기다려 주세요
gidaryeo juseyo
In Korean, "please wait for me" is 기다려 주세요 (gidaryeo juseyo).
This phrase is a polite request for someone to stay where they are or delay their departure until you arrive. While the phrase 기다려 주세요 is a polite request, it does not explicitly include the word 'me' (저를/나를), as the context of the conversation makes the subject implied.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb 기다리다 (to wait) and the auxiliary verb 주세요 (please do for me).
How does it change in a sentence?
The informal version 기다려 줘 is used with close friends or people younger than you. The highly formal version 기다려 주십시오 is used in professional settings, announcements or when addressing a much higher-ranking person.
How do you pronounce it?
gidaryeo juseyo
When do people say it?
If someone is waiting for you, you might respond with 감사합니다 (thank you) or if you need them to wait just a bit longer, you can say 잠시만 (just a moment).
Did you know?
- While 기다려 주세요 is a polite request, using the phrase 기다려 alone can sound like a command to a pet or a child, which might be perceived as rude or aggressive to an adult.
- In the phrase 기다려 주세요, the word 주세요 literally means 'to give', implying that the person is 'giving' you the favor of waiting.
- In Korean culture, when asking someone to wait, it is common to accompany the phrase 기다려 주세요 with a slight bow or a gesture of the hand to soften the request further.
Examples in context
- 조금만 더 기다려 주세요.jogeumman deo gidaryeo juseyo.Please wait just a little bit longer.
- 여기서 저를 기다려 주세요.yeogiseo jeoreul gidaryeo juseyo.Please wait for me here.
- 금방 갈 테니 기다려 주세요.geumbang gal teni gidaryeo juseyo.I'll be there soon, so please wait for me.
Example conversation
Seoyeon is running to meet Dohyun at a cafe.
- 서연 Seo-yeon도현 씨, 조금만 기다려 주세요!Dohyun ssi, jogeumman gidaryeo juseyo!Dohyun, please wait for me just a little bit!
- 도현 Do-hyeon서연 씨, 어디쯤이에요?Seoyeon ssi, eodijeumieyo?Seoyeon, whereabouts are you?
- 서연 Seo-yeon거의 다 왔어요.geoui da wasseoyo.I am almost there.
- 도현 Do-hyeon알겠어요. 천천히 오세요.algesseoyo. cheoncheonhi oseyo.Okay. Come slowly.
