요. 그리고 물을 자주 마시는 것도 도움이 됐어요.
Pronunciation: eum, kku-jun-hi ha-neun ge je-il jung-yo-han geot ga-ta-yo. geu-ri-go mul-eul ja-ju ma-si-neun geot-do do-um-i dwaet-seo-yo.
Meaning: Hmm, I think being consistent is the most important thing. Also, drinking water frequently was helpful.
Practice Tips
Asking about diet methods requires sensitivity! Start by practicing the basic questions with a language partner or friend~ Try asking about general wellness habits first before diving into specific diet questions. Listen carefully to the answers and use follow-up questions like “어떤 운동을 하셨어요?” (eo-tteon un-dong-eul ha-syeot-seo-yo? – What kind of exercise did you do?) or “힘들지 않았어요?” (him-deul-ji a-nat-seo-yo? – Wasn’t it difficult?). Role-playing the conversation example is also a great way to build confidence. Remember to be respectful and mindful of personal boundaries when discussing topics like weight and diet! 화이팅! (hwa-i-ting! – Fighting!/You can do it!)
