What does 도와주세요 (dowajuseyo) mean?
- 도와주세요dowajuseyo
Please help me
Polite: safe with most people
도와주세요 (dowajuseyo) means "Please help me" or "Help!" in polite Korean. You can use it to ask a stranger for a hand, or shout it in an emergency.
Where it comes from
It comes from 돕다 (to help) and 주다 (to give), which together make 도와주다 (to help someone out). The ending 세요 makes it a polite request.
How to use 도와주세요
도와주세요 is polite, so it works with strangers, shop staff, teachers and anyone older. Adding 좀 makes it softer: 좀 도와주세요 is like "Could you help me, please?"
In a real emergency people shout 도와주세요! or 살려 주세요! (Save me!). The emergency number in Korea is 119 for fire and ambulance and 112 for police.
With close friends, the casual form is 도와줘 (help me). Using 도와줘 with an older stranger would sound too familiar.
Examples
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Asking a passerby for a hand with heavy bags
Calling out when someone has fallen
Asking a staff member about a ticket machine
Other ways to say it
| Korean | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|
| 도와줘 | Help me | Casual, for friends and family. |
| 좀 도와주세요 | Could you help me, please? | Softer, very natural request. |
| 도와주실 수 있어요? | Could you help me? | A more polite question form. |
| 살려 주세요 | Save me! / Help! | Shouted in danger. Literally "please let me live". |
Questions learners ask
How do you say help in Korean?
Say 도와주세요 (dowajuseyo) to ask for help politely. In danger, people also shout 살려 주세요 (Save me!).
What is the casual form of dowajuseyo?
도와줘 (dowajwo). Use it only with friends, family or people younger than you.
Is dowajuseyo one word or two?
Both spellings are seen. 도와주다 is listed as one word in the dictionary, so 도와주세요 is standard, but 도와 주세요 with a space is also common.