Lesson 13 · Polite Expressions — Cami Learns Korean

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Lesson Objectives

Learn 15 polite expressions for real-world Korean situations
Know how to ask for something, buy time, and signal understanding
Recognise the 주세요 pattern — the most useful requesting structure in Korean
Apply today's phrases in a short café dialogue
Complete 8 situation prompts — choosing the right phrase for each context

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Building on Lessons 11 and 12

You can greet people and introduce yourself. But real conversations require more: asking for help, showing you're following, admitting confusion, making requests. Today's expressions are the social lubricant that makes everything else work. Without them, conversations stall. With them, you sound genuinely competent even at beginner level.

Part 1 · The Most Useful Request Pattern

주세요 — please give me / please do

Before the vocabulary, one pattern deserves its own introduction. 주세요 is the workhorse of polite requests in Korean. It attaches to nouns (give me ___) and verbs (please do ___). Mastering it unlocks hundreds of real-world requests from day one.

Noun + 주세요 — "Please give me ___" / "I'd like ___"
물 주세요. → Water, please.
영수증 주세요. → Receipt, please.

Verb stem + 아/어 주세요 — "Please do ___" (action request)
천천히 말해 주세요. → Please speak slowly.
다시 말해 주세요. → Please say it again.

💡 주세요 is gentle, not commanding English "give me" can sound demanding. 주세요 never does — it's the standard polite request form. You use it in restaurants, shops, taxis, and with friends. It's closer to "could I have…?" or "would you please…?" in tone.

Part 2 · 단어 — Today's 15 Expressions

오늘의 단어 — Tap each card to expand

Grouped by situation. Together they cover nearly every awkward moment a beginner faces in conversation.

👆 Tap any card to reveal full details

🙏Making Requests

01주세요

expression

ju-se-yo Please give me / Please do (polite request) From 주다 (to give) + -(으)세요 (honorific imperative). Attaches to nouns directly, or to a verb stem via 아/어. The foundation of polite requests in Korean — you will use this every single day. 커피 주세요. Coffee, please.

02천천히 말해 주세요

phrase

cheon-cheon-hi ma-rae ju-se-yo Please speak slowly 천천히 = slowly · 말하다 = to speak · 주세요 = please. One of the most important phrases for a learner. Koreans respond well — they genuinely appreciate the effort to communicate. 천천히 말해 주세요. 한국어를 배우고 있어요. Please speak slowly. I'm learning Korean.

03다시 말해 주세요

phrase

da-si ma-rae ju-se-yo Please say that again 다시 = again. Your go-to when you missed something. Add 한번 to soften: 다시 한번 말해 주세요 (please say it one more time). 죄송한데, 다시 말해 주세요. Sorry, could you say that again?

04써 주세요

phrase

sseo ju-se-yo Please write it (down) From 쓰다 (to write) + 주세요. Incredibly useful when you can read Korean but struggle to catch spoken words — asking someone to write it bridges the gap perfectly. 써 주세요. 이름이 어떻게 돼요? Please write it. How do you spell your name?

🧠Signalling Understanding

05알겠어요

expression

al-get-sseo-yo I understand / I see / Got it From 알다 (to know) + -겠- + -어요. Slightly more active than 알아요 — signals "I've now understood this." Used constantly in daily conversation and customer service. 네, 알겠어요. 감사합니다. Yes, I understand. Thank you.

06모르겠어요

expression

mo-reu-get-sseo-yo I don't know / I'm not sure From 모르다 (to not know) + -겠어요. The honest, polite way to admit uncertainty. Koreans find it respectful — it shows awareness of your limits rather than bluffing. 죄송해요, 모르겠어요. Sorry, I'm not sure.

07이해했어요

expression

i-hae-haet-sseo-yo I understood (past tense) From 이해하다 (to comprehend) in the past tense. More deliberate than 알겠어요 — used when something genuinely clicked after explanation. 이해 is a Sino-Korean word meaning comprehension. 설명 감사해요! 이해했어요. Thank you for the explanation! I understood.

08한국어를 못 해요

phrase

han-gu-geo-reul mot hae-yo I can't speak Korean (well) 못 = cannot · 하다 = to do/speak. A humble disclaimer. Also say 한국어를 조금 해요 (I speak a little Korean) — 조금 means "a little". 죄송해요, 한국어를 잘 못 해요. Sorry, I can't speak Korean well.

⏳Buying Time & Navigating

09잠깐만요

expression

jam-kkan-man-yo Just a moment / One second, please 잠깐 = a brief moment · 만 = only · 요 = polite ending. Standard way to ask someone to wait briefly. Heard constantly in shops, phone calls, and conversations. Casual: 잠깐만 (drop 요). 잠깐만요, 확인해 볼게요. Just a moment, I'll check.

10저기요

expression

jeo-gi-yo Excuse me (to get someone's attention) Used to flag down a waiter, ask a stranger for directions, or get a shopkeeper's attention. Not an apology — purely an attention-getter. More formal option: 실례합니다. 저기요! 물 주세요. Excuse me! Water, please.

11실례합니다

expression

sil-lye-ham-ni-da Excuse me (formal) From 실례 (rudeness/imposition) + 하다. More formal than 저기요. Used when interrupting someone busy or in professional settings. Literally "I am being rude by interrupting" — a very courteous framing. 실례합니다, 길을 물어봐도 될까요? Excuse me, may I ask for directions?

12어디에요?

question

eo-di-e-yo Where is it? 어디 = where · 에요 = is. Attaches to a noun: 화장실 어디에요? (Where is the bathroom?). One of the most used question patterns for any traveller in Korea. 화장실 어디에요? Where is the bathroom?

💬Confirming & Clarifying

13맞아요?

question

ma-ja-yo Is that right? / Am I correct? From 맞다 (to be correct). As a statement — 맞아요! — it means "That's right!" Same word, intonation changes the meaning. Very versatile in both question and affirmation contexts. 이거 3,000원이에요. 맞아요? This is 3,000 won. Is that right?

14그래요?

expression

geu-rae-yo Oh really? / Is that so? 그래요? (rising) = "Really?" · 그래요. (flat) = "I see." · 그래요! (enthusiastic) = "Yes! That's right!" One word, three moods depending on intonation. 한국어를 공부해요? 그래요? You study Korean? Really?

15잘 부탁드립니다

expression

jal bu-tak-deu-rim-ni-da I look forward to working with you 잘 = well · 부탁 = request/favour · 드리다 = honorific "to give". No clean English equivalent. Signals goodwill and mutual commitment at the start of any new relationship. 처음 뵙겠습니다. 잘 부탁드립니다! How do you do. I look forward to working with you!

Total words in your active deck

Three vocabulary lessons complete. You now have enough language to greet, introduce yourself, make requests, and navigate confusion. That's a functional beginner toolkit.

Part 3 · Quick Reference

The right phrase for the right moment

Korean	Meaning	When to use it
저기요jeo-gi-yo	Excuse me	Flagging down a waiter, stranger, shopkeeper
잠깐만요jam-kkan-man-yo	Just a moment	Buying time, asking someone to wait briefly
천천히 말해 주세요cheon-cheon-hi ma-rae ju-se-yo	Please speak slowly	When someone speaks too fast
다시 말해 주세요da-si ma-rae ju-se-yo	Please say that again	When you missed something
써 주세요sseo ju-se-yo	Please write it down	When you can read but can't catch spoken words
알겠어요al-get-sseo-yo	I understand / Got it	Confirming you've understood something
모르겠어요mo-reu-get-sseo-yo	I don't know	Admitting uncertainty honestly
맞아요?ma-ja-yo	Is that right?	Checking your understanding
그래요?geu-rae-yo	Oh really?	Reacting to new information

Part 4 · 대화 — Dialogue in Context

A learner navigating a real café conversation

This dialogue uses words from all three vocabulary lessons so far. Read each line aloud and try to understand before looking at the English.

At a café — a learner orders and navigates

저기요! 아메리카노 주세요. jeo-gi-yo! a-me-ri-ka-no ju-se-yo. Excuse me! An Americano, please.

네! 아이스로 드릴까요, 따뜻하게 드릴까요? ne! a-i-seu-ro deu-ril-kka-yo, tta-tteut-ha-ge deu-ril-kka-yo? Sure! Iced or hot?

죄송해요, 잘 못 알아들었어요. 다시 말해 주세요. jwe-song-hae-yo, jal mot a-ra-deu-reot-sseo-yo. da-si ma-rae ju-se-yo. Sorry, I didn't quite catch that. Please say it again.

아이스요? 아니면 따뜻한 거요? a-i-seu-yo? a-ni-myeon tta-tteut-han geo-yo? Iced? Or hot?

아, 알겠어요! 아이스로 주세요. 감사합니다! a, al-get-sseo-yo! a-i-seu-ro ju-se-yo. gam-sa-ham-ni-da! Oh, I see! Iced, please. Thank you!

잠깐만요, 이름이 어떻게 되세요? jam-kkan-man-yo, i-reum-i eo-tteo-ke doe-se-yo? One moment — what's your name?

카미예요. ka-mi-ye-yo. It's Cami.

💡 Notice the three expressions A uses 저기요 to flag B down · 다시 말해 주세요 when she didn't catch it · 알겠어요 when she understood. Each has its exact moment — and using the right one sounds confident, not confused.

Part 5 · 상황 연습 — Situation Practice

What would you say?

Each card describes a situation. Think of the best phrase from today's lesson before tapping to reveal.

👆 Think of the phrase first — then tap to check

Situation 1 The waiter is walking past. You need to order. tap to see the phrase

저기요! jeo-gi-yo Excuse me! attention-getter · not an apology

Situation 2 Someone gave you complicated directions in fast Korean. You need them to slow down. tap to see the phrase

천천히 말해 주세요. cheon-cheon-hi ma-rae ju-se-yo Please speak slowly. 천천히 = slowly

Situation 3 You're in a shop. A staff member asks you something but you didn't catch it. tap to see the phrase

다시 말해 주세요. da-si ma-rae ju-se-yo Please say that again. 다시 = again

Situation 4 Your Korean friend explained something and you genuinely understood. You want to confirm. tap to see the phrase

알겠어요! / 이해했어요! al-get-sseo-yo / i-hae-haet-sseo-yo I got it! / I understood! 이해했어요 is slightly more deliberate

Situation 5 Someone asks you something in Korean you genuinely don't know. tap to see the phrase

모르겠어요. mo-reu-get-sseo-yo I don't know / I'm not sure. honest · polite · never sounds rude

Situation 6 You need to find the bathroom in a restaurant. tap to see the phrase

화장실 어디에요? hwa-jang-sil eo-di-e-yo Where is the bathroom? 화장실 = bathroom

Situation 7 The Korean speaker couldn't understand your pronunciation. Ask them to write the word. tap to see the phrase

써 주세요. sseo ju-se-yo Please write it down. 쓰다 = to write

Situation 8 You just met your new Korean language partner for the first time. End your introduction warmly. tap to see the phrase

잘 부탁드립니다! jal bu-tak-deu-rim-ni-da I look forward to working with you! ends any first meeting warmly · no direct English equivalent

Part 6 · 쓰기 연습 — Writing Practice

Write these 5 essential expressions

잠깐만요jam-kkan-man-yojust a moment

잠

깐

만

요

잠

깐

만

요

잠

깐

만

요

알겠어요al-get-sseo-yoI understand

알

겠

어

요

알

겠

어

요

알

겠

어

요

모르겠어요mo-reu-get-sseo-yoI don't know

모

르

겠

어

요

모

르

겠

어

요

모

르

겠

어

요

저기요jeo-gi-yoexcuse me

저

기

요

저

기

요

저

기

요

저

기

요

맞아요ma-ja-yothat's right

맞

아

요

맞

아

요

맞

아

요

맞

아

요

🌏 Cultural Note

잘 부탁드립니다 — A Phrase with No Translation

잘 부탁드립니다 is one of those expressions that reveals something deep about Korean culture. It has no real English equivalent because the concept it expresses doesn't translate neatly. It means something like: "I am placing myself in your care — please look after me / treat me well." It's said at the start of new relationships — between colleagues, classmates, business partners, language exchange pairs.

The cultural logic is this: in a Confucian-influenced society, relationships come with obligations. When someone says 잘 부탁드립니다, they're not just being polite — they're acknowledging they're entering a relationship where each person will be expected to support the other. Saying it correctly, at the right moment, signals genuine cultural awareness.

📚 Lesson 13 Homework

Before Lesson 14…

Write all 15 expressions in your notebook. For the longer phrases (천천히 말해 주세요, 다시 말해 주세요, 잘 부탁드립니다), write them syllable by syllable first, then as one fluid phrase.

Add all 15 to your flashcard deck. Prioritise: 잠깐만요, 알겠어요, 모르겠어요, 저기요, 주세요, 천천히 말해 주세요 — these six will come up within your first hour in Korea.

Run through the 8 situation prompts in Part 5 from memory — cover the answers and say the phrase aloud for each scenario. Repeat until all 8 feel automatic.

Do a full deck review of all 45 words from Lessons 11–13. This is your last review before numbers — make sure greetings, introduction vocab, and polite expressions are solid before adding a new category.

Lesson 14 preview: Sino-Korean numbers 1–100 — the system used for dates, money, and phone numbers. Start with: 일 이 삼 사 오 육 칠 팔 구 십 (1–10). Try reading those before the lesson.