KoreanBlueprint
Daily Korean
Today’s Phrase
좀 도와 주세요
jom do·wa ju·se·yo
jom dowa juseyo
Please help me a little
Cultural Insight
Adding 좀 to requests is a very Korean politeness strategy. It functions like ‘please’ in English but adds humility. Without 좀, a request can sound abrupt. Koreans automatically insert 좀 in most situations: 봐 주세요 vs. 좀 봐 주세요.
Phrase Breakdown
좀
jom
a little, please (softener)
좀 softens requests and makes them more polite
도와 주세요
dowa juseyo
please help me
돕다 → 도와 + 주세요 (please give me help)
A polite and humble request for assistance.
Example Phrases
짐 좀 들어 줄 수 있어요?
Jim jom deuro jul su isseoyo?
Can you help me carry my luggage?
들어 주다 = to carry/lift for someone.
이 형식 작성하는 거 좀 도와 주세요.
I hyeongshik jakseunghaneun geo jom dowa juseyo.
Please help me fill out this form.
작성하다 = to fill out/complete a form.
도움이 필요해요. 좀 도와 주실 수 있어요?
Douumi piryohaeyo. Jom dowa jusil su isseoyo?
I need help. Could you help me a little?
-시- in 주실 adds an honorific nuance.
Related Phrases
혼자 못 하겠어요
honja mot hagesseoyo
I can’t do it alone
Admitting need for help.
같이 해요
gachi haeyo
Let’s do it together
Suggesting collaborative effort.
감사해요, 도움이 됐어요
gamsahaeyo, douumi dwaesseoyo
Thanks, that helped
Thanking someone after they helped.
Quick Review
왜 그래요?
Can you recall what this means?
wae geuraeyo?
What’s wrong? / Why are you acting like that?