Learn Korean from Your Bias
No.338

Korean expression

못 먹겠다

Said by JEONGYEON (TWICE)

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What does 못 먹겠다 mean?

못 먹겠다 means "Cannot eat; cannot bring oneself to eat" in Korean.

How it works here

‘못’ is placed before the verb ‘먹겠다’ and indicates impossibility due to ability or circumstances. Thus, it does not simply mean ‘먹겠다’ (will eat), but means that the person actually cannot eat.

Key expression

못 V겠다

To indicate that one cannot or finds it difficult to do something

‘못’ expresses a lack of possibility or ability, while ‘-겠다’ adds the speaker’s judgment or feeling. Thus ‘못 먹겠다’ means not simply ‘I am not eating now’, but ‘it is difficult to eat’ or ‘I cannot eat any more’. Unlike ‘안 V겠다’, it focuses on possibility rather than intention. It is a natural spoken expression.

When it's used

Used when the body or circumstances do not allow someone to continue an action, often because of ability, condition, circumstances, or feelings.

The line

못 먹겠다

I can't eat any more.

Said when feeling too exhausted or overwhelmed to continue.

Scene from “TWICE REALITY "TIME TO TWICE" Healing December EP.01” · Channel: TWICE Watch on YouTube

More examples

  1. 너무 피곤해서 오늘은 더 못 걷겠다.

    I'm so tired that I can't walk any farther today.

  2. 이 문제는 너무 어려워서 혼자서는 못 풀겠다.

    This problem is so difficult that I can't solve it alone.

Quick check

When would you use this expression?

못 먹겠다

못 먹겠다

I can't eat any more.

  • Saying that you are hungry and will eat a lot very enthusiastically.
  • Saying that you are too tired to eat any more now.
  • Vowing that you will definitely exercise starting tomorrow.
Show the answer

Saying that you are too tired to eat any more now.

to indicate that one cannot or finds it difficult to do something. ‘못’ expresses a lack of possibility or ability, while ‘-겠다’ adds the speaker’s judgment or feeling. Thus ‘못 먹겠다’ means not simply ‘I am not eating now’, but ‘it is difficult to eat’ or ‘I cannot eat any more’. Unlike ‘안 V겠다’, it focuses on possibility rather than intention. It is a natural spoken expression.

Other words in this line

못
Unable to
먹다
To eat

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