가지 마세요
gaji maseyo
In Korean, 가지 마세요 (gaji maseyo) is used to say "please stay".
While English uses 'please stay' to express the desire for someone to remain, the Korean phrase 가지 마세요 literally expresses the desire for them 'not to go'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 가지 마세요 literally means "don't go". It is composed of 가지, which is the stem of 'to go' and 마세요, which is the polite imperative for 'do not'.
Which one should you use?
You can also say "stay" directly in Korean using 머무르세요 or 머무르십시오.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a casual or informal setting with friends or people younger than you, use 가지 마. In highly formal situations, such as professional settings or public announcements, you may use 가지 마십시오. Other formal ways to say "please stay" include 제발 머무르세요 and 부디 머무르십시오.
How do you pronounce it?
gaji maseyo
Did you know?
- The word 가지 used in 가지 마세요 is a homonym shared with the Korean word for 'eggplant'.
- In many romantic Korean songs and dramas, the phrase 가지 마세요 is often used to express a deep, desperate plea rather than a simple request.
- The word 가지 in this phrase is the stem of the verb 'to go', but in other contexts, the same spelling can refer to 'branch' or 'kind/type'.
Examples in context
- 지금은 가지 마세요.jigeumeun gaji maseyo.Please don't leave right now.
- 너무 빨리 가지 마세요.neomu ppalli gaji maseyo.Please don't leave so quickly.
Example conversation
Seoyeon is asking Jihun to stay longer at a cafe.
- 서연 Seo-yeon지훈 씨, 벌써 가세요?Jihun ssi, beolsseo gaseyo?Jihun, are you leaving already?
- 지훈 Ji-hun네, 이제 가야 해요.ne, ije gaya haeyo.Yes, I have to go now.
- 서연 Seo-yeon조금만 더 있다가 가지 마세요.jogeumman deo itdaga gaji maseyo.Please stay a little longer.
- 지훈 Ji-hun알겠어요. 조금만 더 있을게요.algesseoyo. jogeumman deo isseulgeyo.Okay. I will stay a bit longer.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 가지, CC BY-SA 4.0.
