도와주세요
dowajuseyo
도와주세요 (dowajuseyo) is the Korean way to say 'help'.
도와주세요 is used to request assistance or as a cry of distress to mean 'Please help'.
Meaning: transitive: provide assistance to (someone or something) (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase combines the verb 돕다 (to help), the auxiliary verb 주다 (to give) and the polite ending 세요 (please do), literally meaning 'please help (me)'.
Which one should you use?
도와주세요 is the verb phrase used to ask for help, whereas 도움 is the noun meaning 'help' or 'assistance'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The casual version of the phrase is 도와줘. To express the act of asking for help in a formal way, you can use the phrase 도움을 청하다.
How do you pronounce it?
dowajuseyo
Did you know?
- In an emergency, Koreans may shout 살려주세요 instead of 도와주세요. While the latter asks for general assistance, the former literally means 'please save my life'.
- When asking for a small favor, Koreans often use the word 부탁 (request) instead of asking for 'help' directly, as it sounds more polite and less burdensome.
- Korean uses the auxiliary verb 주다 ('to give') in 도와주세요 to frame the act of helping as a gift or a favor being granted to the speaker.
Examples in context
- 도와주세요!Please help!This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase 도와주세요 as a cry of distress.Tatoeba #8119506 by noget, translation #1627352 by Spamster
- 나는 길을 잃었어요. 도와주세요.I am lost. Please help me.
- 저는 긴급한 도움을 청하고 싶습니다.I would like to request urgent help.
- 다음 주 취업 면접이 있어. 도와줄래?I have a job interview next week. Will you help me?
- 짐 옮기는 것 좀 도와주세요.jim om-gineun geot jom do-wa-ju-se-yo.Please help me move these things.
- 선생님, 숙제 하는 것 좀 도와주세요.seon-saeng-nim, suk-je ha-neun geot jom do-wa-ju-se-yo.Teacher, please help me with my homework.
Example conversation
Minji is struggling with a heavy box in the hallway.
- 민지 Min-ji민준 씨, 이것 좀 도와주세요.Min-jun ssi, i-geot jom do-wa-ju-se-yo.Minjun, please help me with this.
- 민준 Min-jun네, 제가 도와드릴게요.ne, je-ga do-wa-deu-ril-ge-yo.Yes, I will help you.
- 민지 Min-ji정말 고마워요, 민준 씨.jeong-mal go-ma-wo-yo, Min-jun ssi.Thank you so much, Minjun.
- 민준 Min-jun아니에요, 별거 아니에요.a-ni-e-yo, byeol-geo a-ni-e-yo.No problem, it's nothing.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
