A1 Expression Formel

저기요.

jeogi-yo.

Excuse me / Over there.

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use '저기요' to politely get someone's attention, like a waiter in a restaurant or a stranger on the street.

  • Means: 'Excuse me' or 'Hey there' when initiating contact.
  • Used in: Restaurants to call staff, or asking strangers for directions.
  • Don't confuse: It is not used to apologize for bumping into someone (use '죄송합니다').
Raised hand + polite eye contact = successful service

Explanation at your level:

Use '저기요' to say 'Excuse me' when you need help from a waiter or a stranger. It is very useful for travel.
This is a polite way to initiate conversation with someone you don't know. It functions as a social signal to request attention in public spaces like restaurants or shops.
While '저기요' is common, it carries a specific register. It is consultative, used primarily in service encounters. Learners should distinguish it from '실례합니다', which is more formal and used for apologies or interrupting someone in a professional setting.
The pragmatics of '저기요' involve spatial deixis. By referencing the location ('over there'), the speaker avoids the imposition of direct address. It is a highly efficient linguistic tool in high-context cultures where directness is often mitigated by indirect markers.
The usage of '저기요' reflects the Korean preference for indirect address. It functions as a phatic expression that establishes a channel of communication. Its usage is strictly bound to service-oriented or public-space interactions, and its misuse in intimate or hierarchical contexts can lead to significant pragmatic failure.
From a cognitive linguistics perspective, '저기요' exemplifies the grammaticalization of a deictic pronoun into a social marker. It serves as an attention-directing device that negotiates social distance. Mastery requires understanding the subtle boundary between its role as a service-call and its potential to be perceived as blunt if used outside of its conventionalized social scripts.

Signification

Used to call someone or point to something.

🌍

Contexte culturel

In restaurants, it is common to call out '저기요' loudly. It is not considered rude.

💡

Eye contact

Always make eye contact when saying it.

Signification

Used to call someone or point to something.

💡

Eye contact

Always make eye contact when saying it.

Teste-toi

Which situation is correct for '저기요'?

You want to call a waiter.

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 저기요!

It is the standard way to call service staff.

🎉 Score : /1

Aides visuelles

Questions fréquentes

1 questions

No, it is standard in service settings.

Expressions liées

🔗

여기요

similar

Here!

Où l'utiliser

🍴

Restaurant

Customer: 저기요, 여기 메뉴판 좀 주세요.

Waiter: 네, 잠시만요.

neutral
🚶

Street

You: 저기요, 시청이 어디예요?

Stranger: 저기 오른쪽으로 가세요.

neutral

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Jogiyo' as 'Jogging over to someone' to get their attention.

Visual Association

Imagine a person in a restaurant waving their hand slightly at a waiter who is walking by.

Rhyme

Jogiyo, say it low, to let the waiter know.

Story

Min-su is in a crowded cafe. He needs a napkin. He looks at the waiter, makes eye contact, and says '저기요!'. The waiter smiles and brings the napkins. Min-su feels confident.

Word Web

저기 (over there)여기 (here)잠시만요 (just a moment)실례합니다 (excuse me)주문 (order)부탁해요 (please)

Défi

Next time you are at a cafe, practice saying it under your breath before ordering.

In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

¡Disculpe!

Korean has distinct phrases for attention vs. apology.

French moderate

Excusez-moi

Korean '저기요' cannot be used to say 'I am sorry'.

German moderate

Entschuldigung

German is more versatile; Korean is context-specific.

Japanese high

Sumimasen

Japanese 'Sumimasen' is more versatile than '저기요'.

Arabic high

Law samaht

Arabic is more formal in its literal root.

Easily Confused

저기요. vs 실례합니다

Both mean excuse me.

Use '실례합니다' for apologies/formal settings, '저기요' for attention.

FAQ (1)

No, it is standard in service settings.

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