도와주세요.
dowajuseyo.
Please help me.
Phrase in 30 Seconds
The essential Korean phrase for asking for help politely in almost any daily situation.
- Means: 'Please help me' in a polite, standard way.
- Used in: Stores, streets, or when asking friends for favors.
- Don't confuse: With '살려주세요' which is only for life-threatening emergencies.
Explanation at your level:
मतलब
A direct request for assistance from someone.
सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि
The concept of 'Jeong' means that people are generally willing to help, but they might wait for you to ask to avoid intruding on your privacy. Asking for help from a superior requires very careful language. '도와주세요' is okay, but '도움을 주실 수 있겠습니까?' is better. When asking a stranger, it is customary to bow slightly and use '저기요' (Excuse me) or '죄송한데' (I'm sorry but) before saying '도와주세요.' On Korean apps like Karrot, people use '도와주세요' for small errands or favors, often offering a small 'gifticon' (digital coupon) in return.
The Power of '좀'
Always add '좀' (jom) before '도와주세요'. It doesn't really mean 'a little' here; it just makes the request sound much softer and more natural.
Don't forget the 'Wa'
Never say '돕아주세요'. The 'ㅂ' must change to '와'.
मतलब
A direct request for assistance from someone.
The Power of '좀'
Always add '좀' (jom) before '도와주세요'. It doesn't really mean 'a little' here; it just makes the request sound much softer and more natural.
Don't forget the 'Wa'
Never say '돕아주세요'. The 'ㅂ' must change to '와'.
Body Language
A small head nod or bow while saying this will get you much better results in Korea!
खुद को परखो
Which is the correct polite form of 'Please help me'?
_______ 도와주세요.
In polite speech (using -세요), you should use the humble pronoun '저' (jeo) instead of '나' (na).
Complete the phrase using the correct conjugation of 돕다.
너무 무거워요. 좀 (______)주세요.
돕다 is a 'ㅂ' irregular verb, so it changes to '도와' before '주세요'.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You are in a life-threatening emergency.
살려주세요 (Save me) is for life-threatening emergencies; 도와주세요 is for general help.
Fill in the blank to make the request more natural and soft.
A: 저기요, ______ 도와주세요. B: 네, 무엇을 도와드릴까요?
'좀' (jom) is frequently used in Korean requests to soften the tone and sound more natural.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स
Help vs. Save
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल
10 सवालYes, but '도와주실 수 있으세요?' or '도움을 부탁드려도 될까요?' is more professional.
돕다 is the dictionary verb 'to help'. 도와주다 is the compound form 'to help for someone,' which is almost always used in conversation.
In an emergency, yes. In a store, it's better to say '저기요' first.
You say '도와줄게요' (do-wa-jul-ge-yo).
Say '도와드릴까요?' (do-wa-deu-ril-kka-yo), which is the humble way to offer help.
Only if used with strangers or elders. With friends, it's perfect.
Korean often drops the subject and object when they are obvious from context.
It's better to be specific, like '돈 좀 빌려주세요' (Please lend me some money), but '도와주세요' can work in a desperate context.
도와주십시오 (Do-wa-ju-sip-si-o).
도와주셔서 감사합니다 (Do-wa-ju-shyeo-seo gam-sa-ham-ni-da).
संबंधित मुहावरे
살려주세요
similarSave me
도와드릴까요?
contrastShall I help you?
도움
builds onHelp (noun)
협조
specialized formCooperation
कहाँ इस्तेमाल करें
Lost in the Subway
Learner: 저기요, 길 좀 도와주세요. 강남역 어디예요?
Passerby: 아, 저쪽으로 가세요.
Heavy Luggage
Learner: 죄송하지만, 이것 좀 도와주세요. 너무 무거워요.
Stranger: 네, 제가 들어드릴게요.
At the Bank
Learner: 서류 작성을 도와주세요.
Clerk: 네, 여기 성함을 써 주세요.
Studying with a Friend
Learner: 지민아, 이 문제 좀 도와줘.
Friend: 그래, 같이 보자!
Ordering Food
Learner: 메뉴 선택 좀 도와주세요. 뭐가 맛있어요?
Waiter: 비빔밥이 제일 인기가 많아요.
Technical Trouble
Learner: 와이파이가 안 돼요. 좀 도와주세요.
Staff: 비밀번호를 다시 입력해 보세요.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Do-wa' as 'Do want'—I 'Do want' you to help me! 'Ju-se-yo' is the polite 'please give.'
Visual Association
Imagine yourself holding a heavy box (the 'Do-wa' part) and someone reaching out their hands to 'give' (Ju-se-yo) you support.
Rhyme
Don't be slow, just say 도와주세요 (Do-wa-ju-se-yo)!
Story
You are lost in the middle of Myeongdong. You see a friendly-looking person. You walk up, bow slightly, and say '도와주세요.' They smile and show you the way. The 'Do' is your action, 'Wa' is the connection, and 'Ju-se-yo' is the gift of their help.
Word Web
चैलेंज
Go to a Korean grocery store or restaurant and ask for help finding an item or understanding the menu using '이것 좀 도와주세요.'
In Other Languages
Ayúdeme / Ayúdame
Korean uses an auxiliary verb 'to give' to show politeness.
Aidez-moi / Aide-moi
Korean is less of a 'command' and more of a 'request for a favor'.
Helfen Sie mir / Hilf mir
German relies on grammatical case; Korean relies on verb endings.
手伝ってください (Tetsudatte kudasai)
Very few; the pragmatic usage is nearly identical.
ساعدني (Sa'idni)
Arabic uses morphological suffixes for 'me'; Korean uses separate auxiliary verbs.
请帮我 (Qǐng bāng wǒ)
Word order: Chinese is 'Please + Help + Me', Korean is 'Help + Give + Politeness'.
Ajude-me / Me ajuda
Korean politeness is built into the verb conjugation, not just pronoun choice.
Help me / Please help me
English is direct; Korean is indirect and honorific-based.
Easily Confused
Learners mix up 'I help you' and 'You help me.'
Remember '주세요' is a request (Please give me), while '줄게요' is a promise (I will give you).
Using 'Save me' for minor tasks.
If you aren't dying, don't use '살려주세요'.
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल (10)
Yes, but '도와주실 수 있으세요?' or '도움을 부탁드려도 될까요?' is more professional.
돕다 is the dictionary verb 'to help'. 도와주다 is the compound form 'to help for someone,' which is almost always used in conversation.
In an emergency, yes. In a store, it's better to say '저기요' first.
You say '도와줄게요' (do-wa-jul-ge-yo).
Say '도와드릴까요?' (do-wa-deu-ril-kka-yo), which is the humble way to offer help.
Only if used with strangers or elders. With friends, it's perfect.
Korean often drops the subject and object when they are obvious from context.
It's better to be specific, like '돈 좀 빌려주세요' (Please lend me some money), but '도와주세요' can work in a desperate context.
도와주십시오 (Do-wa-ju-sip-si-o).
도와주셔서 감사합니다 (Do-wa-ju-shyeo-seo gam-sa-ham-ni-da).
