Significado
A request for a small quantity of something.
Contexto cultural
The 'Service' (서비스) culture in Korea means you often get free extra food. Saying '조금만 주세요' is a way to manage this generosity if you are already full. In traditional markets ({市場|시장}), prices and portions are often negotiable. Using '조금만' can help you get a smaller, cheaper portion if you are traveling alone. Koreans value not wasting food. It is considered more polite to ask for '조금만' and finish it all than to take a lot and leave leftovers. When a senior person (Sunbae) is pouring you a drink (like Soju), saying '조금만 주세요' while holding your glass with two hands is a polite way to limit your alcohol intake.
Use the gesture
Holding your thumb and index finger close together while saying this makes your meaning 100% clear in a noisy restaurant.
Don't forget the 'man'
If you just say '조금 주세요', it means 'Give me a little'. Adding '만' makes it 'ONLY a little', which sounds more polite and precise.
Significado
A request for a small quantity of something.
Use the gesture
Holding your thumb and index finger close together while saying this makes your meaning 100% clear in a noisy restaurant.
Don't forget the 'man'
If you just say '조금 주세요', it means 'Give me a little'. Adding '만' makes it 'ONLY a little', which sounds more polite and precise.
The 'Jom' shortcut
Native speakers almost always say '좀만 주세요' (Jom-man juseyo) in casual daily life. It sounds much more natural.
The 'Jeong' factor
If they give you a lot anyway, just say '감사합니다' and eat what you can. It's their way of being nice!
Ponte a prueba
Fill in the blank with the correct particle to say 'Only a little'.
조금___ 주세요.
The particle '만' means 'only' and is used to limit the quantity in this phrase.
Complete the dialogue in a restaurant.
A: 밥 더 드릴까요? B: 네, ________ 주세요.
B wants a small amount of rice, so '조금만' (just a little) is the correct choice.
Match the phrase to the correct situation.
When you want to ask for a small hint during a quiz:
'힌트' means hint, so this is the appropriate request for a quiz.
Which of the following is the most polite way to ask for a little bit of time?
Choose the best option:
While '주세요' is polite, '주시겠어요?' (Would you mind giving?) is even more formal and polite.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Ayudas visuales
Quantity vs. Size
Banco de ejercicios
4 ejercicios조금___ 주세요.
The particle '만' means 'only' and is used to limit the quantity in this phrase.
A: 밥 더 드릴까요? B: 네, ________ 주세요.
B wants a small amount of rice, so '조금만' (just a little) is the correct choice.
When you want to ask for a small hint during a quiz:
'힌트' means hint, so this is the appropriate request for a quiz.
Choose the best option:
While '주세요' is polite, '주시겠어요?' (Would you mind giving?) is even more formal and polite.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Preguntas frecuentes
10 preguntasYes, but it sounds like you are asking for a small loan or a tiny discount. '깎아 주세요' is better for discounts.
It's not slang, but it is very casual connected speech. It's fine for restaurants, but use '조금만' in formal writing.
Use '조금 더 주세요' (Jogeum deo juseyo).
No, in fact, it's often seen as polite because it shows you don't want to waste the host's food.
You can say '아주 조금만 주세요' (Aju jogeumman juseyo).
Yes, '조금만 주세요' is polite enough for a boss, especially if asking for time or a hint.
조금 is native Korean and more common in speech. 약간 is Sino-Korean and sounds a bit more formal or technical.
In this context, yes. It limits the noun or adverb it attaches to.
Yes, that is the very formal version, used in the military or very formal business settings.
In spoken Korean, markers like 을/를 are often dropped when the meaning is clear from context to make speech faster.
Frases relacionadas
조금 더 주세요
contrastPlease give me a little more.
잠깐만요
similarJust a moment.
약간만 주세요
synonymPlease give me a slight amount.
많이 주세요
contrastPlease give me a lot.
덜 주세요
similarPlease give me less.
