How to say “Speak slowly” in Korean
- 천천히 말해 주세요cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo
Please speak slowly
"Speak slowly" in Korean is 천천히 말해 주세요 (cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo), a polite "please speak slowly". To someone older, you can use the honorific 천천히 말씀해 주세요 (cheoncheonhi malsseumhae juseyo).
Ways to say it
| Korean | Level | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 천천히 말해 주세요 cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo | Polite | "Please speak slowly." Polite and useful almost anywhere. |
| 천천히 말씀해 주세요 cheoncheonhi malsseumhae juseyo | Formal | More respectful, using the honorific verb for speak. Good for elders and staff. |
| 좀 천천히 말해 주시겠어요 jom cheoncheonhi malhae jusigesseoyo | Polite | "Could you speak a bit more slowly?" Extra soft and polite, asked as a question. |
| 천천히 말해 줘 cheoncheonhi malhae jwo | Casual | To a friend or younger person. |
| 다시 말해 주세요 dasi malhae juseyo | Polite | "Please say it again." |
| 한 번 더 말해 주세요 han beon deo malhae juseyo | Polite | "Please say it one more time." |
Examples
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A shopkeeper explains something quickly
Missing a word on the phone
A Korean friend talks too fast
Tips
말씀 is the honorific word for speech. Use 말씀해 주세요 with older people, teachers and in formal settings.
Starting with 죄송한데 (sorry, but) or 좀 (a bit) makes the request sound gentler.
천천히 is pronounced "cheon-cheon-hi". The ㅎ is often very light, so it can sound like "cheon-cheo-ni".
Questions learners ask
How do you say "can you repeat that" in Korean?
Say 다시 말해 주세요 (dasi malhae juseyo), "please say it again", or 한 번 더 말해 주세요 (han beon deo malhae juseyo), "once more, please".
What does cheoncheonhi mean?
천천히 (cheoncheonhi) means "slowly". You can use it with other verbs too, like 천천히 드세요 (cheoncheonhi deuseyo), "eat slowly, take your time".