In our previous lesson, you learned how to tell someone to do something using -(으)세요 [-(eu)-se-yo]. Although this is perfectly acceptable, there is an even more polite way to ask the same question.

Rather than adding -(으)세요 after a verb stem, add -아/어/여 [-a/eo/yeo] + 주세요 [ju-se-yo]. By adding this verb ending, the sentence has a much nicer tone and has a nuance of asking someone for a favor or asking the other person to do something “for you”.

Ex)오다 [o-da] = to come오세요. [o-se-yo.] = Please come.와 주세요. [wa ju-se-yo.] = Please do me a favor and come.

하다 [ha-da] = to do하세요. [ha-se-yo.] = Do it.해 주세요. [hae ju-se-yo.] = Please do me a favor and do it for me.

Using -아/어/여 주세요 rather than just -(으)세요 not only makes the sentence more polite, but it also adds the meaning of “please do it for me”. There is no need to say the phrase “저를 위해서 [jeo-reul wi-hae-seo]”, which literally means “for me” if -아/어/여 주세요 is used.

For example, “아이스크림 사세요 [a-i-seu-keu-rim sa-se-yo]” can mean “buy yourself some ice cream”, “buy ice cream for your friends”, or simply just “buy some ice cream”. On the other hand, using -아/어/여 주세요 to say “아이스크림 사 주세요 [a-i-seu-keu-rim sa ju-se-yo]” means “please buy ME some ice cream”. If someone selling ice cream says this, the meaning is “please buy ice cream from me if you want to help me”.

When asking for help, often at times, it is more natural to add -아/어/여 주세요. For example, it is not very natural to say “저를 도우세요! [jeo-reul do-u-se-yo!]” (돕다 [dop-tta] = to help) when the intended meaning is “help me!”. To sound more natural and a bit more polite, say “저를 도와 주세요 [jeo-reul do-wa ju-se-yo]” or just “도와 주세요.”.

Take a look at the difference of meaning between -(으)세요 and -아/어/여 주세요..

가르치다 [ga-reu-chi-da] = to teach가르치세요. [ga-reu-chi-se-yo.] = Teach. / Please teach. (to whom is unknown)가르쳐 주세요 [ga-reu-cheo ju-se-yo] = Please teach me.경은 씨한테 가르쳐 주세요. [gyeong-eun ssi-han-te ga-reu-cheo ju-se-yo.] = Please teach Kyeong-eun (how to do that).경은 씨한테 스페인어 가르쳐 주세요. [gyeong-eun ssi-han-te seu-pe-i-neo ga-reu-cheo ju-se-yo.] = Please teach Kyeong-eun Spanish.스페인어 가르쳐 주세요. [seu-pe-i-neo ga-reu-cheo ju-se-yo.] = Please teach me Spanish.

보다 [bo-da] = to see보세요. [bo-se-yo.] = See it. / Please see it.봐 주세요. [bwa ju-se-yo.] = Please see it, and I would appreciate it. / Please be kind and see it.이거 봐 주세요. [i-geo bwa ju-se-yo.] = Please look at this숙제 봐 주세요. [suk-jje bwa ju-se-yo.] = Please look at my homework.

주세요 is derived from 주다, which means “to give”. By adding 주세요 after a verb, the meaning of “do it for me, please” is also added. As for -아/어/여, think of it as a “helper” to make the pronunciation a bit easier.

To speak a little less formally, say 줘요 rather than 주세요. It is more casual than 주세요 but more polite than just -세요.

Sample Sentences

영어를 배우고 있어요. 도와주세요.[yeong-eo-reul bae-u-go i-sseo-yo. do-wa-ju-se-yo.]= I am learning English. Please help me.

도와줄 수 있어요?[do-wa-jul ssu i-sseo-yo?]= Can you help me?

배고파요. 김밥 사 주세요.[bae-go-pa-yo. gim-ppap sa ju-se-yo.]= I am hungry. Buy me some kimbap.

무서워요. 같이 가 주세요.[mu-seo-wo-yo. ga-chi ga ju-se-yo.]= I am scared. Please go with me.