이거 주세요 and 포장해 주세요: Two Useful Korean Request Patterns
Use 이거 주세요 to ask for “this one,” and 포장해 주세요 to ask for an action: packing something to take away. Both are useful polite requests, but the word before 주세요 does a different job. Learning that difference helps you build a small set of practical phrases instead of memorizing a long list.
The dialogues and exercise below are original learning examples. Meanings depend on the situation, so start with the whole phrase and its context.
1. Ask for an item
이거 주세요. means “This one, please.” Here, 이거 points to a thing. At a counter, point clearly at the item or the menu entry so the listener knows what “this” refers to. If three items are grouped together, the phrase alone may not identify the one you want.
You can replace 이거 with a familiar noun: 물 주세요. — “Water, please.” Do not add an English-style “me” just because it appears in a literal translation. Practice these short spoken forms as they are.
| Situation | Korean | Natural meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Pointing at an item | 이거 주세요. | This one, please. |
| Asking for water | 물 주세요. | Water, please. |
| Asking for a bag | 봉투 주세요. | A bag, please. |
A request is not a promise that an item is free or available. If a bag has a charge, the staff may explain it before handing one over. Listen for the response instead of moving straight to the next memorized line.
2. Ask for an action
To ask someone to do something for you, learn a verb expression ending in -아/어 주세요. With 포장하다, the useful everyday phrase is 포장해 주세요. In a food-ordering context, it means “Please pack it to go.” The action, not a thing, is being requested.
The National Institute of Korean Language’s learner dictionary describes the connection between verb endings such as -아 and auxiliary 주다. Its spelling guidance also treats spacing before an auxiliary verb as the basic principle. That is why the examples here use a space before 주세요. Korean-English Learners’ Dictionary: -아; NIKL spacing guidance, May 11, 2026.
Do not attach 주세요 directly to a dictionary form such as 말하다. For this lesson, learn the finished phrase 말해 주세요, then practice it with 다시 or 천천히. You can study the full conjugation rules separately after the short exchanges feel familiar.
3. Three short practice dialogues
At a cafe counter
Customer: 이거 주세요. — This one, please.
Staff: 포장해 드릴까요? — Shall I pack it to go?
Customer: 네, 포장해 주세요. — Yes, please pack it to go.
The customer identifies an item first, then answers a question about what to do with it. Try replacing the pointing gesture with the name of a drink you already know. Keep the rest of the exchange unchanged.
When you did not catch a sentence
Learner: 다시 말해 주세요. — Please say that again.
Partner: 내일 만나요. — See you tomorrow.
Learner: 네, 감사합니다. — Okay, thank you.
다시 asks for repetition. After hearing the repeat, acknowledge it. If you still do not understand, there is no need to pretend that you do.
When the pace is too fast
Learner: 천천히 말해 주세요. — Please speak slowly.
Partner: 네. — Sure.
Learner: 감사합니다. — Thank you.
천천히 asks for a slower pace. It changes how the action is done. For practice, read the line calmly once, leave a pause for a reply, then repeat it without looking at the English.
4. Try the substitution exercise
| Your goal | Choose the useful phrase |
|---|---|
| Point to a pastry you want | 이거 주세요. / 다시 말해 주세요. |
| Take the food away | 물 주세요. / 포장해 주세요. |
| Hear the sentence one more time | 다시 말해 주세요. / 이거 주세요. |
| Ask for a slower explanation | 천천히 말해 주세요. / 봉투 주세요. |
Answers: 이거 주세요 / 포장해 주세요 / 다시 말해 주세요 / 천천히 말해 주세요.
Now cover the answer line. Imagine the setting, choose the phrase, and speak it aloud. On a second pass, ask a partner to change the order of the situations. The aim is to connect the phrase with a need, rather than remembering which answer came first in the table.
5. Common questions
Is 주세요 exactly the same as English “please”?
No. It is part of a Korean request construction. Learn the noun request and the action request separately, rather than treating 주세요 as a word to attach to any English-shaped sentence.
Must I say 저에게 every time?
No. The short requests here work when the recipient and context are clear. Adding words mechanically can make beginner speech harder to manage.
What if I need a moment before answering?
You can ask the other person to wait with 잠시만요. Practice that separately so you can pause, choose your next phrase and continue.
Practice 잠시만요 when you need a momentLanguage references checked September 29, 2026. The cover illustration was created with AI to support the examples.
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