Learn Hardcore Korean: jeomwonege hwanbulhae dallago butakhaesseoyo.

N에게 marks the indirect object/recipient “to N.” So 점원에게 = “to the clerk.”
한테 is more casual; 에게 is neutral/formal; 께 is honorific (used when the recipient deserves high respect).
Everyday speech: 점원한테. Very deferential: 점원께 (usually unnecessary for a store clerk).

Why is it 환불해 달라고 and not 환불해 주세요?

The sentence reports a request after the fact (indirect speech).
Pattern: V-아/어 달라고 (부탁하다/하다/요청하다) = “ask someone to do V for me/us.”
Direct request (said to the person at that moment): V-아/어 주세요.
- Direct: 환불해 주세요.
- Reported: 환불해 달라고 부탁했어요.

What exactly is 달라고?

달다 here is a special “give (to me/us)” verb used in requests; it pairs with 주다.
V-아/어 달라고 = “please do V for me/us.”
Use -달라고 when the beneficiary is the speaker/subject of the reporting verb; use -주라고 when the beneficiary is a third person.
- For me/us: 문을 열어 달라고 했어요.
- For someone else: 동생을 도와 주라고 했어요.

What does -라고 do in 달라고?

-라고 marks quoted content. With requests/commands, the quoted part takes the plain imperative (…달라) + 고.
환불해 달라고 literally means “[do a refund for me], (I) said/asked.”
If you directly quote exact words, you can keep them as is: “환불해 주세요”라고 부탁했어요.

Is 부탁했어요 required? Can I use other verbs like 했어요, 요청했어요, or 부탁드렸어요?

점원에게 환불해 달라고 했어요. is very common and natural (generic “said/asked”).
부탁했어요 emphasizes it was a favor-like request; 요청했어요 is more formal/official.
부탁드렸어요 is a humble, more deferential version (good when you want to sound extra polite).
Don’t use 물어봤어요 here; that’s for asking questions, not making requests.

Why is it 환불해 and not 환불을 해? Are both okay?

With noun+하다 verbs, both forms appear: 환불하다 and 환불을 하다.
Here, the shorter 환불해 달라고 sounds more natural. 환불을 해 달라고 is possible but less common in this context.
When you specify what is being refunded, mark that instead:
- 이 상품을 환불해 달라고
- 결제 금액을 환불해 달라고

Can I use 에게서 instead of 에게?

No. 에게서/한테서 means “from (someone)” and pairs with verbs like 받다.
Compare:
- 점원에게 환불해 달라고 부탁했어요. (asked the clerk to refund)
- 점원에게서 환불받았어요. (received a refund from the clerk)

How polite is this, and how can I adjust politeness?

…부탁했어요 is past polite (해요 style). Neutral and fine.
More deferential: …부탁드렸어요, or make a direct polite request like …해 주시겠어요?
More casual reported speech: 점원한테 환불해 달라 그랬어요. (spoken style)

Who benefits when you use -달라고? What if the benefit is for someone else?

-달라고 implies the action benefits the speaker/subject of the reporting verb (“for me/us”).
If you asked for someone else’s benefit, use -주라고:
- (그에게) 동생을 도와 주라고 했어요. = told him to help my younger sibling (benefits the sibling).

Can I drop or move 점원에게? What about word order?

Yes, Korean word order is flexible:
- 환불해 달라고 점원에게 부탁했어요.
- 환불해 달라고 부탁했어요. (omit if context makes the recipient clear)
Default flow is often [recipient] + [quoted request] + [말했어요/부탁했어요].

How do I say “I asked the clerk to refund this item/my money”?

Are there shorter or alternative ways to say the same thing?

Why isn’t there 요 inside the quoted part? Can I keep it?

How do tenses work here?

Outer verb changes with time:
- Past: 부탁했어요.
- Present: 부탁해요.
- Future/intention: 부탁할 거예요.
The quoted request stays in request form (…해 달라) regardless of outer tense.

Is 점원 the only/best word for “clerk”?

점원 = store clerk/sales assistant (common).
Others: 직원 (employee), 판매원 (salesperson), 캐셔 (cashier), 매장 직원 (store staff).
Pick what matches who you spoke to.

What about spacing—해 달라고 vs 해달라고?