Korean Lessons ᚛ Level 3 - Korean for Beginners #2 (Lessons 61 to 90) ᚛ Lesson 62 - Please in Korean / to do something for someone [-아/어 주다]

Please in Korean / to do something for someone [-아/어 주다]

In this course: 아 주다 / 어 주다 / 해 주다 / 아 줘 / 어 줘 / 해 줘 / 아 주세요 / 어 주세요 / 해 주세요 / 주세요

Up till now, you may have noticed that we have never mentioned the word "please" in Korean. This expression doesn't exist as such in the Korean language.

To do something for someone

In Korean, to express the fact of doing something for someone, a request, we use the verb 주다 (= to give) in the following way:
[Verb conjugated to the present tense casual style] 주다

The verb 주다 can then be conjugated to all of the forms we've seen up till now.

소라가 요리해 줬어요.
→ Sora cooked (for me).

아버지가 장난감을 만들어 주셨어요.
→ My father made a toy (for me).

이따가 동화책을 읽어 줄게.
→ I will read you a fairy tale later (for you).

Certain verbs have a form with an integrated 주다, for which there is no space needed. This is for example the case of the verbs 도와주다 (= to help someone),  빌려주다 (= to lend to someone), … etc.

오빠가 수학 도와줘요.
→ My older brother helps me with math.

오늘만 차를 빌려줘.
→ Please lend me your car just for today.

도와줄게.
→ I will help you.

Say "please" in Korean

In reality, to say "please" in Korean one simply uses the form we just saw, while addressing our listener. The use of the verb 주다 allows one to express a request.

When one makes a request to a person towards whom it is necessary to show a certain amount of respect, the honorific style is used.

문 닫아 줘.
→ Close the door, please. (Lit: Close the door, for me)

이 주소로 보내 주세요.
→ Send to this address, please.

선풍기를 틀어 줘.
→ Turn on the fan, please.

기사님, 신촌역으로 가 주세요.
→ Driver, go to the Sinchon station, please.

한국어 가르쳐 주세요.
→ Teach (me) Korean, please. (Lit: Teach Korean, for me)

The importance of 주다

The use of the verb 주다 is crucially important when you ask something of someone.

Request with 주다 with the verb 주다

Summary table of structure

Exercises

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