Please do, please don''t: V + (으)세요, V + 지 마세요

V + (으)세요 politely requests an action from someone:

지하철을 타세요. 더 빨라요.

Please take the subway. It’s faster.

When used with 주다 (to give) it asks that someone act for you. Note that with verbs you use V + 아/어/해 주서요:

젓가락 주세요.

Please give me a spoon.


[좌회전 해 주세요.

Please turn left. (lit: please do a left for me)]

맛있게 드세요.

Please enjoy your meal. (polite form of eat)

비빔밥을 먹어 보세요.

Please try (eating) bibimbap.

다시 [한번 ] 말씀해 주세요.

Please say that again [once more ] for me.

Can you repeat that, please?

판 갈아 주세요.

At a restaurant: Please change the grill pan for me.


V + 지 마세요 is the negative form (지 being the particle of negation). It requests that you don’t do something:

슬프지 마세요.

[Please don’t be sad.]

잔디 위에서 걷지 마세요.

Please don’t walk on the grass.

교과서 안에 쓰지 마세요.

Please don’t write in the textbooks.

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