🪄 Speak Like a Real Korean #6 — Magic Words for Polite Requests
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✨ Speak Like a Real Korean #6 — Magic Words for Polite Requests
📚 Series Overview — “Speak Like a Real Korean”
Real-life Korean phrasing for chats, calls, and errands—copy, tweak, use today.
- #1 Why Korean Feels Hard (nuance, registers, spacing, sounds)
- #2 DM & Text Tone Map — ㅋㅋ vs ㅎㅎ, -요, shortcuts etiquette
- #3 Soft Power Words — 좀/아마/혹시 + 죄송하지만/실례하지만
- #4 Fillers & Emojis That Sound Natural — 음/어/그러니까요 + 🙂😅🙏
- #5 Avoiding Cringe — respectful @mentions, titles, closings 🔥
- #6 Magic Words for Polite Requests ← you are here
- #7 How to Say NO (Without Hurting the Relationship)
- #8 React Like a Korean — Micro-Replies & Intonation
- #9 Order Like a Local — Cafe · Convenience Store · Restaurant
- #10 Compliments & Friendly Praise
📑 Table of Contents
🧭 Why These Work (Culture Notes)
Lower the burden, increase the yes. Polite cushions give choice and protect time/face—so help comes easier.
부담을 낮추면 “예”가 늘어납니다. 시간·체면을 지키는 완충 표현은 협조를 쉽게 만듭니다.
Context → Ask → Exit. Give a line of context, ask briefly, leave a graceful “if not, no worries.”
맥락 한 줄 → 짧은 부탁 → “안 되면 괜찮다”는 출구 순서가 안전합니다.
✨ Magic Words & Core Patterns
좀 (jom) — tiny softener, “just a bit (of help).”
혹시 (hoksi) — “by any chance”; signals options, not pressure.
…괜찮으실까요? (…gwenchanhusilkkayo?) — permission-first ask.
가능하실까요? (ganeunghasalkkayo?) — respects time/capacity.
실례지만/죄송하지만 — “sorry to bother,” light opener.
One cushion is enough. Stacking many makes the ask blurry.
완충은 한 번이면 충분합니다. 여러 개 겹치면 요청이 흐려져요.
📌 Templates (Work DM · Email · Service)
Work DM
안건 요약본 공유드립니다. 혹시 오늘 5시 전 검토 가능하실까요?
anggeon yoyakbon gongyu-deurimnida. hoksi oneul daseot si jeon geomto ganeunghasalkkayo? Sharing the summary. Hoksi, could you review by 5pm today?팀 여러분 안녕하세요—초안 공유드립니다. @김대리님, 3안 확인 부탁드립니다.
tim yeoreobun annyeonghaseyo—choan gongyu-deurimnida. @gim-daeri-nim, sam-an hwagin butak deurimnida. Hello team—draft attached. @Kim, please check option 3.실례지만 첨부 파일 확인 부탁드립니다. 시간 괜찮으실 때 피드백 주시면 감사하겠습니다.
sillyejiman cheombu pail hwagin butak deurimnida. sigan gwaenchaneusil ttae pideubaek jusimyeon gamsahagetseumnida. Please see the attachment. When you have time, any feedback would be appreciated.오늘 5시 전이면 가장 좋고, 어렵다면 내일 오전도 괜찮습니다.
oneul daseot si jeonimyeon gajang joko, eoryeopdamyeon naeil ojeondo gwaenchansseumnida. Best by 5pm today; if that’s hard, tomorrow morning also works.Service Counter
혹시 덜 맵게 해주실 수 있을까요?
hoksi deol maepge haejusil su isseulkkayo? Hoksi, could you make it less spicy?조금만 더 담아주셔도 괜찮을까요?
jogeumman deo dama-jusyeodo gwaenchanheulkkayo? Would it be okay to add just a little more?⏰ Soft Deadlines & Exit
Soft but clear: “Best by 5pm today; if that’s hard, tomorrow morning is fine.”
부드럽지만 분명하게: “오늘 5시 전이면 가장 좋고, 어렵다면 내일 오전도 괜찮습니다.”
Offer options: “Hoksi, 10 minutes now? If not, 3pm works too.”
선택지 제시: “혹시 지금 10분 통화 가능하실까요? 어렵다면 3시도 괜찮습니다.”
🚧 Common Mistakes & Fixes
- Bare commands feel abrupt → add context + “가능하실까요/부탁드립니다”.
- “씨(ssi)” upward sounds curt → use 님 or title+님.
- Over-apologizing blurs the ask → one cushion + one clear line + soft deadline.
- Hard deadline without exit sounds like a demand → give an alternate window.
- “제발” reads as begging → prefer “부탁드립니다 / 가능하실까요”.
🧪 Quick Test
Pick the better opener. A) Send the file. B) Hoksi, could you check the attachment when you have time?
Answer: B — it shows respect for time and choice.
✅ Practice Tasks
- Rewrite 3 lines using jom/hoksi + …gwenchanhusilkkayo/…ganeunghasalkkayo.
- Set a soft deadline: best time + fallback option.
- Make DM & email twins (same ask, two channels).
Want personalized feedback? I’ll polish your lines →
Keep learning: #7 Polite NO · #8 Reactions & Intonation · #9 Order Like a Local
📌 Related Lessons
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About the Author
I help learners sound natural in Korean—clear, kind, and confident.
Take my class on italki for structured practice. 🎓
Tags: polite request in Korean, hoksi meaning, jom please Korean, gwenchanhusilkkayo, ganeunghasalkkayo, Speak Like a Real Korean
