Simple requests

❃ Simple requests

이것 주세요. [ Igeot juseyo. ]: Please give me this.
물 좀 주세요. [ Mul jom juseyo. ]: Please give me some water.
메뉴판 좀 보여 주세요. [ Menyupan jom boyeo juseyo. ]: Please show me the menu.
조금만 기다려 주세요. [ Jogeumman gidaryeo juseyo. ]: Please wait a moment.
이거 포장해 주세요. [ Igeo pojanghae juseyo. ]: Please wrap this up (to go).
택시 좀 불러 주세요. [ Taeksi jom bulleo juseyo. ]: Please call a taxi for me.
계산해 주세요. [ Gyesanhae juseyo. ]: Please check the bill.
사진 좀 찍어 주시겠어요? [ Sajin jom jjigeo jusigesseoyo? ]: Could you take a picture for us?
문 좀 열어 주세요. [ Mun jom yeoreo juseyo. ]: Please open the door.
창문 좀 닫아 주세요. [ Changmun jom dada juseyo. ]: Please close the window.
덜 맵게 해 주세요. [ Deol maepge hae juseyo. ]: Please make it less spicy.
추천해 주세요. [ Chucheonhae juseyo. ]: Please recommend something.
조금 깎아 주세요. [ Jogeum kkakka juseyo. ]: Please give me a little discount.
다른 걸로 교환해 주세요. [ Dareun geollo gyohwanhae juseyo. ]: Please exchange it for a different one.
환불해 주세요. [ Hwanbulhae juseyo. ]: Please refund this.
알려 주세요. [ Allyeo juseyo. ]: Please let me know / tell me.
여기로 와 주세요. [ Yeogiro wa juseyo. ]: Please come here.
영수증 버려 주세요. [ Yeongsujeung beoryeo juseyo. ]: Please throw away the receipt.
영수증 챙겨 주세요. [ Yeongsujeung chaenggyeo juseyo. ]: Please give me the receipt.
천천히 해 주세요. [ Cheoncheonhi hae juseyo. ]: Please take your time / Do it slowly.

Cultural notes

South Korea boasts one of the most efficient, polite, and vibrant service cultures in the entire world, often encapsulated by the popular concept of "Service" (서비스 - Seobiseu), which refers to complimentary items or dishes given to customers on the house. To successfully navigate shops, taxis, and restaurants, the absolute magic word you must learn is 주세요 (Juseyo), meaning "Please give me" or "Please do for me". By attaching it to a noun (for example, 물 주세요 - Mul juseyo / "Water please") or a verb (such as 도와 주세요 - Dowa juseyo / "Please help me"), you instantly form a polite and perfectly acceptable request. While "Juseyo" is inherently polite, Korean culture deeply appreciates an extra layer of softness, humility, and indirectness. Locals frequently insert the word 좀 (Jom), meaning "a little", into their daily requests. Saying 물 좀 주세요 (Mul jom juseyo) does not mean they literally want only a tiny drop of water; rather, it acts as a linguistic cushion that makes the command sound significantly less demanding and far more courteous to the listener. For much more official or heavy favors, you would upgrade to the highly formal phrase 부탁드립니다 (Butakdeurimnida), which means "I respectfully request" or "I leave it in your good hands." Grasping this nuanced way of asking for things ensures you receive the famous Korean hospitality with a warm smile, demonstrating that you actively respect the hard work and effort of the service workers who are assisting you.

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