잠깐만요
jamkkanmanyo
To say hang on in Korean, use 잠깐만요 (jamkkanmanyo).
잠깐만요 is used to ask someone to wait a minute. It is also frequently used in crowded places, such as subways, to mean 'excuse me' when you need to pass through a crowd.
Meaning: wait a minute (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 잠깐 (a moment/a short time), 만 (only) and the polite ending 요.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
잠깐만요 is a polite form suitable for use with strangers, colleagues or people older than you.
How does it change in a sentence?
While 잠깐만요 is a common elliptical way to say 'wait a minute', the full grammatical way to express this request is 잠깐만 기다려 주세요.
How do you pronounce it?
jamkkanmanyo
Did you know?
- In some contexts, saying 잠깐만 with a specific rising intonation can be used as a rhetorical device in an argument to stop someone from speaking, similar to saying 'Hold it right there'.
- While 잠깐만요 is polite, dropping the 요 to say 잠깐만 can sound like a command to a stranger, effectively telling them 'Wait!' in a blunt or impatient tone.
- When using 잠깐만요 to move through a crowd, it is culturally common to pair the words with a slight forward-leaning posture. This non-verbal cue helps signal your intended movement direction to those around you.
Examples in context
- 잠깐만요, 전화 왔어요.jamkanmanyo, jeonhwa wasseoyo.Wait a minute, a phone call came in.
- 잠깐만요, 다시 확인해 볼게요.jamkanmanyo, dasi hwaginhae bolgeyo.Hang on, let me check again.
- 잠깐만요, 제가 가고 있어요.jamkanmanyo, jega gago isseoyo.Wait a minute, I am coming.
Example conversation
Subin is looking for her keys in her bag while Dohyeon waits.
- 수빈 Su-bin도현 씨, 잠깐만요.Dohyeon ssi, jamkanmanyo.Dohyeon, wait a minute.
- 도현 Do-hyeon무슨 일이에요, 수빈 씨?Museun irieyo, Subin ssi?What is it, Subin?
- 수빈 Su-bin열쇠를 좀 찾아야 해요.Yeolsoe-reul jom chajaya haeyo.I need to find my keys.
- 도현 Do-hyeon알겠어요, 천천히 찾으세요.Algesseoyo, cheoncheonhi chajeuseyo.Okay, take your time finding them.
