Korean has multiple ways to make requests, each with different levels of politeness and formality. Choosing the right level depends on social relationships, context, and how imposing the request is.
Overview of Request Forms
From Most to Least Formal
Ranked by politeness:
- -(으)ㄹ 수 있으시겠습니까? (Highest formality)
- -아/어 주시겠습니까? (Very formal)
- -아/어 주시겠어요? (Extra polite)
- -아/어 주실 수 있어요? (Can you please...)
- -(으)세요 (Polite command)
- -아/어 주세요 (Standard polite request)
- -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요? (Can you...?)
- -아/어 줄래요? (Will you...?)
- -아/어 줘요 (Casual polite)
- -아/어 줘 (Casual - friends)
Level 1: Highest Formality
-(으)ㄹ 수 있으시겠습니까?
Usage: Extremely formal, business/official Meaning: "Would it be possible for you to...?"
Examples:
- 도와주실 수 있으시겠습니까? (Would you be able to help?)
- 확인해 주실 수 있으시겠습니까? (Would you be able to check?)
When to use:
- Formal business meetings
- Official written requests
- Speaking to very high-status people
- Legal or governmental contexts
Level 2: Very Formal
-아/어 주시겠습니까?
Usage: Formal meetings, official contexts Meaning: "Would you please...?"
Examples:
- 도와주시겠습니까? (Would you please help?)
- 설명해 주시겠습니까? (Would you please explain?)
When to use:
- Business presentations
- Formal meetings
- Official correspondence
- Customer service (formal)
Level 3: Extra Polite
-아/어 주시겠어요?
Usage: Very polite, professional Meaning: "Would you please...?" (slightly less formal)
Examples:
- 도와주시겠어요? (Would you please help?)
- 확인해 주시겠어요? (Would you please check?)
- 기다려 주시겠어요? (Would you please wait?)
When to use:
- Professional workplace
- Speaking to superiors
- Customer service
- When showing high respect
Level 4: Can You Please
-아/어 주실 수 있어요?
Usage: Polite, asking ability Meaning: "Can you please...?"
Examples:
- 도와주실 수 있어요? (Can you please help?)
- 설명해 주실 수 있어요? (Can you please explain?)
When to use:
- General polite situations
- To colleagues/strangers
- When unsure of ability
- Service requests
Level 5: Polite Command
-(으)세요
Usage: Respectful command/invitation Meaning: "Please [verb]"
Examples:
- 앉으세요 (Please sit)
- 드세요 (Please eat)
- 말씀하세요 (Please speak)
When to use:
- Inviting someone
- Service contexts
- Offering something
- Respectful commands
Note: More commanding than -아/어 주세요
Level 6: Standard Polite Request
-아/어 주세요
Usage: Standard polite, most common Meaning: "Please do [verb] for me"
Examples:
- 도와주세요 (Please help me)
- 기다려 주세요 (Please wait)
- 말해 주세요 (Please tell me)
When to use:
- General polite situations
- Most common request form
- Service situations
- To strangers/colleagues
- Default polite request
Level 7: Can You?
-(으)ㄹ 수 있어요?
Usage: Asking ability, neutral polite Meaning: "Can you...?"
Examples:
- 도와줄 수 있어요? (Can you help?)
- 설명할 수 있어요? (Can you explain?)
When to use:
- Checking if someone can do something
- Less imposing than direct request
- To peers/colleagues
- When ability is in question
Level 8: Will You?
-아/어 줄래요?
Usage: Friendly polite, softer Meaning: "Will you...?"
Examples:
- 도와줄래요? (Will you help me?)
- 기다려 줄래요? (Will you wait?)
When to use:
- Between friendly colleagues
- To younger people (polite)
- Casual but respectful
- When relationship is established
Level 9: Casual Polite
-아/어 줘요
Usage: Friendly, casual but polite Meaning: "Please [verb]" (casual)
Examples:
- 도와줘요 (Help me please - friendly)
- 말해 줘요 (Tell me please - friendly)
When to use:
- To close colleagues
- Friendly relationships
- Same age friends (polite)
- Casual service situations
Level 10: Casual
-아/어 줘
Usage: Friends, close relationships Meaning: "Please [verb]" (casual)
Examples:
- 도와줘 (Help me - casual)
- 말해 줘 (Tell me - casual)
- 기다려 줘 (Wait - casual)
When to use:
- Close friends
- Family (younger)
- Very casual situations
- After permission to use 반말
Choosing the Right Level
Factors to Consider
Social relationship:
- Stranger → Higher politeness
- Friend → Lower politeness
- Superior → Higher politeness
Context:
- Professional → Higher politeness
- Casual → Lower politeness
- Public → Higher politeness
Size of request:
- Big favor → Higher politeness
- Small request → Can be lower
Cultural expectations:
- First meeting → Higher politeness
- Established relationship → Can be lower
Practical Decision Tree
Ask Yourself:
1. Is this a professional/business context?
- Yes → Use Level 2-4
- No → Continue
2. Is the person older or higher status?
- Yes → Use Level 3-6
- No → Continue
3. Are they a stranger?
- Yes → Use Level 5-7
- No → Continue
4. Are they a friend/close colleague?
- Yes → Use Level 7-9
- Close friend → Use Level 10
Context Examples
At Work
To boss:
- 확인해 주시겠어요? (Level 3)
- 도와주실 수 있어요? (Level 4)
To colleague (same level):
- 도와주세요 (Level 6)
- 도와줄 수 있어요? (Level 7)
To junior:
- 이거 좀 확인해 줄래요? (Level 8)
- 도와주세요 (Level 6)
At Restaurant
Customer to staff:
- 물 주세요 (Level 6)
- 메뉴 좀 주세요 (Level 6)
Staff to customer:
- 주문하시겠어요? (Level 5)
- 잠시만 기다려 주시겠어요? (Level 3)
Among Friends
Close friends:
- 도와줘 (Level 10)
- 이거 좀 봐 줘 (Level 10)
Friends (polite):
- 도와줄래? (Level 8)
- 도와줘요 (Level 9)
Adding Softeners
좀 (A bit/Please)
Makes any request gentler:
- 도와좀 주세요 → softer
- 기다려좀 주세요 → gentler
- 말해좀 줘 → less demanding
잠시만/잠깐만 (Just a moment)
For waiting requests:
- 잠시만 기다려 주세요 (please wait just a moment)
- 잠깐만 봐 주세요 (please look just briefly)
실례지만 (Excuse me, but...)
Polite preface:
- 실례지만, 도와주실 수 있어요? (Excuse me, can you help?)
- 실례지만, 여쭤봐도 될까요? (Excuse me, may I ask?)
Responding to Requests
Accepting
Polite:
- 네, 그럼요 (Yes, of course)
- 물론이죠 (Of course)
- 알겠습니다 (I understand/I will)
Casual:
- 그래 (Okay)
- 알았어 (Got it)
- 응 (Yeah)
Declining Politely
Formal:
- 죄송하지만, 지금은 어려울 것 같아요 (Sorry, but it seems difficult now)
- 미안하지만, 못 도와드릴 것 같습니다 (Sorry, but I don't think I can help)
Casual:
- 미안한데, 지금은 안 될 것 같아 (Sorry, but I don't think I can now)
Summary Table
| Level | Form | Context | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | -(으)ㄹ 수 있으시겠습니까? | Official/Legal | 도와주실 수 있으시겠습니까? |
| 2 | -아/어 주시겠습니까? | Formal business | 도와주시겠습니까? |
| 3 | -아/어 주시겠어요? | Professional | 도와주시겠어요? |
| 4 | -아/어 주실 수 있어요? | Polite request | 도와주실 수 있어요? |
| 5 | -(으)세요 | Polite command | 앉으세요 |
| 6 | -아/어 주세요 | Standard polite | 도와주세요 |
| 7 | -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요? | Neutral polite | 도와줄 수 있어요? |
| 8 | -아/어 줄래요? | Friendly polite | 도와줄래요? |
| 9 | -아/어 줘요 | Casual polite | 도와줘요 |
| 10 | -아/어 줘 | Casual/Friends | 도와줘 |
Common Mistakes
Over-Formality
❌ Using Level 1-2 with friends Effect: Sounds stiff, creates distance
✅ Use Level 8-10 with friends
Under-Formality
❌ Using Level 9-10 with boss/elders Effect: Rude, disrespectful
✅ Use Level 3-6 with superiors
Mixing Levels Wrong
❌ "도와주실 수 있어?" (formal verb + casual ending) Effect: Awkward, inconsistent
✅ Match formality throughout: "도와주실 수 있어요?" or "도와줄 수 있어?"
Key Takeaways
✅ Multiple levels: Korean has ~10 levels of request politeness
✅ Context matters: Professional vs casual determines level
✅ Relationship key: Status and closeness affect choice
✅ Default safe: -아/어 주세요 (Level 6) for most situations
✅ Can adjust: Add softeners like 좀 to make gentler
✅ Observe natives: Watch which levels Koreans use in situations
Mastering request politeness levels is crucial for natural, appropriate Korean communication. When in doubt, err on the side of more politeness - it's always safer to be too polite than not polite enough in Korean culture.