Korean Phrases for Chi-Maek Night With Friends
Chi-maek — 치맥 (chimaek), chicken plus beer — is how Korean friends unwind after work or before a drama binge, and the table moves faster when you can say 치킨 시켜요 (chikin sikyeoyo), "Order chicken, please," instead of silently pointing at the menu photo. If the first round disappears quickly, 맥주 한 잔 더 주세요 (maekju han jan deo juseyo), "One more beer, please," keeps the night rolling.
- Call for chicken: 치킨 시켜요 (chikin sikyeoyo), "Order chicken, please."
- Ask for another beer: 맥주 한 잔 더 주세요 (maekju han jan deo juseyo), "One more beer, please."
- Pick a flavor: 양념치킨이요 (yangnyeom chikinyo), "Seasoned chicken, please."
- Share the hype: 진짜 맛있어요 (jinjja masisseoyo), "It is really tasty."
How do you order at a chi-maek table?
Korean chicken places expect short, direct lines — not full English sentences translated word for word.
- When everyone sits down, say 치킨 시켜요 and point at the flavor board if needed.
- For saucy wings, add 양념치킨이요; for plain crunch, 후라이드요 (peuraideuyo), "Fried, please."
- When glasses empty, raise a hand and say 맥주 한 잔 더 주세요.
- After the first bite, tell the group 진짜 맛있어요.
- Before the bill, ask 나눠서 낼까요? (nanwoseo nalkkayo?), "Shall we split the bill?"
| Moment | Say this |
|---|---|
| Start the order | 치킨 시켜요 (chikin sikyeoyo) |
| Pick seasoned wings | 양념치킨이요 (yangnyeom chikinyo) |
| Refill drinks | 맥주 한 잔 더 주세요 (maekju han jan deo juseyo) |
| React to taste | 진짜 맛있어요 (jinjja masisseoyo) |
| Split the check | 나눠서 낼까요? (nanwoseo nalkkayo?) |
Practice this out loud with SULSUL — the app says it, you repeat it →
What do Korean speakers say back?
Staff and friends keep replies short — perfect for beginners.
You: 양념치킨이요. — yangnyeom chikinyo. — "Seasoned chicken, please."
Them: 네, 잠시만요! — ne, jamsimanyo! — "Yes, one moment!"
You: 맥주 한 잔 더 주세요. — maekju han jan deo juseyo.
If a friend asks whether you want extra sauce, 네, 주세요 (ne, juseyo), "Yes, please," is enough. Match the energy, not the grammar chart.
What usually goes wrong on chi-maek night?
Learners memorize 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo) but never practice 치킨 시켜요, the line every chicken shop hears fifty times an hour.
A second mistake is staying quiet while friends switch to Korean for two seconds to order — one clear phrase keeps you in the room. For snack runs before the main tray arrives, see Korean phrases at a convenience store.
Say it out loud, not just in your head
Chi-maek tables are too loud for reading romanization off your phone.
SULSUL is a speaking gym for exactly that moment: pick a survival pattern, say it out loud, get an instant fix from the AI pronunciation coach, then run the real situation as a mission. The 100-pattern PDF workbook comes along as a bonus.
