Lesson 11
When you want to tell someone to do something in an imperative 반말 sentence, you can simply use the same form as the plain present tense for the first person.
- 먹다 (to eat) → 먹어. = “I eat.” or “Eat!”
- 가다 (to go) → 가. = “I go.” or “Go!”
- 보다 (to look) → 이거 봐. = “I’m looking at this.” or “Look at this!”
If you have a favor to ask of someone or want to ask someone to do something FOR YOU nicely, what expression do you use? You use the -아/어/여 주세요 ending. In this ending, 주세요 changes to 줘 in 반말.
- 잡아 주세요. (Please hold it.) → 잡아 줘.
- 있어 주세요. (Please stay here.) → 있어 줘.
- 주문해 주세요. (Please order.) → 주문해 줘.
Another ending you can use is 주라, which can replace 줘 in the examples above to add an even more casual and slightly more “talking-down” vibe.
- 잡아 줘. → 잡아 주라.
- 있어 줘. → 있어 주라.
- 주문해 줘. → 주문해 주라.