Learn Hardcore Korean: imi babeul meogeosseoyo.

이미 means “already,” simply stating that something has already happened. 벌써 also means “already,” but it often carries a nuance of surprise or that something happened sooner than expected. 이미 is more neutral.

Why is there an 을 after 밥?

The particle 을 marks 밥 as the direct object of the verb 먹다. In Korean, transitive verbs require an object marker: 을 follows a noun ending in a consonant (like 밥), while 를 follows a noun ending in a vowel.

Why does 먹다 change to 먹었어요 here?

먹었어요 is the past-tense, polite form of 먹다. You drop -다 and add -었어요 (past + polite ending). So 먹다 → 먹었어요 (“ate” or “have eaten”).

What formality or speech level is used in 먹었어요?

This is the 해요체 (informal polite) level. It’s the standard polite style you use with strangers, colleagues, or anyone older than you when you want to be courteous but not overly formal.

Could 이미 be placed somewhere else in the sentence?

Yes. You can say:
• 밥을 이미 먹었어요 (placing 이미 before the verb)
• 밥을 먹었어요 이미 (less common; sounds a bit awkward)
But starting with 이미 is most natural: 이미 밥을 먹었어요.

Why is there no subject like 저는 in this sentence?

Korean often omits subjects when context makes them clear. Here, the speaker is talking about themselves, so 저는 is optional. You could say 저는 이미 밥을 먹었어요, but it’s usually dropped in casual conversation.

How do I turn this into “Have you already eaten?” when asking someone?

1) Use rising intonation: 이미 밥을 먹었어요?
2) Or replace 먹었어요 with 먹었어요? and rely on context.
3) For higher politeness, use the honorific verb: 이미 식사를 드셨어요?

Can I make the sentence more formal or honorific?

Yes. Use the honorific 드시다 instead of 먹다, and a more formal ending:
• 이미 식사를 드셨습니다. (formal declarative)
• 이미 식사를 드셨어요. (polite declarative)
• 이미 식사를 드셨습니까? (formal interrogative)