Learn Korean: Noun + 좀

Let’s take a look at the Korean sentence pattern Noun + 좀. The word 좀 can be used to soften a command just like how we add please or kindly in English. For example, we say 물 좀 주세요 (Please give me water) and 문 좀 열어 줘 (Please open the door). 좀 also means a little as in 좀 알아요 (I know a little) or 좀 멀어요 (It’s a bit far). It is actually just a simplified form of 조금 (a little) in this sense. In informal spoken language, we can use 좀 to make a request without any verb at all. The verb is implied, but most of time it is about handing something to us because we can’t reach it. We can understand from the noun or the extra gesture we make. If we tell someone 볼륨 좀, we are asking him to turn the volume up or down. If we say 가방 좀 while pointing to the bag, it is clear that we are asking him to hand the bag.

 

베개 좀...

Please hand me the pillow.

문 좀...

Please open/close the door.

불 좀...

Please switch on/off the light.