Polite Requests: -(으)세요 and -아/어 주세요
Ask and instruct politely with -(으)세요, ask for favors with -아/어 주세요, and say "please don’t" with -지 마세요.
Mr. Gaon · Grammar, vocabulary & TOPIKWhat you will learn in this lesson
- Make polite instructions with -(으)세요, including irregular verbs
- Ask for a favor with -아/어 주세요
- Know when to use -(으)세요 and when to use -아/어 주세요
- Say "please don’t" with -지 마세요
Hello! Today we learn how to ask people to do things. You will use these sentences with taxi drivers, shop staff, teachers and new friends, so they are some of the most practical words in Korean.
Two ways to say "please"
Korean has no single word that matches English "please". Instead, the politeness lives in the verb ending.
-(으)세요 is a polite instruction or suggestion. You hear it in greetings (안녕히 가세요, "go in peace"), in directions (여기 앉으세요, "please sit here"), and in advice (푹 쉬세요, "rest well"). It often helps the listener, or is said by a person in charge, like a doctor or a guide.
-아/어 주세요 means "please do this for me". You are asking for a favor that helps you. 도와주세요 is "please help me", 천천히 말해 주세요 is "please speak slowly". When you are a customer or a learner asking for something, this is usually the better choice.
please do (polite instruction, advice, wish)
- Vowel stem → -세요: 가다 → 가세요, 보다 → 보세요.
- Consonant stem → -으세요: 앉다 → 앉으세요, 읽다 → 읽으세요.
- ㄹ stem → drop ㄹ and add -세요: 만들다 → 만드세요, 열다 → 여세요.
- ㄷ irregular → ㄷ becomes ㄹ: 듣다 → 들으세요, 걷다 → 걸으세요.
- ㅂ irregular → ㅂ becomes 우: 돕다 → 도우세요.
- Special honorific verbs: 먹다/마시다 → 드세요, 자다 → 주무세요, 있다 (stay) → 계세요, 말하다 → 말씀하세요.
- 여기 앉으세요. [여기 안즈세요] yeogi anjeuseyo.Please sit here.
- 이 문장을 큰 소리로 읽으세요. [이 문장을 큰 소리로 일그세요] i munjangeul keun soriro ilgeuseyo.Please read this sentence out loud.
- 잘 들으세요. [잘 드르세요] jal deureuseyo.Please listen carefully.
- 맛있게 드세요. [마싣께 드세요] masitge deuseyo.Enjoy your meal.
- 안녕히 주무세요. annyeonghi jumuseyo.Good night. (Sleep well.)
-(으)세요 conjugation
| Dictionary form | Meaning | Rule | -(으)세요 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 오다 | to come | vowel stem | 오세요 |
| 기다리다 | to wait | vowel stem | 기다리세요 |
| 찾다 | to find | consonant stem | 찾으세요 |
| 만들다 | to make | ㄹ drops | 만드세요 |
| 살다 | to live | ㄹ drops | 사세요 |
| 듣다 | to listen | ㄷ → ㄹ | 들으세요 |
| 돕다 | to help | ㅂ → 우 | 도우세요 |
| 먹다 | to eat | special | 드세요 |
| 자다 | to sleep | special | 주무세요 |
사세요 can come from 살다 (to live) or 사다 (to buy). Context tells you which one.
please do (it) for me
- Make the -아/어 form you learned in the present tense (drop 요), then add 주세요: 기다려요 → 기다려 주세요.
- 하다 → 해 주세요: 말하다 → 말해 주세요.
- Irregular verbs change as in the present tense: 듣다 → 들어 주세요, 돕다 → 도와주세요, 쓰다 → 써 주세요.
- For things, use Noun + 주세요: 물 주세요 (water, please).
- 잠깐만 기다려 주세요. jamkkanman gidaryeo juseyo.Please wait just a moment.
- 천천히 말해 주세요. cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo.Please speak slowly.
- 다시 한번 말해 주세요. dasi hanbeon malhae juseyo.Please say it one more time.
- 여기에 이름을 써 주세요. yeogie ireumeul sseo juseyo.Please write your name here.
- 사진 좀 찍어 주세요. [사진 좀 찌거 주세요] sajin jom jjigeo juseyo.Could you take a photo (for me), please?
- 도와주세요! dowajuseyo!Please help me! / Help!
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This one is easy to mix up, so let’s compare. Imagine you are in a taxi. If you say 여기에서 세우세요, it sounds like an order. 여기에서 세워 주세요 sounds like a polite request. As a customer or a guest, -아/어 주세요 is almost always the safer choice.
-(으)세요 vs -아/어 주세요
- 천천히 가세요. cheoncheonhi gaseyo. Go slowly / Take care. Advice or a kind wish for the listener.
- 천천히 가 주세요. cheoncheonhi ga juseyo. Please go slowly (for me). A request, for example to a driver, because it helps you.
- 여기에 쓰세요. yeogie sseuseyo. Write here. An instruction, like a teacher or a clerk explaining a form.
- 여기에 써 주세요. yeogie sseo juseyo. Please write it here for me. You ask someone to write something for you.
- 물 드세요. mul deuseyo. Have some water. Offering water to someone.
- 물 좀 주세요. mul jom juseyo. Some water, please. Asking for water for yourself.
Softening words: 좀 and 저
Koreans often add 좀 (a little) to requests. It does not really mean "a little" here; it makes the request softer, like "could you". 이것 좀 봐 주세요 (Could you take a look at this?).
To get someone’s attention before a request, start with 저… or 저기요. 저, 죄송한데요, 길 좀 알려 주세요 means "Excuse me, sorry to bother you, could you tell me the way?"
please don’t
- Add -지 마세요 to any stem. The stem does not change.
- Common on signs and in instructions: 들어가지 마세요 (Do not enter).
- To be extra gentle, add a reason or 너무: 너무 걱정하지 마세요 (Don’t worry too much).
- 걱정하지 마세요. [걱쩡하지 마세요] geokjeonghaji maseyo.Don’t worry.
- 여기에서 사진을 찍지 마세요. [여기에서 사지늘 찍찌 마세요] yeogieseo sajineul jjikji maseyo.Please don’t take photos here.
- 늦지 마세요. [늗찌 마세요] neutji maseyo.Please don’t be late.
In class
Useful request words
- 잠깐만 jamkkanman just a moment
- 천천히 cheoncheonhi slowly
- 다시 dasi again
- 좀 jom (softener) please, a little
- 알려 주세요 allyeo juseyo please let me know / please tell me
- 보여 주세요 boyeo juseyo please show me
Check quiz
Q1. What is the -(으)세요 form of 만들다?
Q2. In a taxi, you want the driver to stop here. What is the most polite?
Q3. "Please listen carefully." Which is correct?
Q4. What do you say to someone before they start eating?
Q5. "Please don’t worry."
Q6. Which is the -아/어 주세요 form of 돕다 (to help)?
Wonderful! If you remember only one sentence today, make it 천천히 말해 주세요. It will help you every day in Korea, and people are always happy to slow down for a learner.
Key points
- -(으)세요: polite instruction, advice or wish (앉으세요, 안녕히 가세요).
- -아/어 주세요: please do it for me — best for customers and learners.
- ㄹ drops before -세요 (만드세요); ㄷ → ㄹ (들으세요); ㅂ → 우 (도우세요).
- Special verbs: 드세요, 주무세요, 계세요, 말씀하세요.
- -지 마세요 = please don’t; 좀 makes any request softer.
Recommended official free resources
- Korean Basic Dictionary (multilingual) — National Institute of Korean Language
- Korean Language Teaching & Learning Center — National Institute of Korean Language
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