잠깐만요
jamkkanmanyo
In Korean, "wait a moment" is expressed as 잠깐만요 (jamkkanmanyo).
잠깐만요 is a polite request for someone to stay or stop for a short period of time. It is also commonly used to get someone's attention or to ask someone to move out of your way in a crowded space, similar to saying "Excuse me".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 잠깐 (a moment), 만 (only) and the polite sentence ending 요.
Which one should you use?
While 잠깐만요 is a standard polite way to say "wait a moment", 잠시만요 is a slightly more formal and polished version often used in professional environments or service settings. For purely casual situations, you can use 잠깐만 기다려 or 잠시만 기다려줘.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a more formal and respectful tone, you can use 잠시만 기다려주세요 or 잠시만 기다려 주십시오. Conversely, the phrase is informal if you drop the 요 at the end, resulting in 잠깐만, which is suitable only for friends or people younger than you. Other informal options include 잠깐만 기다려 or 잠시만 기다려줘.
How do you pronounce it?
jamkkanmanyo
Did you know?
- When using 잠깐만요 to move through a crowd, Koreans often perform a slight bow or a gentle pushing motion with the palms facing outward to signal a request for space.
- In modern Korean digital slang, people may use the abbreviation 잠만 in text messages to quickly ask a friend to wait a moment.
- While 잠깐만요 is polite, using it with a stranger in a heated argument can actually be perceived as quite rude because it can sound like you are dismissively telling them to 'hold on' while you finish your business.
Examples in context
- 잠깐만요.Wait a moment.Tatoeba #10603219 by ssuss32, translation #410597 by CK
- 잠깐만요!Please wait a moment.Tatoeba #13146499 by atitarev, translation #430067 by witbrock
- 죄송합니다. 잠시만 기다려주세요.I'm sorry. Please wait a moment.
- 지금 좀 바쁜데 잠시만 기다려줘.I'm a bit busy right now, so please wait for a moment.
- 잠깐만요, 이것 좀 보세요.jamkkanmanyo, igeot jom boseyo.Wait a moment, look at this.
Example conversation
Minjun is walking away, but Seoyeon wants to ask him a question.
- 민준 Min-jun저 이제 갈게요.jeo ije galgeyo.I'm leaving now.
- 서연 Seo-yeon잠깐만요, 민준 씨!jamkkanmanyo, minjun ssi!Wait a moment, Minjun!
- 민준 Min-jun무슨 일이세요, 서연 씨?museun iriseyo, seoyeon ssi?What is it, Seoyeon?
- 서연 Seo-yeon이것 좀 도와주세요.igeot jom dowajuseyo.Please help me with this.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
