제발
jebal[ˈt͡ɕe̞(ː)ba̠ɭ]
In Korean, please can be expressed as 제발 (jebal) or ~ 주세요.
Meaning: interjection to make a polite request (intj)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 제발 | jebal | [ˈt͡ɕe̞(ː)ba̠ɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| ~ 주세요 |
The word 제발 is a commonly used way to say "please" that conveys a sense of urgency or importance. It is used for emotional begging or desperate pleading. In contrast, the phrase ~ 주세요 is the standard way to express "please" when making a polite request for an object or an action.
Which one should you use?
Use 제발 when you are making an emotional plea. Use ~ 주세요 for standard polite requests, such as asking for an item or asking someone to perform an action.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form ~ 주세요 is attached to a noun to request that noun, or to a verb stem to request an action.
How do you pronounce it?
jebal
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use 제발 when they actually mean the polite request form ~ 주세요.
Did you know?
- If you use 제발 in a restaurant to ask for water, the staff might think you are experiencing a life-or-death crisis rather than just being thirsty.
- In Korean, you often don't say 'please' at all when making a request. Instead, you use a specific polite verb ending to signal the request, making a separate word for 'please' redundant.
- When using ~ 주세요 for a request, adding the word 좀 before the verb softens the tone, making the 'please' feel less demanding and more like a gentle favor.
Examples in context
- 제발 날 죽여 줘.Please kill me.This sentence demonstrates the use of 제발.Tatoeba #6305074 by Queserasera, translation #6305126 by Queserasera
- 물 좀 주세요, 제발.Some water, please.This sentence shows how to use 제발.Tatoeba #6305441 by Queserasera, translation #270848 by CK
- 제발 집중 좀 해 줄래?Can you pay attention, please?This sentence shows the use of 제발.Tatoeba #10788998 by svawbodah, translation #3185865 by CK
- 리포트를 제출할 수 있을까요? 부탁드립니다.Could you submit the report? Please.
- 숙제를 도와줄래? 부탁해.Can you help with the homework? Please.
- 좀 더 신속하게 해 주세요.Please do it more quickly.
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Subin is asking Jihun to stop making a loud noise.
- 수빈 Su-bin제발 조용히 좀 해 줘.jebal joyonghi jom hae jwo.Please just be quiet.
- 지훈 Ji-hun미안해, 금방 끝낼게.mianhae, geumbang kkeutnaelge.Sorry, I'll finish soon.
- 수빈 Su-bin제발, 지금 너무 시끄러워.jebal, jigeum neomu sikkeureowo.Please, it's too loud right now.
- 지훈 Ji-hun알았어, 이제 안 할게.arasseo, ije an halge.Okay, I won't do it anymore.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “please” translations and entries 제발, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
