KOREAN LEVEL UP › Korean grammar › -아/어 주세요
Korean Grammar “-아/어 주세요”: Meaning and Usage (TOPIK 1)
How to attach it
Attach the pattern to the verb stem, which is the dictionary form without 다. Compare how each verb below changes depending on its last sound.
| Dictionary form | Meaning | With this pattern | Romanization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 보다 | to see, to watch | 봐 주세요 | bwa juseyo |
| 읽다 | to read | 읽어 주세요 | ilgeo juseyo |
| 하다 | to do | 해 주세요 | hae juseyo |
| 열다 | to open | 열어 주세요 | yeoreo juseyo |
What changes
- -아/어 follows the last vowel of the stem: 아 after ㅏ or ㅗ, 어 after other vowels (읽 → 읽어, 열 → 열어). When the stem ends in a vowel, the two vowels merge (보 + 아 → 봐), and 하다 becomes 해.
Explanation
죄송하지만 창문을 좀 열어 주세요.
“-아/어 주세요” is used to ask someone to do something for you (“Please do…”). “열다” becomes “열어 주세요,” so the sentence means “Sorry, but could you open the window a little?” “열어 있어요” is wrong; to describe a state you say “열려 있어요” (it is open).
Pronouncing the example sentence
Example sentence: 죄송하지만 창문을 좀 열어 주세요.
In natural speech, sounds link and shift across words. The table below reads each word separately, as it sounds when said on its own.
| Syllable | Letters (consonant + vowel + final) | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 죄송하지만 | ||
| 죄 | ㅈ+ㅚ | joe |
| 송 | ㅅ+ㅗ+ㅇ | song |
| 하 | ㅎ+ㅏ | ha |
| 지 | ㅈ+ㅣ | ji |
| 만 | ㅁ+ㅏ+ㄴ | man |
| 창문을 | ||
| 창 | ㅊ+ㅏ+ㅇ | chang |
| 문 | ㅁ+ㅜ+ㄴ | [무] mu |
| 을 | ㅇ+ㅡ+ㄹ | [늘] neul |
| 좀 | ㅈ+ㅗ+ㅁ | jom |
| 열어 | ||
| 열 | ㅇ+ㅕ+ㄹ | [여] yeo |
| 어 | ㅇ+ㅓ | [러] reo |
| 주세요 | ||
| 주 | ㅈ+ㅜ | ju |
| 세 | ㅅ+ㅔ | se |
| 요 | ㅇ+ㅛ | yo |
A ㅇ at the start of a syllable is silent; at the end of a syllable it sounds like “ng”.
Sound changes in this phrase
- Linking: when a syllable ending in a consonant (patchim) is followed by a syllable that starts with a vowel, the consonant moves over to the next syllable. 문을 → [무늘]
Politeness level of the example
Ends in -요. The everyday polite style, and a safe choice with shop staff, colleagues, strangers and anyone older than you.
It contains the honorific -(으)시-, which shows respect to the person being talked about or talked to.
Words in the example sentence
These words from the TOPIK vocabulary lists appear in the phrase (shown in dictionary form).
| Korean | Part of speech | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 창문 | noun | window | TOPIK level 2 |
| 열다 | verb | to open | TOPIK level 1 |
| 주다 | verb | to give | TOPIK level 1 |
Practice
Test yourself before you move on. Tap an answer.
Question 1 Choose the word that fits the blank: 죄송하지만 창문을 좀 열어 ____.
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Answer: 죄송하지만 창문을 좀 열어 주세요.
Question 2 Which is the correct form of 읽다 + -아/어 주세요?
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Answer: 읽어 주세요
Question 3 Which is the correct form of 하다 + -아/어 주세요?
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Answer: 해 주세요
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