빼먹다

ppae-meok-da · literally “Take out and eat”

Situation: Your team leader checks your report and says: 여기 한 줄 빼먹었네요.

✕ What AI tells you

Glosses it as 'You took out and ate one line here.'

Why it fails: 빼먹다 means leaving something out by mistake, or skipping something on purpose (수업을 빼먹다, 'cut class'). Nothing is eaten. Your leader is pointing out a missing line.

✓ What Koreans actually say

빼먹다 = miss or skip. It's casual. About your own mistake at work, 빠뜨렸습니다 or 누락했습니다 sounds more professional.

  • 죄송합니다, 제가 빠뜨렸습니다. 바로 수정하겠습니다.

    joe-song-ham-ni-da, je-ga ppa-tteu-ryeot-seum-ni-da. ba-ro su-jeong-ha-get-seum-ni-da

    To your boss: 'Sorry, I missed it. I'll fix it right away.'

  • 하나 빼먹었다!

    ha-na ppae-meo-geot-da

    Casual, to yourself or friends: 'I forgot one!'

  • 오늘 수업 빼먹었어.

    o-neul su-eop ppae-meo-geo-sseo

    'I skipped class today' — sounds like playing hooky, not an excused absence

Cultural nuance, in depth

빼먹다 comes from 빼다 ('take out') + 먹다, but it has nothing to do with eating. Because it can mean skipping on purpose, don't use it for a real absence when talking to your boss: 회사를 빼먹었어요 sounds like you skipped work for fun. For a real absence, say 결근했어요 or 쉬었어요.

See all workplace & hierarchy expressionsSee all double verbs

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