도와주세요
dowa-juseyo
The English phrase "please help me" is translated into Korean as 도와주세요 (dowa-juseyo).
도와주세요 is the standard, polite way to ask for help in most everyday situations.
Meaning: please help me (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a combination of 도와 (help) and 주세요 (please give/do for me).
How does it change in a sentence?
In casual speech with close friends or people younger than you, you can use the informal version 도와줘.
How do you pronounce it?
dowa-juseyo
Did you know?
- If you are in a life-threatening emergency, you might shout 살려주세요 instead of 도와주세요. While the latter asks for assistance, the former literally means 'please save my life'.
- Korean has a specific word 품앗이 for a traditional system of mutual exchange where neighbors help each other with farming or chores without money.
- In Korean, the concept of 'helping' often overlaps with the word 신세, which refers to a social debt or obligation created when someone assists you.
Examples in context
- 이 문서를 확인하시고 도와주시면 감사하겠습니다.If you could please check this document and help me, I would be grateful.
- 친구야, 이거 좀 도와줄래?Hey, friend, could you help me with this?
- 짐 옮기는 것 좀 도와주세요.jim om-gi-neun geot jom do-wa-ju-se-yo.Please help me move these things.
- 길을 찾는 것 좀 도와주세요.gil-eul chat-neun geot jom do-wa-ju-se-yo.Please help me find the way.
- 제 숙제 좀 도와주세요.je suk-je jom do-wa-ju-se-yo.Please help me with my homework.
Example conversation
Minji is struggling with a heavy box in the hallway.
- 민지 Min-ji지훈 씨, 이것 좀 도와주세요.Ji-hun ssi, i-geot jom do-wa-ju-se-yo.Jihoon, please help me with this.
- 지훈 Ji-hun네, 제가 도와줄게요.Ne, je-ga do-wa-jul-ge-yo.Yes, I will help you.
- 민지 Min-ji정말 감사합니다.Jeong-mal gam-sa-ham-ni-da.Thank you so much.
- 지훈 Ji-hun아니에요, 괜찮아요.A-ni-e-yo, gwaen-chan-ah-yo.No problem, it's okay.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “please help me” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
