주세요
juseyo
The English phrase "please give me" or a request for a service is expressed in Korean as 주세요 (juseyo).
주세요 is used to request a physical object, such as asking for water or to request an action, such as asking someone to help you. It functions as a polite way to ask someone to give you something or to perform a service.
Which one should you use?
주세요 is the polite version, whereas 줘 (jwo) is the casual or informal version. Use 줘 only when speaking to close friends or people younger than you.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
주세요 is in the polite style, making it appropriate for use with strangers, service workers or people older than you. The form 줘 (jwo) is part of 반말 (banmal), which refers to informal speech.
How do you pronounce it?
juseyo
Did you know?
- Even though 주세요 is polite, it is actually a command form, not a question. In English, we use the word 'please' to soften a request, but in Korean, you are technically asking the listener to perform a specific action.
- Korean has a special 'honorific' version of the root word, 드리다 (deurida), used when you are the one giving something to a person of much higher status.
- If you are at a restaurant and want to call a server, simply shouting 주세요 is not the way to do it. You would instead use a specific term like 'Yeogiyo' to get their attention before making your request.
Examples in context
- 선생님, 커피 주세요.Teacher, please give me coffee.
- 도와주세요.Please help me.
- 물 좀 주세요.mul jom juseyo.Please give me some water.
- 이것 좀 주세요.igeot jom juseyo.Please give me this.
- 메뉴 좀 주세요.menyu jom juseyo.Please give me the menu.
Example conversation
Jihoon is ordering at a cafe.
- 지훈 Ji-hun아이스 아메리카노 주세요.aiseu amerikano juseyo.Please give me an iced americano.
- 서연 Seo-yeon네, 알겠습니다.ne, algetseumnida.Yes, I understand.
- 지훈 Ji-hun빨대도 하나 주세요.ppaldaedo hana juseyo.Please give me a straw too.
- 서연 Seo-yeon여기 있습니다.yeogi isseumnida.Here it is.
